To cut curly hair

Lisa horgan

Hi there.. Could anyone recommend a good hairdresser that knows how to cut curly hair in such a way that we could wash and go and that our natural curl would sit nicely! I used to go to limerick to a guy who loved cutting curly hair but sadly he moved to London. That was three years ago and i still havent found my 'go to'!
Would appreciate any advice, a hairdresser in Kerry Cork or Limerick : )

Ilac

He sounds wonderful, I'd nearly go to London 6 times a year just for him! If anyone knows of a similarly talented hairdresser in Dublin please share too:)

Pippy1976

I have this dilemma too.

In the last year I've discovered Natural Cut on Wicklow St. They're the best I've ever been to. I used to do the pilgrimage to Peter Mark, for years. I'm not sure why. They cut your hair depending on what the 'in' style is rather than how your hair actually is.

At Natural Cut they cut your hair dry so they can see how the curls fall. As good and all as they are most of the time I just can't wait to get home to wash it and style it myself - as I know how I want it to look. This isn't meant as a slight against them. I just know what I like my hair to look like.

The cut is always good though and they're lovely people too!

If anyone could recommend any curly hair products (preferably natural / organic / sulphate & silicone free) that'd be a huge help. I really struggle with styling.

annoyedgal

I got a wonderful product while in France called phyto curl cream. Without doubt the best product I've ever used on my hair! Its not on sale in shops here but you can buy online.

annoyedgal

I got a wonderful product while in France called phyto curl cream. Without doubt the best product I've ever used on my hair! Its not on sale in shops here but you can buy online.

sunbeam

annoyedgal wrote: »

I got a wonderful product while in France called phyto curl cream. Without doubt the best product I've ever used on my hair! Its not on sale in shops here but you can buy online.

Does this product have much of a hold? I'm looking for a cream or mousse to enhance my slightly wavy hair (type 2a) but find that many such products are meant for really curly hair and do nothing for me.

KGLady

Pippy1976 wrote: »

If anyone could recommend any curly hair products (preferably natural / organic / sulphate & silicone free) that'd be a huge help. I really struggle with styling.

Have you tried the Naked Bounce range in Boots? Very good value, sulphate free (tbh I think its low poo as opposed to complete no poo) shampoo, conditioner, curl creme and silicon free serum are all products I love.

Also the boots own brand pink curl creme is a current favourite of mine, its something of a cult status among curly co-washers because its good and its so cheap! Two euro I think I paid last time for a big pot of it.

There's also a lovely curl jelly from Umberto Giannini in a pink tube that I love for daily frizz fix ups between washes.

Sheela

I also use the Umberto Giannini gel and love it. I've posted before that its a good dupe for the Deva Curl AnGel.

The Naked Bounce intensive conditioner is also fantastic and when I was getting some yesterday it was 1/3rd off. Its only available in a sachet though, but I get 2 conditions out of one pack.

I also use the Kerastase Oleo Curl conditioner, but its €36 so the Naked one is much better value.

Cuts wise, I've been going to Hilary in Toni and Guy in Clarendon Street, Dublin 2 for years. She has curly hair herself so understands completely how curly hair should be cut and also does a lovely curly blow-dry.

Pippy1976

I've run out of my Naked products, so I guess I should stick with them as they are good.

I do use Boots curl creme (pink) and while it's good it still makes my hair 'crispy' and a bit weighed down.. it's very thick! Also, have tried Umberto Gianni and that is good too but again, makes my hair crispy.

Also I have the Kerastase Oleo Curl but it's not 'cone free. I've stopped using it for that reason. I have full bottles of Aveda Curl products too. They're amazing but don't fit in the 'curly girl method' of looking after your curls. They're sitting on my shelf as untouched gifts.

KGLady wrote: »

Have you tried the Naked Bounce range in Boots? Very good value, sulphate free (tbh I think its low poo as opposed to complete no poo) shampoo, conditioner, curl creme and silicon free serum are all products I love.

Also the boots own brand pink curl creme is a current favourite of mine, its something of a cult status among curly co-washers because its good and its so cheap! Two euro I think I paid last time for a big pot of it.

There's also a lovely curl jelly from Umberto Giannini in a pink tube that I love for daily frizz fix ups between washes.

Pippy1976

Sheela wrote: »

Cuts wise, I've been going to Hilary in Toni and Guy in Clarendon Street, Dublin 2 for years. She has curly hair herself so understands completely how curly hair should be cut and also does a lovely curly blow-dry.

I went here a few times but again, the blow drying doesn't work for me because I don't do that kind of styling at home. I'm literally a wash, product in and go kind of girl.

