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Original poster

To wonder why so few hairdressers do curly hair cuts

128 replies

JKLMNO · 20/10/2021 08:30

I live in an area swamped with hairdressers. Keratin blow drys and curly blow drys are two a penny. But try getting a curly deva cut. I have found one fairly local salon with a wait of months , otherwise it’s a drive to Manchester or Birmingham.

I don’t want to drive for miles I don’t have time. There are at least 8 fancy hairdressers local to me. I’m genuinely wondering why this isn’t something more widely available?

OP posts:
Clandestin · 20/10/2021 08:37

I think that when curly hair was last fashionable, the idea that it required a different type of cut wasn’t really around, and these days proper curls aren’t in vogue, plus there’s a default idea that curly-haired people want their hair straightened. Hairdressers virtually always ask whether I want mine blow dried straight after a trim.

If your hair isn’t the type a salon specialising in Black hair will happily cut, then you’re stuck with an oversubscribed, often distant specialist.

Notimeforaname · 20/10/2021 08:40

Yep I feel your pain.
Partner and I both have extremely curly hair.

After 2 years of looking,he found a salon with one hairdresser who said they would do it Hmm I havnt been to a hairdresser in 20 years because of it. I trim it myself...dry.

Flumpyfish · 20/10/2021 08:40

I wish it was.

I asked my local hairdresser if she could and she said yes. What that really meant was that she could style it in ways she can't usually style hair, so she had great fun with my hair after the cut. She was so happy and so impressed with her work that I didn't have the heart to tell her to stop.

I ended up coming out looking like some fucking wannabe actress from the 50s or something. I never asked her again.

Notimeforaname · 20/10/2021 08:42

Oh there is one salon in my city specifically for curly hair but like you say, there is a huge waiting list and you must have a 'curl consultation and treatment' as part of it,no other option.

Cheapest option to see them for the cut is €180

MilkywayMonarch22 · 20/10/2021 08:43

Maybe it's just based on the demographic?
I have curly 3c hair and I'm lucky to live in an area with a decent amount of diversity, and as such, I have a hairdresser with hair like mine who does a deva cut! However I feel your pain as it's still not common despite the diversity in the area!

Notimeforaname · 20/10/2021 08:44

And on the pictures for the website,they have lots of 'models' every one of them (including the male hairdresser) have the same above shoulder curly bowl type cut. Very odd.

choosername1234 · 20/10/2021 08:48

Oh yes, this is so true. I've been to a couple of hairdressers who said they could cut curly hair, the last one gave me the worst haircut of my life - I had curtains like a teenage boy from the 90s. The specialist curly hair salon has a 3-4 month wait for any appointment

CurlsandCurves · 20/10/2021 08:53

Whereabouts are you based, OP?

Just wondering if any of us can help you find somewhere closer to you.

My curly salon is only a 40 min drive away, but its just one stylist and she gets booked up really quickly so I know your struggle.

Notimeforaname · 20/10/2021 08:56

I straightened my hair from ages 18- 33 ..would only have my hair curly on wash days or if I hadn't the time to straighten it.
I always felt.. uglier..when it was curly but I never knew why.. have the same face no matter what my is like !!

forrestgreen · 20/10/2021 09:00

I've always had curly hair but post chemo it's gone to another level. Won't be straightened.
I'm up near Preston lancs if anyone knows anyone.
It's still fairly short, 7cm when pulled out so not sure if I should wait.

Notimeforaname · 20/10/2021 09:02

But I have stuck to the curly girl method now for over a year and my curls are back to their 3b /3c glory.

It took me a while to cop onto why I felt so unattractive with curly hair when I was younger but I realised its because when my hair is curly..I largely go unnoticed by men. When it is straight men will look or beep at me. Blush how fucking sad !!! I obviously took this in,subconsciously and always carried a straightener with me in case it rained and hair got wet.

Also when its curly and people compliment it the next question is... ''Have you tried straightening it? you should''Hmm

Praise the lord I am in my 30s now and couldn't give a fuck who notices me but I hate that I lost so many years, damaging my hair because I felt ugly and couldn't get a nice haircut or style.

Watwing · 20/10/2021 09:03

I feel your pain. I travel back to my home town for mine. They aren't curly specialists but were willing to try it, they read the book and gave it a go. It worked well. I haven't found anyone to replace them in the 15 odd years since I moved away!

purpledagger · 20/10/2021 09:20

I agree.

I would often get funny looks from hairdressers when I asked if they could cut curly hair, but I don't think you can cut it in thr same way that you would for straight hair.

