Heatless, Frizz-Free Updos: 3 Tips For Curly Upstyles

For most people, air-drying hair in the summer heat results in a frizzy style. But with the proper products, styling and the below tips courtesy of SalonCentric #ItTakesAPro Artist Kendra Alia (@iamkendraalia), it can result in an effortless-looking, smooth updo that accentuates natural curls and texture.

Whether your client is anti-heat tools or just in a pinch for time, here are three tips for styling an updo on damp, textured hair.

1. How to layer products without disrupting texture:

For this particular style, Kendra only used two products: Kenra Professional 17 Volume Mousse Extra and 17 Firm Hold Gel. Both are designed to smooth and offer light hold while accentuating the natural curl pattern. Here’s how she used each product:

• • Before creating the updo, Kendra applied a dime-sized amount of the 17 Volume Mousse to the roots and smoothed it toward the crown before pulling the hair into a ponytail. This created a smooth yet voluminous base on the damp hair.
  • After pulling hair into the ponytail, Kendra applied the mousse to the ends to build more volume.
  • Within the ponytail, Kendra sectioned off multiple sections and applied 17 Firm Hold Gel to create curl definition before twisting into mini chignons.

To watch the full step-by-step breakdown of this look, click here.

2. How to use multiple curl patterns to your advantage when styling:

When styling sans heat tools, it’s important to work with the natural curl patterns, partings and textures instead of against them. Here’s three ways Kendra used her client’s natural patterns to seamlessly style an updo:

1. For a textured, curly look, Kendra chose not to disrupt the curls’ pattern, instead she accentuated them by letting the hair air-dry and defining the curls instead of straightening them.
2. Kendra used her client’s natural part to section off the face-framing pieces necessary for channeling the trendy Pam Anderson-inspired style.
3. Once the updo was created, she used the client’s natural baby hairs and shorter curls around the perimeter to complete the piecey look.

Kendra’s finished updo:

3. Create the illusion of volume with any texture in these steps:

1. For fine hair: When creating the mini chignons, Kendra suggests letting the bobby pins sit loosely in the style (instead of tightly securing them) to create the illusion of volume.
2. For shorter hair: If you have shorter hair, Kendra suggests creating one loose chignon to accentuate the length of hair as much as possible to make the style appear fuller.
3. For loose curls or straight hair: “If your hair is straight, you just want to give it a soft bend,” when creating the chignons, suggests Kendra. “It always looks nice when it’s not super duper perfect.”

To add these products to your styling rotation, click here.