Today’s post is the last installment on how to take care of naturally curly hair and we are going to cover super curly haircuts for naturally curly hair.
In the first post, I shared some of the tools you need for caring for your curly hair, along with grocery store products that work well for curly hair
The second post was all about how to style your hair.
First, let me just say that I’ve probably seen many different hair stylists and tried to achieve a cut that was compatible with my long curly hair. I’ve had two stylists who cut my hair just right and all the others left me with a similar problem: Triangle Shaped Hair.
What is Triangle Hair?
Triangle Hair speaks to the shape of your hair when the layers are not significant enough to take the bulk of the weight off towards the bottom of your length.
This issue happens with straight hair too, but it is usually not as pronounced unless hair the straight hair is very thick or the hair is not straightened with a flat iron.
With naturally curly hair, Triangle Hair is far more prevalent in my experience. There are two reasons why I think this happens more with curly hair:
- A misconception that your curly hair needs to have the weight of your hair to tame your curls and be cut all one length.
- Natural curls will flair out some at the ends as the curls get looser from flow and movement.
Though many stylists are well-meaning. Keeping long layers (or no layers in some cases) is the biggest mistake you can make if you want a more tapered look for your curls.
The reality is you want to lighten your hair up. Here we are in the year 2023 and so many hair stylists now get the need for layers for curly hair.
How to Avoice Triangle Hair
In order to avoid triangle hair, need to get layers cut in your hair but long layers won’t do. You must insist that you want SHORT layers. In fact, I think I had long layers in this photo.
If you are going for this look of mine above, I don’t want to sway you otherwise. But if you aren’t, you must insist upon short layers.
It doesn’t really matter if you have medium or longer curly hair, my experience is that haircuts for naturally curly hair must have short layers.
I’ve had stylists TRY to give me short layers but I still got long layers.
Back when I originally posted this, it really was a challenge to get a stylist to truly give me short layers. Maybe that has changed due to social media, Curly Girl, and more understanding of curly hair.
Basic Haircut Instructions
I wish I would have captured my curly hair layers before and after when I first had my hair cut properly. Through a quick Google search, you’ll see for yourself the difference short layers make. My stylist up in Rapid City sent me these instructions for the next person who cuts my hair and I plan on quoting her exactly as follows:
“Increase layer and let the bottom drop out. Slide cutting from the top down to take out the bulk, or you can thin with shears. Top layer should be 6-7 inches long. Frame face.”
Those were her instructions on how to talk to a stylist about a long curly haircut.
If you look at the top photo (the non-triangular hair one) you’ll see that I have short layers. This is really what you want if you want to have long curly hair and be able to wear it down.
So those are the basic instructions for haircuts for curly hair.
Key Takeaway: You have to have short layers, which will lighten the weight and enhance your curls.
I’d love to hear if you have some product you love to use for your hair or if you have a tip you’d like to add, please comment below.
*UPDATE #1* I had a stylist in Fort Walton Beach, FL who did an amazing job of cutting my hair. She cut it dry and have me the short layers I need. She also said someone with naturally curly hair should NEVER have their hair thinned with thinning sheers.
Love your posts on curly hair. I do a lot of what you have written in parts one and two. Here’s my question about part three…I do NOT have a lot of thick hair. I don’t have much and so short layers make it seem even thinner and stringy. Do I need it to be longer? I’ve kept it shoulder length or shorter and I’m trying to grow it out…but it’s getting to the stringy thin stage that makes me want to cut it. Should I have short layers put in now? Wait until it is longer? Any suggestions? Thanks! Oh and thanks for putting pictures in of the styling process for day 2 and 3 …those can be tricky and the pics are very helpful!
Hi Marybeth!
Without seeing your hair, (and without professional experience as a hairdresser) I don’t feel like I can properly answer your question.
I will tell you this though, I have a close friend with curly hair and it is quite thin. She also gets short layers in her hair and it looks beautiful! Once her hair is styled and dry, she separates her ringlets more than I do and it looks fuller. The short layers are good for both thick and thin hair.
I would think that by getting the short layers now and possibly trimming the bottom up a bit, you’d have a fuller look. (all this said without having seen your hair) Hope this helps you! Thank you for your kind comments!
Blessings,
Julie
Thanks for the reply and I’m happy to say that I had a few short layers added to my hair and I like it. I think this will get me over the hump where I normally hack it all off to short again. I’d really like to have long hair and I think if I make sure to have short layers I’ll be good! I also want to report that your second day fix up instructions are spot on and have really helped. I’m going to check out some of the products you use. Thanks again!
Great! I’m so glad you gave layers a try and hopefully this gets you where you want with your length. 2nd hair is my favorite timesaver. Thank you for the sweet comments!
I also have thin curly hair (type 2b) but with some straight pieces throughout and tighter ringlets underneath. BEHOLD the dreaded mixed hair! I just had my hair cut to about collar bone length (i needed a fresh start), and am going back to have shorter layers put in to experiment but im wondering how short i should tell the hair dressor to cut them? Jaw? Ear lobe? My hair doesnt bounce back to much when cut. But i basically want to be able to style i occasionally; will it look funny with short layers when straight?
