Glam Slam: Mom Week — Curly Hair Help!

Glam Slam’s weeklong celebration of Mom’s everywhere continues with a Mom Makeover!!

I recently got an email from a very devoted Glam Slam reader who has major concerns with her curly hair.

“I haven’t seen any Glam Slam stuff lately on the care and styling of curly hair. If you decide you want to cover it, I volunteer my wild mane, haha! We curly girls can always use some help,” Ashlyn said.

OK, full disclosure, this loyal reader is my cousin and she follows Glam Slam religiously, so if she says I’m not doing enough on curly hair, I know it’s true!

Ashlyn is a busy mom who lives in North Carolina, so she doesn’t quite have access to the beauty experts that the stars love and trust.

When it comes to curly hair, the expert on many a celeb’s speed dial is Kim Kimble, THE go-to stylist, who has worked with everyone from Beyonce to Shakira, Vanessa Williams and Mary J. Blige. (Vogue called her one of the “country’s top curl coiffeurs!”)

ASHLYN’S CONCERN:
“I want to know how to get a good cut, best products for curly hair, styling tips, etc. My hair is kind of in the middle, not really tight curls but not just wavy. I can manage mine fairly well with a headband, but a lot of women I know have never quite gotten the hang of curls and prefer to try and get rid of them or just tie them up. My main issue right now is I need a good cut and haven’t had much time, much less been able to find someone who does curls well at less than a small fortune. I’m currently trimming it myself (I have many talents, haha).”

KIM’S STYLE SOLUTION:
“First, I would lighten up her color with very, very light brown to blonde highlights around the front, almost like a medium sun-kissed or golden beige blonde. (Ask your stylist for level 9/10 highlights, which is a number system colorists/hairstylists use to ensure they are getting the exact color, as word descriptions can be interpreted differently depending on who is using them.)

I would stick to a neutral blonde, nothing too bright, but just lighten it up a little. I would cut her hair in a nice chin length bob, and I would probably smooth the hair out, and give it a nice smooth finish with a little volume. I’d use a little volume spray (Kim recommends Big Sexy Hair or Kerastase Mousse) and a little sleek smoothing serum (Kimble Hair Care Systems) to prevent frizzing. I’d cut it to a little below the chin… soft layers. I would blow out the bangs and let them grow out, a little softer and longer.

She could also wear this cut curly. To style that way, if her hair is frizzy, I would apply Kimble Hair Care Systems Bounce Back Curling Revitalizer and then dry using a diffuser. If her hair isn’t frizzy, I would apply Aussie mousse for waves and scrunch the hair.”

ASHLYN’S CONCERN:
“Almost all stylists can cut straight or wavy hair as that seems to be most of what they see, but it has been my experience that only certain stylists are really good at dealing with curls, the cuts needed for them and how to style them best. You could cover that too, how to find a stylist who can do curls!”

KIM’S STYLE SOLUTION:
“The best way to find a stylist who cuts curly hair (or any hair for that matter) is to ask someone with a cut/style that you like. For example, if you see someone on the street with curly hair and a great cut, ask her, or if there’s someone at your job with fantastic hair, ask her. An in person referral is the best way to find a stylist because you are not only getting a verbal testimonial, but you are seeing an example of his/her work in person.”

ASHLYN’S CONCERN:
“Can she find a style to make me look 10 years younger (10 lbs. lighter as well), while she is at it:)?? Haha!”

KIM’S STYLE SOLUTION:
“Lighter color highlights (that are soft, not brassy!) can help people look younger by making wrinkles/face lines appear lighter and by making natural hair color appear more rich, vibrant and shiny. Dull, dry hair looks old.”

Fore more info on Kim, head to www.kimblehair.com.