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September 29, 2025 12 mins

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Curls don’t misbehave—they react. Once you learn how water sets the pattern and product simply locks it in, styling stops feeling like a battle and starts feeling like play. We unpack the small, high-impact habits that turn crunchy ringlets into soft, defined curls that last, drawing on decades behind the chair and the real-world wins of clients who finally found their rhythm.

We start with the foundation that matters most: a clean, hydrated base. You’ll hear how to use gentle clarifying every four to five washes to remove product film without stripping, then follow with moisture so your curls can drink. From there, we share the game-changing timing of soaking-wet application—why applying leave-in, curl cream, and gel or mousse to dripping hair captures the pattern while reducing frizz before it starts. We also get practical about tools and technique, including when a vent brush on wet, product-loaded hair helps distribute evenly, how to clip roots for lift, and why low, slow diffusing protects clumps and shine.

Night care and refresh strategies round it out. Learn how silk or satin saves your ends, how to “pineapple” without dents, and how a light mist or targeted curl spray reactivates yesterday’s products for a quick, clean second day. We keep it simple with a three-step product trio and clear guidance on choosing gel versus mousse based on your climate, density, and porosity. Whether you identify as 2B, 3C, 4A—or skip the labels—you’ll walk away with a repeatable routine and confidence to style down, half-up, or into sculpted updos that celebrate your texture.

If these tips he

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
You know, curls have been a part of my life for as
long as I've been behind thechair.
And honestly, they've taught mepatience.
I'll never forget my very firstcurly-haired client back in the
90s.
I was so determined to give herthe perfect spiral curls that I
overloaded her with mousse andspent forever diffusing.

(00:20):
Only for her to leave withcrunchy ringlets and a look on
her face that said, uh, thanks,I think.
We've all been there.
If your curls sometimes feelunpredictable or hard to love,
today's episode is for you.
Welcome to All About Hair, wherewe talk to shop, share stories,

(00:41):
and spill the secrets behindgreat hair and a great career.
I'm your host, Denise Keilitz, aformer salon owner, educator,
and a lifelong hair crusader.
Whether you're a new stylistbuilding your book, or just
someone who loves learning aboutall things hair, you're in the
right place.

(01:06):
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm gonna try something a littlebit different.
I get so many articles, I readso much about hair, hair
articles, industry information,and I feel like I want to save
it all till my podcasts or myYouTubes or my newsletters, and
then I forget about it.

(01:27):
So I think I'm gonna just startrecording little tiny podcasts
throughout the week and justupload them, see how it goes.
They're gonna be sometimesthey're gonna be five minutes,
sometimes they might be 15minutes.
I don't know.
But I just feel like there's somuch information, I just really
want to share it with you.
Today's gonna be one of thoseshort little episodes about

(01:49):
curly hair.
So curly hair can feel like ithas its own personality.
You know what I mean.
One day it's soft and bouncy,and the next it's flat or
frizzy.
I live that way.
And you've probably tried everytrend from social media, from
you know, t-shirt plopping,drying your hair with a t-shirt,
to praying hands applicationwhere you just put the products

(02:11):
in your praying hands and applyit that way so you're not
crunching anything up.
But you still feel uh likeyou're frustrated when your
curls don't last, or you justdon't like the way they they
look.
They don't look the way youimagine them to look, right?
The truth is there's no singlemagic formula.
Curls are they vary wildly.

(02:32):
You've got the loose 2B patterncurls, you got springy three C's
and coily four A's.
If you know, you know, I guessno, it that's really categories
that some people like to use todefine your curl pattern.
I don't really listen to that somuch.
Curl is curl, and yes, curlsvary widely.

(02:55):
But I guess they just came upwith these categories.
So if you have a 2B and you'retalking to somebody who knows
curly hair, they're gonna knowkind of in their mind what a 2B
curl looks like.
Don't worry if you don't knowwhat those are.
Sorry, I have a really frog inmy throat today.
What works for one texturedoesn't necessarily mean it's

(03:16):
gonna work for another texture.
Plus, there are so many mixedmessages.
You know, you hear, don't brushyour curls, don't detangle wet
hair, air dry only.
It's enough to make anyone giveup and reach for a flat iron.
Am I right?
I've done it myself.
So here's what I've learned andwhat curl experts trust that I

(03:38):
trust say that really work.
As I'm going through here, I'mgonna list some products and
don't worry, all the links willbe in my show notes.
So if you hear of something youwant to try, just click on my
link.
It'll lead you probably over tomy Amazon storefront.
So just know that that if youclick on the link, I might get a
little bit of commission for it.
Just know that.
Some of these don't though.
First of all, start with aclean, hydrated base.

(04:01):
Every four or five washes, youwant to clarify your hair to
remove all the buildup from allthe product.
One that you can use that's nottoo hard on your budget is
Aveeno Apple Cider VinegarClarifying Shampoo.
Yeah, it's kind ofbudget-friendly.
Uh, you can get it at thedrugstore as well.

