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How to add volume to Curly Hair: It’s All in the Drying

How to add volume to Curly HairDue to that whole Paul Mitchell campaign I’ve been participating in, I’ve been wearing my hair curly quite a bit more. My biggest problem now (other than making my waves, which I usually describe as “bad 80’s home perm” waves, rather than pretty curls), is getting volume at the top. I can get a little with flipping my head upside down and using a diffuser, but the result is the curls aren’t as pretty and I get a lot more frizz.

Luckily, Morgan Willhite, Creative Director at the Ouidad Salon Santa Monica, has some great tips on how to add lift and volume to curls and waves. “Curly girls must always remember that how hair looks, when it’s dry, depends on how it appears when wet,” says Willhite. The hair’s shape and style can be influenced or encouraged by the positioning of the roots at the moment the hair begins to dry.

• Open clip no more than a half inch to inch wide and hold clip on its side (not flat) and gently slide clip along scalp and keep it as close to root as possible
• Position clip to lift the hair evenly across the crown, working from front to back
• Dry hair with a diffuser or allow to air dry

Do you do this? I haven’t tried it yet, though I will the next time I style my hair curly!

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About Me

I’m a doctor, a mommy and a bit of a beauty addict. If you let me, I can take 2 hours to get ready in the morning. Really. I'm on a quest for faster beauty that works!

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2 Comments

  1. 5.30.13
    Brigid A said:

    Hi Christine! Having long wavy (2a on Naturally Curly scale) hair, I've done the sideways clip on the crown area while drying. Perhaps because I used metal clips, it was problematic for me due to tangling.

    I need to get new clips and try again. I do use the crimping type clips when my hair is still wet. I use the turbie twist towels to wrap up my hair immediately after conditioning and rinsing. It produces lovely waves but it's not a polished style I'd wear for a dressy date.

  2. 5.30.13

    I definitely struggle with my curls, my hair seems to be getting a little straighter now that I've damaged it like crazy, I wonder if I should go no poo? I haven't decided yet!