Those of us who have lived with naturally curly hair all of our lives, know that once you find that special stylist, they become your best friend and are irreplaceable.

Not all hair stylists are created equal – some just don’t understand the intricacies of cutting naturally curly hair. Believe me, I’ve had a few butchers in the past who have claimed to “know” curly hair.

In addition to the proper cut, a stylist experienced with curly hair will know how to condition, treat and color your locks without damaging them. They will know which products work best in your hair as well as which products to stay away from, and they are usually up on the latest trends and break-throughs for problems such as fighting frizz.

When shopping for a hair stylist, you should not be afraid to ask the salon personnel if they have a curly hair stylist, or a stylist who primarily specializes in curly hair. If they say no, or make you feel like an idiot, move on to the next salon (quickly).  

Your best bet is to visit the salon and stylist in person before making any appointment. If the stylist has curly hair themselves, that is even better – since you know they have had to deal with curly hair issues personally.

When curly hair styles were “in” I was a happy girl, but when dead-straight hair was the trend, I was just plain miserable. Every attempt at a straight hairdo ended up a frizzy mess!

Eventually I learned to quit fighting it and go with the flow – or go with the curls – and became an expert at taming frizzy locks. You will find many tips here about managing curly hair, things you should do and things you definitely should not do if you love your hair.

Over the years, your hair texture changes, and so does the way it needs to be treated. Approximately every seven years (or so I have been told) this occurs, which makes sense to me now after watching my daughter who was blessed with fine curly locks as a baby that turned to a wiry, unmanageable mess as a teen and is now a beautiful head of relaxed, red, spiral locks.

Naturally curly hair can be a challenge, because the tightness of the curl can vary in different areas. In many instances, the curl is tighter around the temples and hair line, than it is in the back. This is very important information for your stylist, by the way.

When you make your hair curly, whether by perm, hot rollers, or a curling iron, the curl is even all over and much easier to control the look you want.