Allow me to introduce you to Jodie Strange.

"I Know How Important Hair is to Oneself and One's Identity"

Jodie grew up struggling to style her own hair. “It’s so frustrating not knowing how to take care of a certain part of yourself, especially when it’s a part that everyone sees on the daily.” Shaving her head gave her a clean slate to become “comfortable and confident” with the hair she was born with. She became her own guinea pig to “find new trends and techniques for curly hair and textured hair”. With her approach, Jodie’s able to gain experience from the perspective of a professional stylist to pass on to her guests to show their potential with their natural pattern.

Styling Tips + Tricks

Many factors contribute to styling curly hair. Jodie simplifies the process and highly encourages her guests to experiment! Let's break it down:

1. Start with wet hair (yes, practically dripping wet). It helps with product slippage and ensures each strand is coated.
2. Begin applying product. Jodie's favorite method is the praying hand method. She explains, "That is when you literally put the product in between your palms rub together and drag them across the hair as if you were praying". This method prevents frizz, creates clumps of curls, and boosts definition versus raking product through.
3. Go in with a gel. This step is optional, for a more defined curl simply scrunch the gel in.
4. Air dry or Diffuse. "I find that diffusing the hair gives it a little bit more volume, and obviously cuts down on the drying time." Jodie's tip before diffusing is to blot extra moisture out with a microfiber towel or a t-shirt.
5.  Break the Shell. When you hair is fully dry, there may be a cast or shell to break up. With a light oil, fluff out the root and scrunch the ends. "Now, be gentle because you don’t wanna create any extra frizz!"

Behind the Chair Tips

Curly texture is unique. Every person has a different curl formation, and there can be multiple patterns on the same head of hair! When cutting, Jodie advises to analyze how the hair lays, and how it will look when dry. "When cutting curly hair think of your overall shape you’re looking for...be sure to give the hair movement but also connect the layers so you don’t end up with the dreaded tree looking shape."

Pro Tip: Remember to account for shrinkage when the cut is styled.

Dryness is a commonality in curly texture due to the natural bends and kinks in the hair cuticle. Be mindful that coloring hair, in general, is a chemical process which can add to the challenge of lack of moisture existing in curly hair already. "Be cautious when lightening curly hair. You can take away some of the curl if you are too harsh with your process," Jodie warns. Sometimes, clients may bounce between curly and straight hair. Placement is key, and Jodie opts to go bold in order to achieve the greatest impact. For some curl patterns, she believes it's better to paint or highlight hair in its natural state.

Pro Tip: "Make sure to handle with care and always replenish the moisture after a color service." - Jodie

Find Jodie on Instagram @stranger.hair. Her best form of contact is text or email!