I’m sorry Jenna…I’m not a professional nor am I familiar with your hair. (so take this personalized advice at you own risk) It really depends on how curly your hair is for how short your shortest layer should be. I’d guess ear lobe but I can be aggressive on the short layers. Can your stylist cut it when it’s dry so you can see how it will lay?
Thank you so much for this post! I found it through Pinterest and I’m so glad I read it. I have longish curly hair… very similar to yours it looks like, and I have been trying to find a good stylist for… well forever. I keep telling them I need CHUNKY layers… not smooth ones. They never know what I’m talking about. I usually go home after a cut and take a pair of scissors to my hair to cut more layers into it. (Curly hair is pretty forgiving!). I wrote down the advice you got from your stylist and will take it with me to my appointment this week with another new stylist. Hopefully she will understand and know what to do! I would love to loose my triangle hair!
Marybeth ~ I have super fine, thin, curly hair. It’s about to the middle of my back. I always insist on a few short layers, otherwise my hair gets all tangled at the bottom. I’ve used the same “hairapist” for a couple years now because she has curly hair, so she “gets it”. We had to experiment a couple times to find just the right ratio of layers to long hair so that my longest hair didn’t get scraggly. But for me, a few short layers is a MUST. BTW, Julie, great info!
I know exactly how you feel. I to have thick curly hair, and my hairdresser never cuts it how I tell her to. It is very stressful! Short layers are a good idea, maybe I’ll try that next time.
I’m sure you’ll like it better Rachel. I’ve found it to be key to getting curly hair to actually lay properly. Many hairdressers just don’t know how to handle curls (in my experience).
Julie. I loved your instructions! You are very funny. 🙂 I just would like to ask you one question. I noticed that your conditioner has a silicone, dimeticone. Do you get any build up?
Thank you Witalla! I honestly haven’t noticed buildup in my hair. When I first transitioned to not shampooing, I would do an apple cider vinegar/conditioner rinse but I gradually stopped doing that (for some reason unknown reason now).
I’d love to find a conditioner that does not have silicone and works with my curly hair. Do you have one you’d recommend? I’m always scoping out new products!
Hi Julie! Sorry for taking so long to reply. I understand you live in the US, if so you are in paradise! I am from Brazil but live in Australia and here we lack of products for curly hair. And without silicones is purely a dream! I read a lot about Matrix biolage conditioning balm. We do have it here, but it very expensive. In the US you have the generic value product from Sally’s which is the same exacly thing as matrix. I have been harassing Sallys to export it or even sell to iherb… I use some local conditioners or tresseme naturals. I relay a lot on iherb to buy my products. I bought a bunch of giovanni conditioners but was not impressed with any of them. I just ordered Aubrey Organics huney suckle rose but I have not used it yet. For leave in I have been using kinky curly knot today and I love it! My hair looks a lot like yours, but curlier I think. And I also have a loooooooooooooooooot of hair. 🙂
Thank you Witalla!! I’ll check out Sally’s!
I use Suave tropical coconut conditioner – available at target or anywhere, less than $2, and it has no silicone. I haven’t used shampoo since march and I’m loving it!
Great to hear Karin! Thank you!
I know this is an old post/comment, but for any other Aussies, Tresseme naturals conditioner is silicone free, and at <$10 for 1L it's good value. However I can't use it because there's an ingredient that irritates my scalp 🙁
just adding my 2 cents… there are tons of no silicone product out there. My favorite brand is Curl Junky- my hair is 3a when long, thick med density.
other brands: Kinky curly, Miss Jessi, shea moisture…
I’m ridiculously late to this part, but I wanted to mention WEN. I admit, I have had issues with some of the strong scents (if you’re sensitive to smells, I recommend ordering samples) but the WEN 613 has been wonderful for my hair, leaving it soft and holding my red hair dye for many months without much fading. I only order WEN on QVC as I’ve read that the WEN website is an auto ordering service and can be difficult to cancel. I personally use the WEN 613 cleansing conditioner, mousse, and serum to style and moisturize my hair. The WEN 613 scent is strong, but tolerable for me. A bottle lasts me a few months, which helps keep costs down, and I do have very long curly hair (to my mid back.) Hope this helps someone. <3
Check out Morrocco Method hair products. Great for hair
Hi! i loved your advice about curly hair, i have a question,
my hair hits at just above shoulder length when dry, will short layers still work for me?
and do you believe curly hair should be cut dry?
Thank you Kenzie!!
I’m not a professional but in my opinion, unless you have a stylist that REALLY knows what they are doing, curly hair should be cut wet. I think it helpful for a stylist to see what your hair is like dry before they wet and cut it so they have an idea with what your curl is like when it is dry.
As far as length of layers… of course you want to get your hair to lay nicely if you are wearing it down so I’d say short layers would still apply but I think the shortest layer should not be less than 3 inches long. There will not be as much of a tapered look so you’ll want to adjust from there.
