We recently told you about a new hair type that’s been going viral on social media. If you have curly (or even coiled hair) at the nape of the neck and straight or wavy hair on top, you might have what TikTok calls “Irish hair.” We also promised we’d be back with some styling tips once we learned more, and here we are.
@sarstee #duet with @Irish Daily #irishdaily #redhair #ginger #redhead #longhair
The biggest problem for people with this hair type is that curly/wavy methods don’t always work. These methods may enhance and define the waves/curls in the lower half of your hair, but the upper half is still lying flat and getting frizzy. Here are some tips that may help you get a more even look across your whole head:
1. Section before applying product
When it’s time to apply your curl-enhancing and frizz-fighting products post-shower, section your hair and try sectioning it based on how it’s drying; on the bottom layers that are curlier, apply a little less product, and focus more on the top layers. This is especially important when it comes to curl creams and leave-in conditioners. This will help to define the curls more and reduce frizz.
2. Treat the sections differently
Another trick that might work for you is to treat the two halves of your hair differently. For the top section, focus more on forming the curls. Apply gels and mouses, scrunch more, and use methods to help form curl clumps. You can also scrunch these sections separately to ensure they are entirely squished into that curl formation. This is especially important if you have thick hair. If the curls already form layers for the bottom, keep doing what you’ve been doing.
3. Know about “The Bowl Method”
This curly/wavy hair method involves dunking your hair into a bowl of water to help form curl clumps. We know this method might not work for everyone, but it does give you more control over your hair and can significantly help reduce frizz. You can find tons of bowl method tutorials on social media, but essentially, the steps are:
- After showering, apply curl cream to the lengths of your hair and comb through.
- Dunk fully into the water, remove your hair and squeeze out the water with your hands.
- Repeat the dunk and squish process up to 4 times.
- Apply gel or mousse and scrunch or squish in with a microfiber towel.
- Plop your hair in the towel for 15-20 minutes.
This influencer isn’t a redhead, but she has one of the best bowl method tutorials online:
@sophiemariegraf A quick step-by-step on how to do the bowl method for any wavy beginners who want to give it a try! This is such an easy styling technique and it gives me the best results every time 💛✨ Used my @Prose shampoo, conditioner, and curl cream, @Only Curls hard hold gel and mousse, and finished with my @Gisou hair oil 🫶 diffusing video: @sophiemariegraf #wavyhair #wavyhairtutorial #wavyhairbeginner #bowlmethod #bowlmethodwaves #bowlmethodclumps #bowlmethodtips #2ahair #2bhair #wavyhairroutine
4. Diffuse the hair
After you’ve applied your products, completed your bowl method, and let your hair dry in a plop for a little bit, try diffusing. This can help form more defined curls. Try hover-diffusing over your hair right after you plop. This will help them retain the shape they formed in the plop/from the scrunching. If you’re not going to diffuse your whole head, at least do the top layer, which should help the curls/waves stay intact.
5. Keep your waves while sleeping
Another big problem people with this hair type have is that if you can get waves to form in the top part, they often fall or turn frizzy while you sleep. To keep them intact, try wearing a silk bonnet to sleep. You can also try loosely French braiding your hair before bed, which may help some faux waves form in the top layer and make it look more even with the bottom waves.
Rock it like a Redhead!
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