Styling Both Straight and Curly Hair, Everything you need to know about styling hair that’s straight on top, curly on the bottom

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… That pretty much sums up what it feels like to be blessed with both straight and curly hair. Interestingly, largely due to genetics, many women experience the board-like strands on top of their head and the twisted ones below. Environmental and styling issues intensify this difference. Speak with the experts at Legends Salon of Hillsborough to guide you to the perfect solution for you.

​The hair on top of your head has more exposure to the sun and heating tools and is being pulled and touched more than the hair at the bottom. This breaks down the cortex of the hair, which, like the core of your body, gives structure and shape. As a result, those top pieces unfurl and lose curl. Unruly hormones (a result of pregnancy or stress) are also a key culprit in textural changes. Estrogen and testosterone levels affect the diameter, texture, and strength of any given strand. Those who have lost hair to chemotherapy notice that their hair grows back very different than it was before.

To make peace with your unusual hair, you have to have the right haircut. The right cut can be a great peacemaker. Ask your hairstylist for face-framing, graduated layers (we know what you’re thinking and no, we’re not talking about the Rachel; we’re talking subtle). By removing weight, strands around the front and top of your head will spring to life. It gives them the much-needed bend they are lacking to better resemble your curls underneath.

To align the textures, consider getting a partial straightening or wave treatment at the salon, which lasts for about three months; or at home, style only the outer layer. Want to make your curly-straight combo straighter? Apply a smoothing cream on curls and flatiron them, working in small, one-inch sections of hair so you don’t miss any layers. Want your curly-straight combo curlier? Curl only the straight section.

Waves, not quite coils, not quite rails, help aggressive textures meet in the middle. From roots to tips of damp hair, work through a golf ball-size amount of a soft-hold mousse. Then, starting by the face, grab one-inch-wide sections of hair and twist them so they mimic the curls on the bottom. Use a diffuser on the top, which enhances curls, and let the curly bottom air-dry to relax that section.

These are some ways in which you can try and get your straight and curly hair to meet in the middle. It’s a tough situation to be in if you have hair that behaves this way but it doesn’t mean you have to put up with it. Control your out of control hair and show it who’s boss.

For the best cut and advice, talk to the experts at Legends Salon of Hillsborough. They can explain the right cut for your hair texture and recommend the best products to use.