My biggest advice is, once you find a stylist that gets curly hair, stick with him/her.
I know I didn’t give you straight answers but I hope I helped you think through what your specific hair needs. Take care!
Love this! I have been struggling with my hair for over a decade and I cannot wait to try some of these tips. Also- when I went in for a cut about 6 months ago, I asked for layers and the woman straight up told me no. She said it would look TERRIBLE and listen to her- she’s a stylist. She also berrated me for damaging my hair by blow drying and braiding too tightly (I have never owned a blow dryer and I’m a fan of the loose long braid and that’s not all that often). Needless to say, I never went back there…
Frustrating! I have had so many bad haircuts! I think some stylists are just scared of curly hair because it seems like it “misbehaves”. There seems to be a predominant approach of one-size-fits-all and many treat curly hair the same as straight. Hopefully you found one who will listen to you.
I have too. I part my hair to the side and if they don’t layer it correctly, when I wear it curly the one side it’s parted on will look like stairs it doesn’t blend. It’s so frustrating to find someone that can cut curly hair. And my hair is fine, but the hair dresser always wants to texture the heck out of it. Leaving me with one strand wrapped around my whole head lol.
If you live in the phx, az area Kate, I can refer you to my hairstylist that knows how to handle curly hair.
I live in Phoenix, have long curly hair & am looking for a new stylist. Please pass the name & salon along. 🙂 Getting a fall update in the next couple of weeks.
I’m hoping someone can help you Gina as I don’t have a stylist in Phoenix. Best wishes!
Thank-you. I was replying to Marianne’s post. Hopefully she will see my reply. Have a great day!
I am in the Phoenix area and would love to get the name of your hairdresser who knows how to cut curly hair.
I live in Mesa (near Phoenix) and I desperately need a stylist for my daughters thick, curly hair that she won’t let me have cut! If Mariane would please share her contact for a PHX based stylist, I’d be so happy! Thanks.
Can someone pass me the name of the stylist in phoenix?? Thanks!!
i live in phoenix and have curly hair can you send me your stylist?
I live in rapid city and am looking for a hairstylist that can deal with my super long curly hair! Anyway you could hook a sister up?
Just sent you an email Kori!
do you know of a stylist in the phoenix arizona area that can cut curly hair well? i’m in need of a new one and i’ve experienced a lot of bad haircuts
Hi Jordan, I do not have any I can personally recommend. However, I did a quick search for “curly girl hair stylists phoenix” and found quite a few results. https://www.bing.com/maps?q=curly%20girl%20hair%20stylists%20phoenix&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&pq=curly%20girl%20hair%20stylists%20phoeni&sc=0-31&sk=&cvid=C2F1197CFAA74F2E989D21036B1DDFA3
I know this is an old post and a long shot- but I live in Rapid and would love to see if said stylist is still around. Just got a haircut this afternoon and have the dreaded triangle
Hi Mary!! Yes, I have an awesome stylist here in Rapid City that I adore. I’ll email you her contact information.
Thank you!
Hi! Are you in Rapid City, SD? If so, I would love your stylists info for my daughter who has super thick, curly triangle hair…..lol.
I just sent you an email Shannon. 🙂
Looking for stylist to cut my curls in Phoenix area.
Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!
I have naturally curly long hair as well, and I have found the short layers work best too. I use Loreal’s EverCurl shampoo and conditioner for my hair. I do not have overly dry or oily hair so I shampoo and condition daily. I also blow dry daily. To achieve maximum controlled curl, I towel dry for about half hour, then I use a diffuser on low heat, low blow to dry, and then I follow up with BioSilk Serum to control frizz and define curls. Rarely do I need hairspray.
Thank you for your comment Marie! Thank you for the reminder about BioSilk, I had forgotten about it but used it back in the day when straighten my hair and had major fizz issues. It helped for sure!
Hi Julie! I just want to say that I like the triangle cut as well as the others! That being said-?- am I that out of touch with haircuts and styles?? Geez Idk if I should send this or not (?) …. Oh well … God Bless!!!
Ha! Thank you for your comment Rose! I guess we all have our preferences. My dislike for the triangle cut was exacerbated by the fact that I couldn’t get find someone to give me a non-triangle cut. Blessings to you as well!
Hi. Found the post on Pinterest and agree with all you say here. I plan on ditching the shampoo now from what I read in your post nr 1, I already do the tricks in post 2 and 3 especially the haircut. I cut my own hair sometimes just to correct the layers the hairdresser give me. It is absolutely true, for better curls the layers need to be short.
It is so hard to get stylists to do short layers! My hair is way more manageable after I ditched the ‘poo. 🙂 Thank you!
Lo – I, too, have cut my own [wavy/s’wavy w/bracket cowlicks at hairline] hair…but always in such short layers that the wave pretty much disappeared. I have now grown out my hair to longer than shoulder length and want to cut my own short layers, but keep the total length long enough to updo. Any advice on how to do this?