6 Things to Know About Curly Cuts
We often get asked how naturalistas should get their hair cut. Our answer is simply the way that you like to wear it!
We hear that many stylists say that curly cuts are choppy, uneven, and can’t get the split ends. Now, a bad cut done straight or curly can be all of those things.
Curly cuts don’t have ownership of haircuts that leave the hair in worse shape than it came in. This blog post will explain six things you should know about curly cuts.
#1: What Are Curly Cuts?
Shape = Style. Cutting can be a very touchy subject when it comes to black women and our hair. We have a multitude of horror stories as it relates to sitting in a stylist’s chair and not getting what we want. Many of us have had the experience of going in just for a slight “trim” and leaving feeling like the stylist scalped us.
A curly cut is a haircut that takes place when your curls are dry and in their natural state. Cutting curls most of the time doesn’t mean taking off significant length. A cut is just a refinement, a polishing of the hair.
#2: There Is No Such Things As a Trim
We’re going to put this out here to set things straight. A cut is a cut. There is no such thing as a trim. Fight us if you want to. Now as a consume, you may see the word trim as a service offered by some stylists.
This is because some stylists make a distinction in the amount of hair being cut either trying to help you be comfortable while getting a cut or they are devaluing the services they provide.
Regardless of the amount of hair being removed, a proper cut is done using the same techniques whether you’re taking off a half an inch or 12 inches.
#3: Natural Hair Lives in Space
Traditional cutting aesthetics as presented to the world are based on 2-Dimensional hair. This is hair that hangs down and lays flat aka naturally straight or wavy/relaxed or pressed hair. Well, natural hair doesn’t live down, it lives in space.
Our hair stretches out and up even in its most shrunken state. On 3-Dimensional natural hair, if we leave the nape hair long and make the crown short we’re going to be looking like business in the front, party in the back a la Afro Billy Ray Cyrus.
#4: Get a Cut That Best Suits How You Wear Your Hair Majority of the Time
If you wear your hair in straight styles 85% of the time, get your hair cut straight. If you wear your hair curly 85% of the time, get your hair cut curly. If your wear your hair in twists, braids, bantu knots, and/or stretched but not straightened styles 85% of the time, get a blown out cut from someone that understand 3-Dimensional shaping.
If you like to switch your style up regularly between curly and straight you may want to have your hair cut blown out but not flat ironed. This allows for a 3-Dimensional shape, but the cut isn’t tailored to the spring of individual curls.
#5: A Curly Cut Is For:
The client who wants shape when wearing curls in their natural state
The client who embraces their shrinkage
The client who cleanses, conditions and styles at least every 7-10 days
The client who is adamant about getting their end maintenance on time
The client who is willing to learn proper styling technique
The client who is willing to use the products that support their hair styling and health
#6: A Curly Cut Is Not For:
The client who wants tips and tricks on stretching and manipulating their hair to show length
The client who wants to do their hair every 2-4 weeks
The client who wants to get a haircut once a year
The client who wants to experiment with products, tools and methods not suggested or actively discouraged by their stylist
It’s ok if you aren’t a curly cut person. Don’t let any person, place, or Internet pressure you into doing something that does not resonate.
In case you didn’t know, we created an online stylist directory full of independent stylists across the US (even several internationally) who have formally taken tight curl education with Cut It Kinky, our professional arm. This is a great resource for partnering with a stylist in your area, if you’re desiring a curly cut. If you’re unable to find a stylist in your area, check out this blog post.
Want more tips regarding curly cuts? We cover all the natural hair care fundamentals and more in our consumer education platform, The SeeSomeCurls Visual Library.
Our 900+ community of tight curl + naturals are shaving more than 50% of time off their wash day, being showered left and right with hair compliments, and are receiving direct support of a very encouraging community of tight curlies + naturals who have been exactly where you are.