Blow drying curls into a 'style' never works for me because as soon as I wash it I'm looking in the mirror thinking 'ok, what do I do now!'

DonnaDarko09

I have pretty much tried EVERYTHING..product wise and method wise...shampoo, no poo, low poo..I was so fed up of my hair..for the first time in my life I am actually happy with my curls! I still have bad days mind.. But for the most part I am finally starting to understand what my hair Likes. My routine for my curls (used to be just waves/frizz) is wash once a week with shampoo (any gentle one. i used to use a 'no sulphate' one by loreal but my scalp started to get flakey and the extreme chemical smell from the shampoo suggests it was anything but natural..so using 'yes to carrots' one at mo but alternate to what's available), condition (again any will do but given curly hair is usually dry, one suited ti this is usually best - i am using a Charles worthington one at the moment) as normal by leaving on for 1- 3 minutes then rinse, THEN, and this is the key step!, I apply another coin size amount or more( depends on hair length) and scrunch hair until excess water gone, wrap it in a towel (no more 'plopping' for me! Just your normal wrapped head)..put makeup on, etc..10 minutes later unwrap and blowdry with diffuser upside down, i sometimes use umberto gianni gel if i want tighter curls, and mix with a bit of aveda curl cream..but usually use nothing..dry for 5 minutes, apply some oil (anything e.g, Penneys Moroccan oil, I'm using a lee Stafford one at the mo) then blowdry until nearly completely dry (a small bit damp on some curls) and go. In the warmer months you can leave dry naturally but i find in the colder months, my curls need heat from the dryer to form..otherwise you just get limp waves/frizz. I find My hair is usually a bit frizzy on the day i shampoo however but the next day I will repeat all steps except shampoo and my hair is perfect ringlets (until I step out into Irish weather lol)..but all in all my understanding is curls need moisture and heat (to form) more than anything

I also recommend 'natural cut' for curly hair cuts but find them to be a small bit overpriced! Does anyone have other reccomendations in or around dublin for curly hair cuts?

Pippy1976

Here's my routine: saturate hair, condition with anything that doesn't contain silicones or sulphates, rinse, wrap in a cotton towel (or old t-shirt), after about 20 minutes work through some product (again silicone free), style and leave without touching for 90 minutes, then work fingers through to get bouncy curls!

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I haven't found that 'magic' product that gives me the amazing curls I always long for!

As for Natural Cut, as much as I love them for cutting without washing, and not styling or blow-drying, I think they could be a bit more adventurous. I always come out with a lovely do but after a week or two it's all the same length, no layers or style.

I'm thinking of going to Toni & Guy or Brown Sugar but absolutely dread the thoughts of silicone and sulphate laden products being used on my hair and the awful blow-dry too.

It's a dilemma!

DonnaDarko09 wrote: »

I have pretty much tried EVERYTHING..product wise and method wise...shampoo, no poo, low poo..I was so fed up of my hair..for the first time in my life I am actually happy with my curls! I still have bad days mind.. But for the most part I am finally starting to understand what my hair Likes. My routine for my curls (used to be just waves/frizz) is wash once a week with shampoo (any gentle one. i used to use a 'no sulphate' one by loreal but my scalp started to get flakey and the extreme chemical smell from the shampoo suggests it was anything but natural..so using 'yes to carrots' one at mo but alternate to what's available), condition (again any will do but given curly hair is usually dry, one suited ti this is usually best - i am using a Charles worthington one at the moment) as normal by leaving on for 1- 3 minutes then rinse, THEN, and this is the key step!, I apply another coin size amount or more( depends on hair length) and scrunch hair until excess water gone, wrap it in a towel (no more 'plopping' for me! Just your normal wrapped head)..put makeup on, etc..10 minutes later unwrap and blowdry with diffuser upside down, i sometimes use umberto gianni gel if i want tighter curls, and mix with a bit of aveda curl cream..but usually use nothing..dry for 5 minutes, apply some oil (anything e.g, Penneys Moroccan oil, I'm using a lee Stafford one at the mo) then blowdry until nearly completely dry (a small bit damp on some curls) and go. In the warmer months you can leave dry naturally but i find in the colder months, my curls need heat from the dryer to form..otherwise you just get limp waves/frizz. I find My hair is usually a bit frizzy on the day i shampoo however but the next day I will repeat all steps except shampoo and my hair is perfect ringlets (until I step out into Irish weather lol)..but all in all my understanding is curls need moisture and heat (to form) more than anything

I also recommend 'natural cut' for curly hair cuts but find them to be a small bit overpriced! Does anyone have other reccomendations in or around dublin for curly hair cuts?

