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Four women, four different curl patterns.
To get Sierra's curls moisturized and bouncy, Andre evenly finger-combed Beautiful Curls Leave-In Styler from her roots to ends. The lightweight product offers enough control to fight frizz and dryness without leaving the hair flaky, crispy, or dull.
Get Andre Walker Hair Beautiful Curls Styling Crème for $15.99.
Setting your blow dryer and diffuser on a low-speed cool temperature will help preserve the curl pattern and lay down the hair cuticle. A hot setting would dry out the hair, making it less smooth. To finish off the look, Andre applied a small amount of Quench-Essential Oil (Q-oil) to give Sierra's mane some serious shine and extra nourishment, and help it stay manageable in the coming days.
Get Andre Walker Hair Quench-Essential Oil at $15.99.
"I was a tad concerned because I'd never had my hair this short, but it honestly ended up being the best thing that could have happened for it!" Sierra told us. "It so much easier to maintain now. I don't have to spend as much time detangling because my ends are healthy. My confidence is high because I know my curls are finally poppin!"
"Whenever I style my hair, it looks frizzy unless I use a ton of styling products; but even then it could be more defined," she told us. "When I had longer hair it was easier for me to define my curls, and I'd love to learn how to do that with my short hair."
No, TKO doesn't stand for Total Knockout. :) It actually stands for Total Keratin Obsession, but it's just as kick-ass. According to Andre, hair is made up of keratin, so consistent applications of this oil- and keratin-rich conditioner makes hair stronger and hydrated. (FYI, this isn't a complete protein treatment, like, say, Aphogee's Two Step Protein Treatment, which can dry out hair if overused. TKO is a protein-enhanced conditioner, which only imparts a small amount, so you don't have to worry about overdoing it.)
Get Andre Walker Hair TKO Ultimate Moisture Conditioner for $15.99.
When blowing out your hair, you want to have a good grip on the ends so the roots are stretched straight. Then direct the heat near the root section, about one or two inches away. This is a healthier but admittedly more difficult alternative to using a comb attachment. But blowing out your own hair is possible with time and plenty of practice.
After the cut, Andre and Jean lightly spritzed her curls with water and then applied Andre Walker Hair Beautiful Kinks Styling Crème Gelee throughout her hair. This crème-gel hybrid does it all: It holds, moisturizes, stretches, defines, and adds shine.
As a the final touch, Andre and Jean comb-coiled the top of Laticia's mane to give her that curl definition she'd been missing. This style is a great way to get definition, especially if your hair's not quite long enough for twist-outs, braid-outs, or Bantu knots. Just take a fine-tooth, rat tail comb, apply a liberal amount of holding product, and then use the comb's teeth to create small coils, like a straw (you can also use your fingers, or a curl sponge!).
Get Andre Walker Hair Beautiful Kinks Styling Crème Gelee for $15.99.
Laticia was all the way here for her new 'do. "I love a tapered look so the cut definitely boosted my confidence!" she told us. "I’m also excited to see how it grows out."
Like most naturals, Alanna had a couple different hair types. Andre spotted 3B curls around her perimeter and a more coily 4A in her lower crown toward the back of her head.
Jean spritzed Alanna's dry, clean hair with water and applied Beautiful Curls and Q-oil mixed together as he twisted it. The mixture helped flatten the cuticles, allowing light to better reflect aka shine bright like a diamond. "Alanna has heat damage, which makes some of the ends straighter than others, plus she has varying hair types," Andre told us. "So a twist-out is the best way to unify those textures."
Once Alanna's hair was fully dried, Jean put a bit of Q-oil on his fingertips and very carefully untwisted the Bantu knots and unraveled the two-strand twists.
For Alanna, Andre separated all over, but focused mostly on the top to compliment her face shape.
"I felt so intensely fly walking to work after getting my hair done," Alanna told us. "Like what Tracee Ellis Ross must feel like every day, having a bouncy halo of curls up top...and Diana Ross as her mom!" She also felt like Andre had given her great advice on how to re-create some version of her twist-out at home.
The ideal candidate for hair straightening is someone whose hair is in great condition and doesn't have any heat damage. As for frequency, it's best to only straighten it about once a month or less because doing it on a regular basis will definitely cause heat damage. Your hair would eventually become permanently straightened and you'd lose your curl pattern. If you're cool with that, then you can straighten it as often as you want — just make sure to get regular reconstructing and conditioning treatments.
After Jean hooked up Natelege with a shampoo and condition, Andre combed the Andre Walker Hair Get It Straight Styling Crème through her wet hair to get a silky, smooth finish later. He then divided her hair into eight sections, blew it out with a Denman brush, and combed through some Q-oil for shine and manageability.
Get Andre Walker Get It Straight Styling Crème for $15.99.
Andre would curl a section of Natelege's hair with the iron, spray a bit of holding spray on that section, and then immediately set the warm hair on a roller. FYI, Velcro rollers are fine (and super easy!) to use. Just don't EVER sleep with them on because that can lead to breakage!
"I was nervous about the cut, but after the appointment my hair felt soft, full, and had so much body," Natelege told us. "And the roundness of my 'fro has come back, so I’ve been really happy about it."