Typecasting: Loose Curls

Curl Profile  “A loose curl has a very soft bend or loose S-pattern,” says Melanie Fahey, Ouidad National Director of Education, North America. The beauty of this curl type is that you can plump it up, making really defined waves, or soften it out, creating loose beachy waves. But be aware, there are a lot of loose-curl girls out there that don’t even know they have a curl type. “Loose-curl girls tend to stretch out their hair with blowouts. And, they’re often unaware of the beautiful slight-bend in their hair. When a stylist shows them how to take care of their curls, and amplify that wave, they really start to embrace it,” says Fahey. 

Curl Pitfalls  “This curl type isn’t super thirsty because the oil easily travels from the scalp down the hair shaft,” says Fahey. “But out of all the curl types, the loose-curl client plays with color and straightening treatments the most.” The damage you’ll likely see comes from experimentation with chemicals. This curl type can also be weighed down easily—making the waves look lifeless. Look for nourishing, yet light forms of moisture.

 
Ouidad PlayCurl Curl Amplifying Shampoo helps “explode the hair fiber, instantly plumping it up,” says Fahey. “The wheat extract in the shampoo opens up the cuticle, gets inside and bulks up the hair. You’re left with more of a voluminous feel to the hair.” Shampoo the hair twice, really massaging the scalp, to remove excess sebum that can weight down this curl type.
 
Ouidad PlayCurl Curl Amplifying Conditioner is “one of our most nourishing conditioners, but it’s weightless,” says Fahey. “It won’t flatten down the wave, but still seals down the cuticle.” The hydrolyzed silk polymers in the conditioner add just the right amount of hydration, while also encouraging volume because the moisture doesn’t sit on the hair’s surface. Apply to the ends and hair shaft, avoiding the roots. Lightly comb through. Wait at least three minutes and rinse.
 
Ouidad PlayCurl Curl Amplifying Styling Spray is great for clients that want wash-and-go hair. After misting on the spray and diffuse drying, a super loose S-bend forms at the ends. “It’s also a fantastic blow-drying tool,” says Fahey. “When a client wants that Victoria’s Secret, big-body blow out, first apply the PlayCurl Spray. Then dust Ouidad Finishing Mist Setting & Holding Spray globally while the hair is still damp. It protects the hair and cuts your blow-dry time in half.” For extra defined waves, layer the PlayCurl Spray over the PlayCurl Foam.
 
Ouidad PlayCurl Curl Amplifying Foam gives loose curls a more defined S-pattern. “It’s for the loose-curl clients that ask for more waves in their hair,” says Fahey. The best way to apply: Ouidad’s patented “Rake & Shake” method. First, divide the hair into horseshoe sections. Apply some of the product to your dominant hand and form a fork pattern with your fingers. Plow your fingers into the roots and evenly comb through the section from root to tip. When you reach the ends, clench your fingers shut, allow the hair to go loose and lightly shake in a circular motion. “That’s when you’ll see that S-pattern really start to form,” says Fahey. After you’ve finished the whole head, blot a little extra foam on the ends, boosting the curl pattern at the tip.
 
Ouidad Wave Create Sea Spray is “fabulous for giving loose-curl clients windswept waves,” says Fahey. It gives hair that beachy texture without the drying effects of salt. And, it can be applied on dry hair for a quick wave boost. Insider trick: “The Wave Create Sea Spray is a hidden gem for building out tight and kinky curls into unbelievable 'fros,” Fahey notes.