Why I Swear by the Curl by Curl Cut

I recently got the “Curly Girl Haircut”aka Curl by Curl Haircut, and I’m sure some are wondering, Tennille what is that? Before I explain, I want to share that I have always worn my hair natural but I didn’t always know how to get my hair to its maximum potential. That all changed after discovering Shai Amiel aka the Curl Doctor.  Shai owns Capella Salon, a salon that specializes in curly hair, offering their signature “Curl by Curl Haircut”. Shai is the master of his craft and people fly in from all over the world to experience one of his cuts. My curls literally transformed after my first curl by curl haircut. Not only were they so much healthier and happier, but I was also able to achieve more consistently amazing results once I learned how to properly care for my curls. 

What is a Curl by Curl Haircut?

So by now you’re probably wanting me to explain what the hell is this “Curly Haircut”!? The basics to this technique is that rather than the traditional cut where a stylist cuts your hair while wet (usually using a comb to straighten and cut in sections), instead the stylist will cut your hair when it’s dry, literally cutting one curl at a time. While this might seem excessive, there is a reason it’s done this way. When your hair is in its natural state, it allows the stylist to gauge your hair texture to shape it exactly to your liking. This is especially helpful for individuals who have different curl patterns. 

How to Prepare for your Appointment

When you book an appointment with Capella, they’ll strongly advise you to come in with freshly washed and dry hair, with no product. As I shared above, this allows them to see your hair in its natural state, frizz and all. Unlike typical cuts, your stylist will wash your hair after your cut. Also, having clean hair is better for the hair and the stylist’s scissors as there will be no product on the scissors and is better for the clients hair. 

Consultation for Curl by Curl Cuts

Before you get your haircut, your stylist should communicate with you about what you want with your hair. Maybe you want less frizz and more body. Or perhaps you’re trying to keep as much length as possible. Be sure to communicate your goals as clearly as possible and even bring photos if you have a desired shape or style in mind. Being clear with what you want will definitely impact your satisfaction. When I was getting my haircut I asked for more body and I really wanted the top lighter so I can make the front fringe stand up.  If you scroll through my IG feed from 2022 you can see that as my hair has gotten longer so I adopted a new style aka curly bangs.  My hope in getting my hair trimmed this time around was to have the option to style my hair with bangs or with them pushed up and away from my face. 

Cut and Styling

After my pre-cut consultation, they then proceed to snip each curl by curl, taking care to see how each curl falls.  For me, I have seen this process take anywhere from 20 mins and up depending on hair length and thickness.  

After your haircut is complete, they will then wash and style your hair. Personally I opted out of doing this step, as I have had several haircuts and know how to style my hair after. However, if it’s your first time, I highly recommend getting the full experience, as they will teach you all the methods to style and care for your new cut. They’ll teach you what curly friendly products you should be using in your hair (e.g. silicone and sulfate free) and what works best for your unique curl pattern. I will say that Capella salon uses primarily Innersense products which are lovely but a bit pricey. Your stylist will also teach you how to properly dry your hair, whether that be air dry or diffuse, and really just offer all the ways you can achieve your perfect curly hair. This consultation taught me so much about my hair and how to get the best consistent results. They also will cut more hair if it’s uneven, post-styling just to make sure your hair is perfect. 

Why I Swear by the Curl by Curl Cut

Curls truly need to be cared for by a stylist who knows what the F’ck is up!!  I am so thankful that naturally curly hair is becoming more mainstream, thus encouraging hair stylists to learn techniques on how to cut and care for curls!!  Like it’s about time.  It is so important to invest in a hair stylist that can offer you a curl by curl cut.  Maybe it’s not their only technique, but they should be able to do it.  For me a curl by curl cut has proven to yield the results that I love!  Because each curl has its own coil, cutting them one by one allows the stylist to trim the precise amount for each curl to achieve the desired shape.  It’s art.  Plain and simple. AND because the cut is on dry hair you are able to see in real time the shape come to life. 

How Often Should You Get Your Curls Trimmed?

It has been recommended to me to trim my curls every 6 months.  When you see the ends of your curls separated and lookin frizzy, it’s TIME – Probably past time!!  Regular trims allow your curls to not only be more defined, it encourages growth.  When I got my cut last month, it had been over a year since my last cut. Let me tell you babes I was LONG overdue…the damn pandemic!!  Anyway, I actually got a cut from the girl’s stylist, Marley.  I did it on whim, they made appointments so I was like you know what I want to see how a curl by curl cut is like from another stylist.  Marley, also worked in the Capella Salon, is gifted!!  She trimmed each of our 3 different curl patterns beautifully.  

I really do hope that this crash course in the curly haircut helped and I hope that you will share your experience with me if you do get the cut!