KGLady

I always eye up the Penneys Moroccan oil at the till, but never have the time to check out the ingredients. Anyone used it and know if its suitable for no-poo?

trishasaffron

+100% for hating the normal blow dry. I go to Toni and Guy Clarendon Street for colour and the guy there usually gets the blow dry right. My colour is done in Brown Sugar and I leave with wet or damp hair and go home for wash and dry. Had to go to Peter Mark for an emergency colour recently and they insisted on blow drying my hair - I went home and cried:( (and had to pay for the privilege)

Pippy1976

Ugh, Peter Mark. -sigh-

How come Brown Sugar let you leave with your hair damp / wet? When I asked for that in a salon before they said they couldn't let me do that because if someone asked me where I got my hair done and they saw it wet and looking bad that'd reflect badly on the salon!

trishasaffron wrote: »

+100% for hating the normal blow dry. I go to Toni and Guy Clarendon Street for colour and the guy there usually gets the blow dry right. My colour is done in Brown Sugar and I leave with wet or damp hair and go home for wash and dry. Had to go to Peter Mark for an emergency colour recently and they insisted on blow drying my hair - I went home and cried:( (and had to pay for the privilege)

trishasaffron

Pippy1976 wrote: »

Ugh, Peter Mark. -sigh-

How come Brown Sugar let you leave with your hair damp / wet? When I asked for that in a salon before they said they couldn't let me do that because if someone asked me where I got my hair done and they saw it wet and looking bad that'd reflect badly on the salon!

I'm not sure how or why.................they are quite sympathetic - some of the girls say "I know what you mean" when I say I hate having my hair blow dried although sometimes they want to "blast off" with a hairdryer and I say "that's fine" when they are about 5 mins in. I'm not sure if they'd allow it with a cut though.

When will hairdressers realise that we are the ones paying the bills.

lolo62

Has anyone ever tried cutting it themselves?
I've been looking at videos lately and there seems to be a simple technique some curlies use that involves pulling the hair upwards and snipping of a few inches.
Supposedly it gives even layers..
I'm tempted, its been about a year since my last cut (I know, not looking after my curls!) and I'm going around in plaits because I can't bring myself to pay 70 quid for an hour of (and possibly a few weeks after) misery!

KGLady

lolo62 wrote: »

Has anyone ever tried cutting it themselves?
I've been looking at videos lately and there seems to be a simple technique some curlies use that involves pulling the hair upwards and snipping of a few inches.
Supposedly it gives even layers..
I'm tempted, its been about a year since my last cut (I know, not looking after my curls!) and I'm going around in plaits because I can't bring myself to pay 70 quid for an hour of (and possibly a few weeks after) misery!

I have, with that technique after I had been on extended bed rest during a pregnancy and was in that exhausted early weeks with the baby, my hair had just grown stupid long through the pregnancy (to my waist) and it was driving me nuts but I genuinely didn't have the time (or had too much guilt, baby 3 so was already having lots of help with kids 1&2 and didn't want to take the piss) to go and get a hair cut.

So for me it worked, however I did make the mistake of doing the front layers too short and then had to go shorten the back again as it was looking a bit too much like a mullet :P But it worked out well all told, though the first snip was nerve wrecking. It kept me going until I was under less time pressure and eventually managed to get time for myself to go get a hair cut.

Nobody realised at all that I'd done a DIY on my hair, in fact mostly I just got complimented that my hair was looking well, I think I'd kept it tied up so much that not even my husband knew the true length it had grown to. When I eventually got a professionally done hair cut it was a local place and not specialists in curls and truth be told, I wasn't happy with the layers so after a few weeks I trimmed the places that were too long instead of just reverting to wearing it up all the time or taking a trip into the city for another cut.

I think if you know your own hair and what layering works for you, it can work out alright - but I wouldn't dare do it if you are not confident, or are without a solid backup plan of some sort in case it all goes wrong.

Let us know if you decide to try it.

Dolbert

lolo62 wrote: »

Has anyone ever tried cutting it themselves?
I've been looking at videos lately and there seems to be a simple technique some curlies use that involves pulling the hair upwards and snipping of a few inches.
Supposedly it gives even layers..
I'm tempted, its been about a year since my last cut (I know, not looking after my curls!) and I'm going around in plaits because I can't bring myself to pay 70 quid for an hour of (and possibly a few weeks after) misery!

