As curly girls, most of us desire to have textured but frizz-free strands that are shaped perfectly–preferably by a knowledgeable hair stylist who can ensure they will not get destroyed. Sometimes, we even resort to doing our own trimming and chopping because of the fear that a person who claims to be a ‘professional’ will not perform our desired look. A skilled curly hair specialist can make or break a curly girl’s journey to natural.
I spoke with Melbourne’s top curly hair specialist and salon owner, Neel Morley, about how to succeed in the hair industry when focusing on curly hair. Luckily for us at NaturallyCurly, he was more than willing to share a few insider secrets! Here are four things a stylist needs to succeed as a curly hair specialist.
1. A curly education
The owner of Australia’s only curly hair salon, Neel Loves Curls, Neel knows a thing or two about entrepreneurship. Morley started training in England. Next, he attended DevaCurl Academy in New York to focus on mastering the craft of curly hair. There, Neel learned how to shape curls for the most natural appearance. For further training on Afro-textured hair, he relocated to Detroit, then took his skills to a salon in Australia.
It didn’t take long for Neel’s phone to keep ringing off the hook.
Soon enough, he opened his own salon with a schedule booked out three months in advance.
2. A booking system
Neel highly recommends every aspiring stylist to looking into using a booking system. It will allow you to focus on your current clients while not worrying about missing potential ones if you cannot make it to the phone.
3. Social media
Another recommendation Neel had to use social media. All of your handles are a big factor when starting your own business as it is the place you need to show off your skills and gain more traction. In order for potential clients to trust your expertise, they need to see real photos.
4. The right tools
The tools Neel suggests for aspiring stylists with a focus on curly hair:
-
Regular hair shears. Insider tip: long blades work better on curly hair.
-
Hair dryers. Don’t forget your diffuser attachment!
-
Hair clips. Neel’s fave? DevaCurl metal clips.
-
Curly hair products. No brainer, but Neel suggests none with ingredients that harm the curls.
Regular hair shears
As you shop around for your hair shears, it is important to buy the ones that are six inches in length and with the sharpest blade you can find. Regular bulky scissors damage hair, so the sharper, the better. Remember: when cutting curly hair, you are layering and lightly cutting off the damaged pieces and shaping it. Therefore, six-inch shears will allow you to reach every end without disturbing its natural state.
Check out the handles of the scissors before you buy them is vital. Besides comfort, you do not want them to freeze up on you in the middle of your haircut. In terms of comfort, you want to be as comfortable as possible while doing your job, and not all scissors eyes are made equally.
Hair dryer and diffuser attachment
Regular blow dryers tend to mess with natural hair patterns, thus leaving curls a frizzy mess. Diffusers, on the contrary, do not disturb curl patterns and adds ultimate volume to flat hair. Remember that when cutting curly hair, it must be done dry, but you never know when a client will ask for shampooing or co-wash, and being able to dry their hair rapidly is important.
Hair clips
Curly prong clips are another essential that work well on curly hair that is wet and needs to dry and gain volume. Clipping hair while diffusing will give the illusion of big hair once it’s dry, thus making a happy customer!
Hair products
It is important to stay cautious of chemicals that can damage hair since curly hair is more prone to frizz than straight hair. Sticking with products that focus on delivering natural ingredients will allow you to provide clean service while aiding your client in having beautiful, healthy hair.
Are you an aspiring curly hair entrepreneur?
Stylists: Here Are 4 Deal-Breakers For Losing Your Curly Client
Are you in Melbourne or traveling there soon? Schedule an appointment with Neel now!
Follow us on Instagram for curly haircut inspiration @NaturallyCurly
