Ouidad: The Curl Experts

I have been at the Ouidad salon in New York for about ten years – starting out as an assistant and working my way up to a stylist.  Now I’m one of the national educators teaching the carving and slicing technique to an ever expanding pool of stylists who want to become experts at working with curly hair.

Before my time at the Ouidad salon I never imagined that a place like this existed.  And since working here I have been amazed at just how much I have learned and continue to learn about curly hair.  I have worked on photo shoots and with celebrity clientele and it amazes me that no matter how much money you have it is still incredibly difficult to get a good haircut for curly hair.

I also have a large number of clients who are African American and have had one bad experience after another with other stylists.  They come here at the end of their rope in terms of being satisfied with their hair.  After they leave my chair they tell me it was a life changing experience.  They never imagined they could be happy with a haircut.

Ayanna, Stylist, 57th Street Salon, NYC

Like anyone with great hair, having the right style, stylist and a little education makes all the difference; the same is just as true for men as with women. No-fuss doesn’t have to mean no-hair! Many men with natural curls keep their hair clipped super short to make it easy – what a shame!

Not only do men prefer long wavy hair 43% to 13% over long straight hair, clearly women also like those curly locks on men. Look at the “hair-off competition” between Billy Bush & Patrick Dempsey! Both are known for their gorgeous hair, and the sex appeal that goes with those luscious locks.

Ouidad always says “knowledge is power” and that you should stop fighting your waves. The same advice applies for men. Maybe more men with the gift of thick, wavy, curly hair would show a little more hair, if they knew it could be easy in addition to being sexy!

Shampooing regularly is a necessity.  The hard part is figuring out what “regularly” means for your hair.  To set the record straight: daily shampooing is not a necessity, but more a matter of personal preference.

Image compliments of: hair-styles-secrets-revealed.com

When deciding how often you should shampoo, it’s tempting to take simple tips advising that a cleansing schedule should be based on whether your hair is normal, oily or dry.  The trouble is that some scalps have all three of these conditions.  Ouidad says that both the texture of your hair and styling techniques are the best way to create the right shampooing routine.

People often mistake curly hair as dry hair, and recommend fewer washes.  However this can clog your hair follicles with debris and oily white flakes.  Ouidad has a solution: base it on your curl pattern.  Once you know your curl pattern – loose, curly or kinky – determining the appropriate shampooing frequency is much simpler.

• Loose curls tend to be coarse/strong and can be washed as much as 4-5 times a week, although Ouidad recommends less. Always use a shampoo with a low pH.

• For the curly pattern, it’s best to shampoo every second or third day with a moisturizing shampoo like Clear and Gentle.  This type of hair requires constant hydration so it’s important to rinse daily with warm water and follow up with a detangling rinse like our Balancing Rinse Essential Daily Conditioner.

• For kinky hair, shampooing once a week (or twice if you’re very active) is best.  It’s important to remember that kinky hair is very fine and delicate despite its voluminous appearance.  A moisture-rich shampoo like our Curl Quencher works best on kinky hair because it is extra gentle and nutrient-rich.

Now that you know how often to shampoo, it’s time to focus on the how to shampoo.  It sounds simple enough, lather, rinse, repeat….but watch this blog for Step 2: How to Work Those Suds, and Ouidad will teach you the Ouidad Way to shampoo your hair, keeping your curls healthy and intact.