Advice for Wavy Hair

Becca7

I will be taking the plunge soon and get my hair cut. Right now its all one length with some fringe that I will likely be letting grow out. I've just started recovering from being a straightening addict. Much of the major damage has already been cut off (that brought it to one length)...its currently sorta wavy.

I've been searching for anything on cutting Wavy hair and all I'm finding is cutting for girls with straight hair or actual twisty, corkscrew kinds of curls--nothing with wavy.

What kinds of things do I want to be asking for and looking for for a cut that will bring out the wave (maybe even encourage curls). I have very fine SUPER dense hair. When I watch the videos on cutting curly hair I don't see how its possible--I don't have any real defined clumps to cut...I've got the start of something but they are small and numerous, Im not sure if its going to be possible to do the dry cutting thats in the CG videos....I hope this is making sense...

I also don't want a staight cut I don't think since every time I have had layers its been a hot mess....

Any advice would be great..Thank you!

oh.hi.its.steph

Honestly, my best suggestion is to find a hairdresser with wavy hair. That's what I had to do, since wavy hair is a challenge in its own right! I've had a Deva cut and I agree that it just wasn't quite right. It enhanced my few spirals but made my wave clumps look odd. I found a stylist who had long wavy hair, and he (yes, *he*) does the BEST job with my super dense hair. My wurls have never looked better He cuts them wet, which is fine with me because it works, whatever he does, LOL.

It's definitely a bit of a process, but like I said, try to find someone with hair like yours who wears it naturally curly. Explain yourself very specifically to them and express your feats and concerns from previous cuts. Explain things you've noticed about your hair, i.e. this part is always straighter and this part always curls nicely. Also! Try using the Salon Finder tool on the main part of this site -- it makes a good starting point for finding some curly friendly salons.

oh.hi.its.steph

*feats should be fears, can't edit on my phone

kstan

I'm getting my hair cut next week. wish me luck. Wavy hair is very difficult to get right. With little/no root curl, a strait underneath, and different patterns in the front than the back. Oh also my pony tail measures about 4 inches without my bangs. This poor woman.

I'm not getting a Deva cut, but the lady i'm going to does curly cuts. The Deva specialist wasn't available til Sept 21.

I wouldn't trade my waves in though, they're so much fun.

Becca7

I'm in a small town so its very easy to just know everyone...I don't know a single stylist now who either a) has natural wave or curl or b) wears it natural--either straightens it or straightens it then curls it with an iron...small town sucks.

My town has one stylist listed--after what happened to a friend I'm not sure I want to go any wear near the place. She asked for a trim--told the lady her wedding is into 2 weeks, so she just need a small trim and that she was planning on curling it with a half up half down look....I'll post a pic of the after math. The stylist told her she had to thin it down before anything could possible be done with such thick hair. My friend has hair almost as thick as mine..well had...

Beyond that place, the closest salons are 4+ hours away--not doable with a high needs breastfeeding baby and a hubby in school.

I've gone in to each of the salons in town and talked with a few stylist there (pretty sure they all think I'm a little crazy)...each of them said they would first wash then comb it straight, cut it, then they could style it straight for me...about 2/3 said they would need to thin my hair "quite a lot" to get it to look good, and about half said they would take the razor "here" and "here....

When asked about sulfates and silcones: "we don't use sulfates, but with hair like yours, you NEED silicones (...we've got some great products)."

When asked about enhance the wavy, encourage curling and curly/wavy styles: "What we can do is blow dry you straight, then create waves and curls with an iron--I can teach you how, its SOOO easy." Then the ones with the artificial curls added its what they do--the LOVE having curly hair....problem, I don't have 3 hours to straighten my hair which is why i've gone to its natural state..much less another hour to curl it on top of the 3 hours...and thats a nice thing about my hair it stays straight really well...like too well straightening it then curling it just makes it fall straight again...


Each of these ladies are the ones that are the "Go to person" for curly hair...as of right now I'm scared of getting my hair cut but it needs it and I'm not capable of cutting my hair myself since it has no shape or anything to it.

Becca7

Oh and I also don't think they actually know their products--the ones on display and sitting out at their stations are run of the mill products with sulfates and silicones...already researched them.

kstan

I'm so sorry for your dilemma. I used the salon finder on the site to find the place i'm going to. Perhaps you could make a saturday appointment and just make a day of going to town? Thats what my BF's mom does. Her salon is 1 1/2 hours away. She takes her daughter and they get lunch and each get a cut.

Becca7

kstan wrote: »

I'm so sorry for your dilemma. I used the salon finder on the site to find the place i'm going to. Perhaps you could make a saturday appointment and just make a day of going to town? Thats what my BF's mom does. Her salon is 1 1/2 hours away. She takes her daughter and they get lunch and each get a cut.

If it was just a matter of an hour 2 that would be fine--we have to drive 2 hours just to do any shopping beyond groceries and walmart...the problem is the 4-5 hour drive ONE way...so its a 4-5 hour trip there--plus what ever amount of time it will take to pull over for diaper change and brestfeeding, at least 2 hours at the salon, time to eat, then 4-5 hour drive home (again with nursing and diaper change)--IF the traffic and road construction is in our favor, it isnt a day trip, its an overnight trip--looking at a least 8-12 hour drive time plus time to eat and time at the salon.

rbb

there is a thread that was started years ago by struttswife who is a stylist in florida. i think it has some really good info, here is the link:

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalk/salon-stylist-chatter/76806-what-should-i-tell-my-stylist.html

also, have you read the curly girl book, 2009 edition, by lorraine massey? it comes with a dvd showing how to cut hair. you can get it on amazon, it's under $10.

Becca7

I've got both books. The problem with self-cut is the guide says to use the bend of your curls to cut and follow the general shape of your hair--I have neither, its been over 2 years since its been cut so there is no shape or definition anywhere which makes me afraid to just have had it alone.

I;ll check that page out, thank you.

rbb

did you watch the dvd that comes with the 2009 book? it shows where to cut on the curl. same as in the book.
maybe just wash and deep condition your hair, let it air dry and see where the curls fall?

Becca7

I have, and like I said I still don't have any real definition yet, I have a lot of wavy, and 3 little pieces that are long loose cork screw curls though but there is still a lot of damaged straightened hair in the mix. For about 4 months I've just be co-washing, deep conditioning, plopping, and air-drying.

Its a lot better than it was but i think now i need a cut to get rid of the last bits of damage and help enhance the wavy