Ask Ouidad

Q: Can you please help me find out my real hair type? After showering, I dry my hair with the diffuser and I’m scrunching it as it dries without putting any chemical in it, it looks like it is 2C or sometimes 2B. But there are times that I wouldn’t shampoo my hair for a week or more that it looks like 2A with the slight wave. Then after washing and using a diffuser, it is a lot wavier again.

Ouidad: When you use a diffuser it is enhancing curls. To find your actual curl pattern let your hair dry naturally with no products in it. Start incorporating lightweight, water-soluble styling products to keep your natural waves.

Q: How often do I trim my hair?

A: Every 10-12 weeks. Often stylists will recommend 6-8 weeks, but this is not necessary for curly hair (when you get a cut tailored for your type).

Q: I have 3b/c hair, probably more 3c. It’s very messy and not nice. It’s quite long but the curls are still very tight, which makes the length look shorter. I used to have Yuko on my hair but its too straight. I look ugly and can’t manage curly hair, I also don’t like short hair and was wondering if anyone knew if there was anything I could do to make the curl looser, like a wave or very big curls. I’d be more happy. Any advice would be great.

Ouidad: Japanese straightening can cause significant damage to your hair. If you are near a Ouidad salon in New York or Los Angeles, I would recommend coming in for the Deep Treatment service to help get your hair back to a healthier condition. If not, I would still recommend using an at home deep conditioning treatment full of amino acids and proteins to help improve your hair’s health. Then you can use a mild relaxer or softening to loosen the roots, but be careful not to touch the past-treated hair because you can incur additional breakage.

Ouidad Botanical Boost

Q: I know you’re not supposed to shampoo daily but then how do you restyle your hair the next day with all the leftover product? Like when I use products to style it curly then the next day I want to style it curly again but it looks bad if I wash two days in a row?

Ouidad: First, you want to make sure your styling products are water-soluble, which allows you to be able to just wet and condition the next day. Also before re-doing your hair entirely, you can simply refresh your curls in the morning with a spray leave- in conditioner like Botanical Boost, which will revive your style.

Dear Ouidad: I have red, thick, curly 3A hair. I would like to wear curly more often and I use leave-in but it is always flat or I have weird-looking curls.

Ouidad: I recommend using a diffuser and trying PlayCurl Volumizing Mousse (applied after leave-in conditioner) to get more curls and volume. Using my Rake & Shake technique, dispense two pumps of the mousse to palms and work evenly through sections of damp hair. Starting at the nape area, take a 2″ section of hair from ear to ear, and rake through; holding section at the end, then shake to reset your curl pattern. Repeat entire process, working in sections to the top of the head.

Then for additional volume, use duckbill clips to add height to the crown of the hair and allow you to position how the curls fall. To properly position curls, open clip no more than a half-inch to inch wide. Gently slide clip along scalp and keep it as close to root as possible. Position clips to lift the hair evenly across the crown, working from front to back. Dry hair with a diffuser or allow to air dry. Remove clips when hair is dry, and you will have added height and no flatness.

Rake & Shake

Q: I need help with my hair. I’m half white and half Hispanic, and my hair is naturally curly, thick and coarse. I just recently got it trimmed, layered and thinned, since I’m growing it out. My hair seems to frizz a lot. I need help or tips on fighting the frizz that seems to be on the top of my mop and sides. I’m currently using these products: Catwalk Sexy Curls, Pureology, and Bed Head Curls Rock. Not all at the same time, though. Would it help to use a good shampoo and conditioner? As you can see I have a lot of questions it would be FAB if you would please help me out.

Ouidad: Deep Treatment will help with the frizz, but if the products you are using are based with oils, wax, alcohol, or silicone they tend to dry the hair out more. Try sticking to products that are water-soluble and protein-based. Using a specialized shampoo and conditioner definitely helps fight frizz. I recommend trying our Curl Quencher Shampoo and Conditioner as it focuses on moisturizing curls.

Ouidad’s 12-Minute Deep Treatment Intensive Conditioner

Dear Ouidad: I need to get a curly hair cut but live in the Caribbean where specialists are lacking!! They all seem to handle relaxed hair well but I am skeptical about curly hair!!! HELP! This is horrible!! I transitioned from relaxed to natural about 2 yrs ago so I’m sure I have split ends. I have not had a deep treatment of any kind and my hair is dry, tangles quickly, but surprisingly very little breakage!! Any tips on how to get a curl cut at an ordinary salon?

A: If you can not find a stylist who is versed in Carving and Slicing, find one who uses a vertical cutting motion on small sections of hair, as this reduces the weight of curls.

Do not allow a stylist to “layer, texturize or thin” your curls. Layering can create a shelf-like effect, with shorter layers that can look like thick sausages. Texturizing, on the other hand, creates frizz and unevenness to curl patterns, while thinning can result in lopsided effect, in which half of a curl shrinks and the other half remains long and limp.

Deep treatments are definitely necessary to help with split ends. Use the Ouidad Deep Treatment Intensive Conditioner every two weeks and you’ll see a definite improvement.

Ouidad Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel

Dear Ouidad: I have 3b hair; I have had it chemically relaxed twice. It has completely wrecked my hair. I have dry hair now. I’m 13 and I have tried so many products on my hair that have left it frizzy and dry. And I hate it. I have just had layers cut in to try and get rid of the dry ends but it is still dry. Any advice?

A: Deep condition your hair every other week and get a good curly cut every 10-12 weeks. Also using a frizz-fighting gel on wet hair (I recommend Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel) before styling can help tame your curls and keep flyaways down.

Dear Ouidad: I have really thick 3b hair and I want to get it cut so that it’s not so bulky, but I live in London and there doesn’t seem to be any good hairdressers near me. What do you recommend?

A: If you cannot find a stylist who is versed in Carving and Slicing, find one who uses a vertical cutting motion on small sections of hair, as this reduces the weight of curls.

Do not allow a stylist to “layer, texturize or thin” your curls. Layering can create a shelf-like effect, with shorter layers that can look like thick sausages. Texturizing, on the other hand, creates frizz and unevenness to curl patterns, while thinning can result in lopsided effect, in which half of a curl shrinks and the other half remains long and limp.

Dear Ouidad: I was recently involved in a burn accident that resulted in loss of some hair, damage to my scalp, and damage to the rest of my hair. I have always wanted to have straight, sleek hair and I’m considering thermal reconditioning. Another part to this is that I also have dark brown hair (level 2-3), but have colored and highlighted it to a level 7-8 blond. After waiting a while longer until my scalp heals up more, do you think it would be safe to keep up the coloring and highlighting as well as starting the thermal reconditioning?

A: After you are completely healed, you can choose what you like, but you should embrace your curls! Be aware that highlighting, coloring, AND thermal reconditioning will cause a lot of damage to your already-delicate hair. I would choose one of those treatments that you just can’t live without and then make sure you’re getting your hair cut every 8-10 weeks and using Deep Treatment twice a month to strengthen and protect against total damage.