Curly Hair on Top & Straight Underneath

Curly hair and scissors — Photo: Vipman/Shutterstock

Q: I have really bizarre hair. The top is really curly, but the bottom sections underneath are dead straight. To combat this, the usual advice from stylists is choppy layers, to make the underneath not so heavy. But when my hair grows (currently shoulder length, layers growing out) it looks like I have a mullet - no joke - as the top layers are fully gorgeous curls and the underneath is blatantly, dead straight.

What sort of style do you think would suit a round face shape with this sort of hair type? I always end up getting the same thing: "OK, chop it off to just above shoulders, choppy layers to make it lighter and the curls springier". Although it looks good for the first week, I wonder if this is actually the best style to: a) combat the problem with the straight hair and b) actually suit my face shape. Do you have any advice for this hair nightmare?

A: The first thing I suggest is that you consider having a partial perm on the bottom sections of your hair underneath to blend them with the curls on top. This will eliminate the mullet look and will give you a basis upon which to build a uniform style which you can adjust according to your moods without having to always keep in mind the disparity between the wave patterns in your hair.

After this, you should bear in mind that for a round face, the goal is to select a hairstyle that adds height and fullness on top of the head and less volume on the sides, with length to create a vertical line. This will create the illusion that your face is longer, and more oval - which is the ideal. Layering on the top areas of the hair blended to lengths down the sides and ending around the shoulders (or longer depending on your height and build) will give this look.

A good layered cut on curly hair can give you an easy to maintain style that is versatile and can be worn up or down as suits your whims or the occasion. Plus, since the hair you are having permed is on the lower sections of the head, the new growth will be hidden and so long as you keep your hair properly moisturized you would be able to wait extended periods between perm services.

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See also:

Curly hair and hairstyles

Foil perm or partial perm

Hairstyles for a round face

The pros and cons of layered hair