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Styling curly hair is an art form, and knowing the steps to take to style your type of curls is something Jonathan Torch excels at. Jonathan Torch, master of curls and the creator of Curly Hair Solutions, has spent years working with every type of curly hair and knows just how to transform curls from frizz to fabulous.

Like many curlies out there Sheronna struggled with finding the right products to use to manage her mane, but after Jonathan worked with her tight kinky curls she was ecstatic by the results! I decided to sit down with Jonathan to help give you curlies, some insight on how to achieved her frizz-free fabulous look, plus he informed us of the top reasons why so many tight kinky curlies out there struggle to achieve total frizz control. Here’s what Jonathan had to say:

Most noteworthy aspect about Sheronna’s hair is that there is no damage caused by chemical processing or over usage of high heated irons. It is rare for very tight curls to be as long as hers and still be in fantastic healthy condition, not using extensions. The styling process for tight kinky curls can be lengthy but unfortunately there are no short cuts to achieving 100% frizz control. The time worth spending is all in the preparation. If you don’t control every cuticle, you will have frizz.

Steps of Sheronna’s Curly Hair Makeover:

1. Shampoo: I started by saturating the hair with water and it may seem silly but some frizz repels water so it takes quite a lot of effort to even wet frizzy hair completely. When her hair is soaking wet, I used our Silk Shampoo which has a gentle formula with authentic pure silk proteins that add a tremendous amount of moisture. I allowed the water in the hair to help spread the shampoo all the way through the hair, especially the root area. Sometimes, if I don’t get enough lather I will add extra water or extra Silk shampoo as some hair is so thick that it takes effort to get to the soap to the root area. The most crucial aspect about shampooing is to be very thorough at rinsing all shampoo out with water, so be sure to take extra care in rinsing.

2. Condition: After shampooing, I then proceeded by using our Conditioner and thoroughly rinsed it all out. When you don’t rinse out all your regular conditioner, your hair will attract dust and pollution in the air.

3. Detangle: Next I used the Slip Detangler to loosen all the knots before styling; this is an important step for curly hair, especially tight curls, despite popular belief. We naturally lose 100 hairs a day and those loose hairs can add to tangles therefore they must be removed to prevent matting. Wait 30 seconds after applying Slip all over the hair to allow the product to reach its full functioning potential before combing hair.

4. Styling: I first applied Curl Keeper from roots to tips while the hair was soaking wet, I then applied Silk Leave in Conditioner on parts of the hair where I felt roughness which was mainly at the ends. Lastly, I applied some Extenzz to a few curls that seemed to have the tightest spring and started to play with the hair by stretching it first with just my fingers and then with the large teeth of my Bone Comb. Switching to the smaller teeth of my comb I did the same thing, stretched the hair again before I finally started stretching the hair with the Root Brush. The Root Brush easily glides through the hair, since it has already been detangled, helping distribute my cocktail of solutions for Sheronna’s curls.

5. Final Step: Once I feel that the hair is totally controlled, I allow the cuticles to dry on their own with as little movement as possible and set Sheronna under the dryer. After about 15 minutes I felt that her hair was surface dry which enabled me then to create some movement to soften the look. This step must be controlled to allow the cuticles to dry in a closed position which is critical for complete frizz control. I was quite aggressive with the movement once I felt the hair was dry enough because movement automatically leads to volume.

What are the most common misconceptions with Sheronna’s curl type?

The first thing we see is frizz and with that comes the assumption that it’s a result of dryness. Some areas of the hair can feel extremely rough and wiry, so we load on the conditioners and moisturizers thinking the heavier the better; it will “tame” the frizz. In some cases I have known people to leave their treatments in overnight just to ensure it fully absorbs into the frizziness.

Through years of analyzing and experience with clients I have gained more understanding that not all frizz is dry and in fact, adding oils, waxes & silicones doesn’t eliminate frizz. As water and oil does not mix, coating your hair in silicones or oils prevents your hair from absorbing precious moisture from the atmosphere that your scalp naturally produces. This is why, after years of bathing hair in oils, most people still wonder why you still can’t control the frizz! WHY? It is water that controls the frizz and as soon as you step out of the shower your curls are perfect, free of frizz. So when you take the time to remove the build up of silicones and waxes in your hair, your curls will be able to absorb and retain true moisture and most importantly control frizz.

After you master the art of frizz control and have achieved the best curl pattern, you can begin to achieve the perfect style with the proper haircut. With tight curls bulk management is important as it will distribute the bulk to create an even and more flattering and fun stylish look.

Maintenance: To maintain Sheronna’s healthy tighter curls, I recommend her to use the Treatment Shampoo as it will strengthen and gently cleanse her hair without stripping essential oils her scalp produces that keep her roots so healthy. Since Sheronna wants to continue to grow out her curls, she would benefit from using the Pure Silk Protein. Applying it to the ends of her hair will prevent them from drying out thus allowing her to not get her curls cut often. Lastly, as I mentioned earlier her hair is really in great condition because she has stayed away from all and any chemical processing and coloring, so if she continues to avoid these damaging processes and use the curly hair products I have mentioned, she will continue to have a beautiful head of strong, healthy curls.