My Personal Tips
This is the way I go about styling hair.
1.Always use a gel or a mousse depending on what type of style you're doing. Work the styling product from the scalp to ends.
2.Start with drying the roots first with your hands. Dry the roots the opposite direction from what you want it to go to get the maximum volume. I almost always start with leaning the client over forward and drying the roots up as much as possible. If you are styling the front to the side then blow-dry the roots the opposite direction first.
3.Then the best way to dry it is in layers. Pin all of your hair on top of your head except the bottom layers. Using a round brush (size depending on the amount of curl wanted) start drying the hair but don't roll the brush all the way to the scalp. Just enough to dry the ends. Always let each curl cool before taking the brush out.(works best with a cool down switch on a dryer) Continue with this till all the hair is dry.
4.If you have enough curl just from blow-dry it then there's no need for the next step. To reinforce the curl use your curling iron, but you don't have to curl it to the scalp.(again be sure to let the hair cool before you start combing it out.
5.I like to use a light hair spray on it before I start combing it out. For comb out I use only a pick. Pick through the hair lightly, then use the pick to lightly backcomb the hair where you want your volume. Then just very lightly smooth the top of the hair with the pick. Use hair spray if you want .
Scrunch Drying Curly Hair
Use step 1 and 2 from above.
The best way to do this is with a diffuser but if you don't have one use your dryer on low speed.
Just as if you are wading up a piece of paper in one hand, do this with your hair. (try it with a piece of paper to get the feel) Then dry the hair with it still scrunched up in your hand, until it is totally dry. Don't pick it out or mess with it till it is totally cool. Do all of the hair this same way till you have it all dry.
Using a pick just very lightly pick through the hair and mainly just fluffing the roots up. You don't need to pick through all of the hair. It looks better if the curls are separated. They have some really good product out for curly hair to help contol the frizzes and enhance the curl. I use one by Kadus called Brilliant Shine, and one by Matrix called Pomousse. Aveda also makes a great one.
