Last week, we asked how you like to cut your natural hair, curly or straight. The verdict: half of you get your hair cut curly, 25 percent of you prefer to blow it out first, and the remaining 25% do it both ways. So what’s best? We asked expert stylist, SWIVEL-approved Tamika Wesley, owner of Wesley Styles NYC, to break down the pros and cons of both techniques:
What’s the benefit of each cutting technique?
The benefit of cutting curly hair when it’s curly is that it can really enhance the curls. No two curls are the same, so it allows the stylist to see the true nature of the curls: their shape, plus how they actually spring and snap back. On the other hand, blowing hair out and cutting it before any silk out or flat ironing, will allow for the most precise cut—even when worn curly, the shape and angles will be super sharp and defined. To decide what’s best, I’ll first analyze the hair’s spring factor, texture, curl pattern, and density, and also consider whether the client usually wears her hair straight or sports her natural texture.
Some stylists say blowing it out first is the best way to see split ends…do you agree?
Yes, blowing hair out to cut before flat ironing is the best way for a stylist to see split ends. But, cutting curly hair, curl by curl, will also tackle split ends—it’s just not as precise for shaping. I don’t want my curly cut folks to feel like they’re wasting time with this technique!
What else should we keep in mind when deciding on the best cut?
Think about your end goals and hair care needs, whether that’s a super precision, angled haircut, split end removal, and/or bouncy defined curly shapes. Bring pictures, and work with your stylist to design the best outcome for your texture, curl pattern, and density.