Bigoldhag · 20/10/2021 09:28

Its not in standard training - or at least it wasn’t in our area where I trained. Not for white curly hair or afro textures. Massively failing on the college to be honest. I think as well as the trend for ‘cutting the individual curl’ rather than trying to manage curly hair as straight hair has been relatively more known now, and some havent caught up.

I self taught how to cut curly hair due to having two very curly haired younger siblings - one of whom had afro texture but I had to get it from youtube! I couldn’t even find independent training anywhere near locally to me.

ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings · 20/10/2021 09:31

Notimeforaname I had the same experience, I'd never got much attention from men until I got my hair chemically straightened at 18. Then all of a sudden the amount of street harrasment I experienced went through the roof as well as the amount I got hit on in clubs. I started taking a different route to uni to avoid a group of builders who endlessly heckled me, started wearing my hood up a lot more, and went back to wearing my hair curly ASAP. Mind you, I found that over the years I've ended up with a few men who seem to have a curly hair "thing". I wouldn't call it a fetish exactly, just that they always seem to go for curly haired women and are a bit weird about it. I don't know why men are so weird.

Aaaaanyway, I'd never actually heard of a deva cut but on looking it up it looks like it's just a dry cut? I always ask for a dry cut and have never had a hairdresser refuse but I imagine if I asked my hairdresser for a deva cut she'd look at me a bit funny. Plus dry cuts are often a bit cheaper than wet cuts. Is there anything a deva cut achieves that a regular dry cut doesn't?

Gonnagetgoing · 20/10/2021 09:33

It depends where you live sometimes. My step mother is Cypriot and her sister is a hairdresser and specialises in cutting curly hair (as well as other types). Maybe try certain areas where you live (culturally)?

mustlovegin · 20/10/2021 09:51

YANBU OP

Those who say they can do it often do it badly. I guess it's because the majority of the population in the UK has straight hair.

I agree with Gonnagetgoing try a hairdresser who is from European origin (e.g. Greek, Spanish, Italian) where curls are more common

NotMyCat · 20/10/2021 09:56

@forrestgreen

I've always had curly hair but post chemo it's gone to another level. Won't be straightened. I'm up near Preston lancs if anyone knows anyone. It's still fairly short, 7cm when pulled out so not sure if I should wait.
I go to Colne for mine as haven't found anyone locally
Northofsomewhere · 20/10/2021 09:57

I have 2c/3a hair with the occasional really strong curl thrown in. The curl by curl cut is really only useful for those that have a consistent curl pattern and who will wear it curly all the time. I don't straighten my hair but don't always style it either and my curls change with every single wash so a curl by curl (Deva) cut wouldn't be appropriate for my hair.

I go to a normal hair dresser who likes curly hair and is happy to listen to what I want and do it. I get plenty of layers put in and get it thinned although I have heard thinning is something to avoid (it works for me and my thick and dense hair).

I suggest unless a curl by curl cut would really suit your hair and be worth the (imo excessive) money and wait then shopping around. I'd also join a few Facebook pages (if you aren't already) and ask for recommendations on normal hairdressers and what to ask for to achieve what you want.

Boulshired · 20/10/2021 10:01

Even if you are taught something, there then needs to be experiences of doing the skill to maintain the standard of the skill. If the demographic is low, I can see why there would be no experienced staff.

Cookerhood · 20/10/2021 10:01

Anyone know of anywhere in Bucks, Herts or Berkshire? My hairdresser doesn't do a bad job, but she does cut it as if it's straight hair.

Pinkywoo · 20/10/2021 10:04

Because it's more difficult. Sadly most hairdressers don't have the skill or training to do anything other than straight hair, and it's not required to get your NVQ (although I understand this is changing).

VladmirsPoutine · 20/10/2021 10:04

I've curly afro type hair and even in London it can be hit and miss. If you've the time / inclination youtube plus select quality products have been very insightful.

Notimeforaname · 20/10/2021 11:01

ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings

Although its awful, it's kind of nice to know someone else gets it. Its one of those things you think only YOU think about ..or notice.

I found a partner with really lovely curly hair and he helped me to love mine again!

ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings · 20/10/2021 11:21

Notimeforaname snap again, my partner is Portuguese and used to have really curly hair (sadly he went bald some time ago) but all the women in his family still have huge thick natural curls and our daughter does as well. I always wear mine curly now and really love it, though I had to cut it very short and grow it back to undo the damage I'd done with straightening and dye.