Style Me Curly: Tips for Styling Waves, Curls and Coils
Curly hair tips are everywhere these days. A variety of methods are consistently trending on TikTok: applying product to sopping wet hair with prayer hands… plopping… diffusing… plopping THEN diffusing…finger curls…“scrunching out the crunch.” It’s a lot to consume and even more to process if and how these methods will work on your own curls or coils.
The fact of the matter is there’s no “one size fits all” method for curls. Every pattern is different, so a method that may work on your best friend with coarse 3B curly hair or your coworker with 4C coils may not be the right choice for your fine 2A waves.
But ARE there any universal tips for how to style curly hair?
In short, yes! There are several simple styling tips that can pertain to all (or at least most) curls, coils and waves. While the products used may vary depending on your hair and curl type, the foundation behind the methodology remains the same.
To get to the root of universal curly hair styling, we spoke to Redken artist and celebrity hairstylist Rory McPhee, who broke down some of his best tips.
1. Start With a Quality Cut
Many times, when people are having trouble styling their curls, it’s not necessarily their hair type or chosen products causing the issue – it’s the haircut itself. Because a strong shape is the foundation of strong curls and coils, McPhee stresses the importance of getting a proper curly cut to help create the curls you’re trying to achieve.
The internal structure (or “scaffolding” as McPhee calls it) of the cut can make a big difference when styling – even at the pro level. While McPhee himself loves to use a mix of mousse and other products to create big curls, he explains that he wouldn’t be able to achieve this look if the hair was cut all one length, without the shape or internal structure for support. “I could put [the product] in for 10 minutes, [but the hair is] just going to collapse because the weight of it is just going to bring it down,” he adds.
Seeking out a stylist who understands how to cut curly or coily hair can make a big difference when you go to style, so be sure to do your research before heading in for a chop.
2. Use More Product
Another issue you may have when perfecting your routine is not knowing how much product to use. McPhee explains that oftentimes, you might not be using enough – or at least not using enough throughout your entire head of hair.
“I find often with curly hair, it’s very hard to overuse product…whether you’re using mousse or you’re using curl creams,” McPhee explains. Of course, this is one of those tips that applies to most curly consumers, with the exception being those with very fine curly hair. If your hair is finer, you don’t want to have too heavy of a hand with product. With mid to thick curly hair, however, you probably need more than you think.
The solution? Apply your product in sections. McPhee recommends taking five extra minutes to section off your hair and make sure each area is saturated with product. Start at the back, clipping the top layers of your hair up. Apply a healthy amount of product onto the first section, work it through with your fingers, comb or curl brush, then let another section down and do the same. Continue until your entire head is fully saturated to ensure even application throughout.
And if you miss a section? Trust us, you’ll know. Frizz, lack of definition and dryness can all be signs of not enough product. “If you’ve not applied it evenly throughout,” says McPhee, “you’ll [be able to] tell the hair that’s not had the extra moisture from the product, compared to the hair that has had the extra moisture.”
If this happens, just wet down the section that’s not cooperating and apply more product.
3. Refresh Instead of Washing
We all know that it’s common for curls to start to get dry, frizzy and/or unruly after a few days. Rather than re-washing your hair when this happens, McPhee recommends getting that moisture back into your hair, whether that be with Redken’s Refreshing Curl Mist or One United, which works on all hair types and textures. Our new Hydrating Curl Cream styler can also be applied to nourish and defrizz.
“Depending on the curl type and hair texture, just something to put moisture back in,” he says.
But what if just certain sections of your hair are dry while others are still looking good? According to McPhee, it’s not uncommon to have different curl patterns in different areas of your hair. He explains that curly girls may find that while the majority of their curls still look great a few days after styling, some sections (many times at the crown area or the back of the head) may be lacking moisture, which causes them to become unruly. If this sounds familiar, McPhee says that more pinpointed moisturization can help.
“[Pick] that section up individually three or four days down the line, [get] a bit of curl cream in your hands and just [form] the curls in that area,” he recommends, adding that this sectioned moisture refresh can help give you another few days out of your style before washing again.
4. Consider What You’re Curling For
McPhee encourages curly girls to think about the desired result when styling. Are you staying in or keeping it casual with an everyday curl look? Are you going out for the night and looking to pump up the volume? He has a few pieces of advice that can help with either scenario.
No matter what, McPhee says, if you’re starting a curly style from scratch (i.e. not just doing a quick refresh), shampooing and conditioning your hair is always step number one, followed by prepping it with your desired lotions and/or creams as recommended above.
If you’re staying low key with your curls, McPhee loves a good old-fashioned air dry. “It is one of the most amazing things about curly hair: if you prep it right, you then can leave it to dry naturally, then throughout the day, you get this amazing shape.”
On the flip side, “If [you’re] going out, then a bit more does have to happen,” according to McPhee. “Then we have to be talking about using things like mousses.”
McPhee says that for big, voluminous curls, applying a mousse at the roots – like Redken Full Volume Mousse -- is crucial. He also recommends using a diffuser and flipping your head upside down when styling to put gravity to work and prevent your curls from falling flat as they dry.
To finish, when your curls are in a good, nicely shaped, 90%-95% dry place, layering on some hairspray and switching to a shot of cold air from your dryer -- without the diffuser this time -- can really help give you that big, showstopping hair. (We love Redken Max Hold Hairspray for this step.)
The Crux of Curly Hair Styling
When it comes down to it, we all have different patterns, so we all have different routines. But keeping these tips in mind as you style can certainly help bring out the best in your curls, coils or waves.