(04:21):
But if you'd rather get aprofessional product, the Aveda
B curly advanced shampoo is agood one.
A lot of professionals love touse that one.
Follow this with hydratingcleanser or conditioner so your
curls can drink up the moistureafter you just clarified.
Another tip is you would want toapply products to soaking wet

(04:42):
hair.
This is huge, huge.
And I know myself because I'vegot curly hair that I've paid
attention to this and I've kindof experimented with this.
If I put on my products rightwhen I get out of the shower and
I squeeze them into my curlyhair, and if I'm wearing my hair
curly that day, I get a lotbetter curl pattern than if I've
brushed my hair out or combed myhair out after the shower and

(05:06):
walked around, did my makeup andall that, and then put my
products on.
I don't know, I just don't getas great a curl, a curly
pattern.
A long time ago, um, early in mycareer, I watched a stylist
completely transform a client'scurls just by applying product
while the hair was stilldripping wet.
You see, so water actually setsyour curl pattern.

(05:29):
Your products just lock it in.
So that's kind of a cool way ofthinking about it, right?
Just remember that.
If you remember nothing else,try that by itself.
And then build a simple producttrio.
And what I mean by that, aleave-in conditioner to lock in
hydration.
One, I really, you know me, Ilove the Euphora leave-in

(05:50):
conditioner.
Of course, the link's gonna bein the show notes.
But there's one also called thePotion Studio Rose Balm
Leave-in.
There's a curl cream forsoftness and InnerSense Quiet
Calm Curl Control is a hugefavorite.
We used to carry InnerSense inour salons.
The curly girls loved it.
So definitely if you're gonnatry a curl control lotion.

(06:15):
And then you can either get amousse or a gel.
There's one all about curls highdefinition gel, or you can use
Orabay curl-shaping mousse ifyou like mousse, and it depends
on how much hold you need foryour curl.
Again, links are gonna be in theshow notes.
After you put your products on,you want to detangle gently.

(06:36):
And using tools are okay, youdon't have to just use your
fingers.
I once had a curly client a longtime ago who swore she couldn't
use a brush because of an oldrule she'd heard.
And the day I told her about avent brush on wet hair and that
you can evenly distribute theproduct section by section, she
texted me later.
This is life-changing.

(06:57):
Yeah, crazy.
The crazy things that we gothrough life believing, right?
You also want to protect yourhair from damage, so don't rough
towel dry your hair.
Use a microfiber towel orremember the soft t-shirt trick.
Yes, that that works incredible.
So if you have a cotton t-shirtthat you are gonna toss, just

(07:17):
use that to dry your curly hair.
You want to make sure you'regonna avoid tight ponytails on
wet hair.
Whew, that'll break your hairoff.
Minimize heat.
And if you do diffuse, keep itlow and always, always, you know
me, use a heat protectant.
Then what about your nighttimecare?
You know, people ask me this allthe time.

(07:40):
Uh, sleeping in a satin or silkbonnet or on a silk pillowcase,
does that help?
Absolutely, it helps.
It saves so much frizz and somuch breakage.
So if you want to get yourself asilk pillowcase or ask for one
for the holidays.
And then on those days thatyou're not going to wash your
hair and you're not gonna gothrough all of this, just

(08:01):
lightly mist with water or aleave-in spray to refresh your
curls and you steam from a hotshower to help them bounce back.
My very favorite is the EuphoraCurl Spray.
It is wonderful for next dayhair curl and it is kind of like
a you mist it on, it reactivatesthe products that you already

(08:24):
have on your hair.
It also is a um odor deodorizer.
So, like if you've been at acampfire, or I would say if
you're in a room where peoplesmoke, but that doesn't happen
very much these days, uh, itactually helps with that.
So I don't know, pick yourfavorite products.
I'll have all these links in myshow notes so you don't have to

(08:46):
worry, you don't have to gosearch for them, and you don't
have to back up and say, whatdoes she say about that?
And if you have questions aboutany of these products, just text
me or uh leave me a go to mywebsite, deniseKilets.com, and
leave me a little email overthere.
I answer all of them, I see allof them.
So, well, once you find theright rhythm for your curls,

(09:08):
styling stops feeling like abattle and it starts feeling
like you could actually playwith your hair and enjoy it.
You'll have definition withoutcrunch, bounce without frizz,
and the freedom to wear yourcurls down, half up, or pinned
into gorgeous updos.
There's something about curlyhair in an updo, it's beautiful,
right?
And you won't have to worry thatyour hair is going to rebel by

(09:30):
midday.
So if this episode has helpedyou feel more at peace with your
curls, then I am thrilled.
I know it's short and sweet.
I've spent decades helping womenembrace the texture they were
born with.
And trust me, once you learn therules of healthy curl care, you
can break them intentionally andcreate any look you want.

(09:50):
Be sure to subscribe to AllAbout Hair with Denise on
YouTube and wherever you listento podcasts.
And if you are curious, go overto take a look at my Amazon
storefront where all those linksare waiting for you.
And remember, when you knowbetter, you do better.
Thanks for tuning in to AllAbout Hair.

(10:10):
If you loved this episode, hitsubscribe, leave us a review,
and share it with a fellowstylist or hair-loving friend.
You want more tips, tools, andbehind the scenes goodness?
Follow me on YouTube or head tomy website at deniseKeilitz.com.
Yes, I know it's hard to spell,so don't worry, the link is in
the show notes.
Until next time, keep learning,keep creating, and keep loving

(10:34):
what you do.
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