I've done it this way for years, works out great

calamf

I NEED A GOOD HAIDRESSER PLEASE.
My curly hair need to be thinned and i want layers into it...sounds easy!?
But I never get it done right :-(

lolo62

calamf wrote: »

I NEED A GOOD HAIDRESSER PLEASE.
My curly hair need to be thinned and i want layers into it...sounds easy!?
But I never get it done right :-(

I hear ya sister..I've developed an epic fear of going from so many disappointing experiences

Thanks KG lady and Dolbert..still procrastinating, have also had lots of self inflicted disasters!

I presume the layers left are just that and cutting this way doesn't do anything for thickness?
I have tonnes of hair at the back of my head so apprehensive of being left with bulk after...

dondon.g

You would think it wouldn't be that hard to find a hairdresser to cut curly hair in Dublin! I have had trouble for years, had some awful sideshow bob type disasters, then decided to try the student hairdressers, because paying top dollar wasnt worth it, so thought the students couldnt do much worse! the poor students i have had do try to run a mile when they see my hair, but i have to say, the robert chambers academy have done a good job the last few times ive been there, even once I didnt have to go home and re-style it immediately myself! There is a teacher guy there who knows what he is talking about, and knows how to put in curly layers.

I decided to try David Marshall school there recently because they had a deal on...what a mistake! not the students fault at all, the teacher told him the complete wrong way to do it, instead of graduated layers, i now have a big step in my hair going from the shorter layers to the long, looks ridiculous in curly hair, only meant for straight hair, so im presuming she thought i straightened my hair, but didnt bother to ask! I find they kinda look at you like your mental when you say no i wear it curly!

On the product side im with the gilrs who use the Umberto Giannini pink gel stuff, its the only thing i have found, and I also use the boots coconut leave in conditioner spray between washes to refresh the curls, really helps to keep the moisture in. So i might try that girl in Toni and Guy someone suggested, thanks for the tip!!!

DonnaDarko09

dondon.g wrote: »

You would think it wouldn't be that hard to find a hairdresser to cut curly hair in Dublin! I have had trouble for years, had some awful sideshow bob type disasters, then decided to try the student hairdressers, because paying top dollar wasnt worth it, so thought the students couldnt do much worse! the poor students i have had do try to run a mile when they see my hair, but i have to say, the robert chambers academy have done a good job the last few times ive been there, even once I didnt have to go home and re-style it immediately myself! There is a teacher guy there who knows what he is talking about, and knows how to put in curly layers.

I decided to try David Marshall school there recently because they had a deal on...what a mistake! not the students fault at all, the teacher told him the complete wrong way to do it, instead of graduated layers, i now have a big step in my hair going from the shorter layers to the long, looks ridiculous in curly hair, only meant for straight hair, so im presuming she thought i straightened my hair, but didnt bother to ask! I find they kinda look at you like your mental when you say no i wear it curly!

On the product side im with the gilrs who use the Umberto Giannini pink gel stuff, its the only thing i have found, and I also use the boots coconut leave in conditioner spray between washes to refresh the curls, really helps to keep the moisture in. So i might try that girl in Toni and Guy someone suggested, thanks for the tip!!!

I tried the girl in T&G and while no disaster, she barely took anything off! I was back to natural Cut I'd say four weeks later...a pricey trim!

Forgot to say also went to David Marshall..again no disaster or step for me but really not worth the extra expense

KGLady

http://youtu.be/Iwf0NejSuPY

Pretty good explanation and demo of doing your own layers, it made me brave to try improve my layers and I am rather happy with the results

lindtee

Got the Curly Girl - The hand Book a few weeks ago. Have yet to use most of the tips in it, but they have a very good section on cutting curly hair. Trimmed my hair following the guidelines earlier on and it turned out pretty good (I think!) Haven't been to a hairdresser in years if I am to be honest:o Usually ask my sons' granny to trim it for me occasionally.

Changed what I used on my hair since last summer and my hair is looking better than it used to. After washing and conditioning my hair (I don't completely rinse out the conditioner) I use Frizz ease oil exilir and a couple of drops of frizz ease serum. Then I style with either boots curl creme or frizz ease gel or Quene Helene Royal Curl Cream

gue_nica

As a product for curly hair I am using "Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Treatment Serum".

And I found it wonderful: not oily at all, it eliminates the frizz and gives you nice and styled curl.

saythatagain

gue_nica wrote: »

As a product for curly hair I am using "Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Treatment Serum".

And I found it wonderful: not oily at all, it eliminates the frizz and gives you nice and styled curl.

Do you know any stockists?

gue_nica

I bought it at Holland and Barrett in Rathmines.