Hello curly people! It's me, Advanced Master Stylist & Curl Specialist, Aaron Brousseau writing today to chat about natural curls. As a person with curly hair, I completely understand how frustrating it can be trying to make those damn curls do what you want them to! But never fear - today I am going to share my 8 Steps to Better Curls: Curly Hair Routine.

This curly routine is only 8 steps and it really makes a world of difference in getting the most bounce and definition out of your natural texture. The key equation to remember is that Hydration + Structure = Flawless Curls.

HYDRATING SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER Starting with hydrating shampoo and conditioner is super important. My top pick is Kerastase Curl Manifesto shampoo and conditioner, they're lightweight but suuuuper hydrating and smell divine.

SOAKING STYLING On soaking wet hair, apply Oribe Curl Gloss for ultimate hydration, shine, hold and protection from humidity, then follow with Oribe's Curl Gelée by smoothing it through your curls.

SCRUNCH + TWIST Scrunch your hair to maximize bounce then twist out a few pieces to add definition and detail.

SQUEEZE Now squeeze some of the excess moisture out with a microfiber towel or a cotton T-shirt (regular towels will cause frizz!), then add a few good dollops of your favourite Curl/Volume mousse! I would recommend trying Oribe's Curl Shaping Mousse or Grandiose Plumping Mousse (I actually love layering the two for a stunning curl volume cocktail ?). Flip your head over and give it one last scrunch.

HOVER Now, with a diffuser on your blow dryer, heat on high and speed medium, I want you to HOVER!! Do NOT touch the curls until they're almost fully dry! I like to do around 5-7 minutes with my head flipped forward then repeat, flipping the hair to each side, then again on the back. The goal here is to focus most of the airflow at the roots.

DIFFUSE TO DRY When the hair has formed a bit of a "cast" and the curls are feeling stiff and mostly dry, turn the heat down to low and speed to medium/low. Starting at the ends, start pushing the diffuser up to the scalp, kind of like an accordion!

ADD VOLUME Once the hair is 10000% DRY the structure will be locked in. You can now work on adding volume by spraying a lightweight texture spray like Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray and use a pick to add lift at the roots!

FINAL TOUCH Finish off by scrunching in your favourite oil for shine, moisture, and protection. Some of my faves are Kerastase Curl Manifesto Huile Sublime, Kerastase Elixir Ultime Oil for Colour-Treated Hair, Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil, and Kevin Murphy Young Again Oil!

As a Curl Specialist, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing the fresh confidence my clients gain by learning the best tricks and tips for their natural curls. Every person's hair is unique and you may have to experiment to find the routine and product combo that is best for you - but I hope my 8 Steps to Better Curls helps you find the way to yours!

I would super encourage every single person with curls to book a Curly Cut or a Cadō Cut with me or one of my fellow Curl Specialists at Salon Society - we love helping our clients get the most out of their curls with the right cut and routine.

If you have any questions about curly hair or any of the products mentioned, feel free to send me a DM or leave a comment below. We cannot wait to see you (and your curls) at Salon Society!

Our Curly Team:

Aaron Brousseau

Patricia Giannakakos

Katie Hamilton

ABOUT THE EXPERT Aaron Brousseau is an Advanced Master Hairstylist and Creative Director at Salon Society, and was voted Regina's Best Hairstylist in 2022. He specializes in curly hair, blondes, vivids, and colour corrections. Visit Aaron's About Me page or Book an Appointment.