Curly hair has a complicated reputation. It’s considered unruly, unmanageable, and incredibly high-maintenance—so challenging to care for that the pivotal courtroom scene in Legally Blonde centers on the pitfalls of a curly hair routine (albeit permed, but still, you get the picture). And then, of course, there’s that shot in the Princess Diaries of a stylist’s brush breaking in half the moment it meets Mia’s frizzed-out coils. And while I would be lying to you if I said I had never fought with my own curls, I am here to set the record straight: Curly hair rocks. It’s romantic and expressionistic, equally beautiful when it’s been carefully tended to as when it’s left loose, ethereal and fluffy. Learning about your curl pattern and density—and experimenting with different ways to care for and style your particular texture—can open you up to an entire community of like-curled individuals. This is for all of you who have googled “Alia Shawkat hair–how?” or printed out a picture of Zendaya for your hairdresser. For this, the ultimate curl guide, I spoke to a range of curl connoisseurs, from stylists to TikTok stars, each of whom shared thoughtful tips and tricks for caring for your beautiful ringlets.
Hairstylist Shelby Samaria recommends finding a stylist who is comfortable working with your particular hair texture.
Courtesy of Shelby Samaria
Curly Haircut How-Tos
There used to be nothing scarier for me (and my curls) than a haircut. It took me years before I discovered the joy a good one can bring. I reached out to the woman responsible for that joy, curl guru and New York-based stylist Shelby Samaria, about the most important things to look for when you’re looking to book an appointment at a new salon. “You should look for a stylist who’s familiar, comfortable, patient, and confident with curly, textured hair,” she tells me “Someone who listens carefully and doesn’t want to automatically deviate from styling your natural…
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