Texture Guide: Haircuts Paired With Wash & Go Styling

How To Enhance Textured Haircuts With Wash & Go Styles 

A frustrating reality stylists face is having to seek out textured hair education. Everyday services like haircuts and wash and go styles are often skimmed over in cosmetology school, so we joined Ulta Beauty‘s Texture Rally to bring you salon staples to offer to clients.

Keep reading for two texture haircuts paired with wash and go styling techniques for enhanced, natural curl styling clients want (and deserve to access!) 

1. How-To: Condensed Haircut For Length Removal 

A condensed cut should be your go-to when clients ask for a good amount of length removed. Sectioning will be much larger for this cut because the goal is to remove length while creating a symmetrical overall shape. 

 Some pointers to remember for a condensed cut:

• Use large vertical sections around the entire head. Vertical sectioning helps to see the overall shape of the cut as you go.
• Elevate each section straight out, do not overdirect any section. 
• Begin your traveling guide at the nape, this will help maintain symmetry as you cut toward the crown where curls may be shorter. 

Ulta Beauty Design Team Member Laura Gunter (@lauragunterhair) shares the importance of tension management when cutting textured hair. As you see below, curls and coils can triple in length when tension is applied. AVOID a lot of tension for condensed cuts—because we anticipate shrinkage, hold each section with medium tension to ensure the haircut does not dry shorter than the client asked for. 

Want more texture education? Become a BTC-U Member and learn @haircolorkilla’s versatile curly cut + flat twist style!

Pair A Condensed Haircut With This Wash & Go Style

After finishing your client’s condensed cut, shingling is the perfect wash and go style to enhance the fresh shape. Laura demos the compression and stretching technique used for shingling on medium-sized sections throughout the head.

“You want to use a gel, not a foam or mousse for this wash and go,” Laura explains. “I distribute the product evenly though every section first, then use pressure to compress thin subsections from the root through the ends.” The compression elongates curl patterns, creating a natural, luxurious-looking shape when curls dry into place.

Pro Tip: Laura recommends adding full finger coils around the hairline for clients who like a customized look with their shorter face-framing pieces. 

2. How-To: Curl Cut To Enhance & Shape Natural Texture 

Clients who request a curl cut tend to have longer hair that just needs a refresh. The goal of a curl cut is to leave curls with a lot of movement and airy layers, if requested. Curl cuts are not designed to remove length.

You’ll want to take super small sections and focus on defining the ends of the hair to create a rounded, symmetrical shape. “It’s a very visual process,” Ulta Beauty Pro Team Member David Lopez (@davidlopezzz) says. “You don’t want to be stationary for a curl cut. Moving around your client’s natural texture is very important to celebrate, not control, the hair’s organic pattern and shape.” 

Pair A Curl Cut With This Wash & Go Style

Raking is a wash and go style you’ll want to use after a curl cut for maximum movement. Since you just spent time precision cutting your client’s curls, we want to make sure the curls are not collapsed with product or smoothing techniques.

• Starting at the root, insert four fingers from underneath the section, creating a claw with your hand.
• Scrunch your fingers down until you reach the midshaft.
• Then, you will open your fingers to to shake back and forth, letting the curls fall out of your hand gently.

This technique creates a loose foundation for curls to dry in their natural shape without any restructuring. Your clients will leave your chair with beautifully defined curls that will expand and dry throughout the day!

Pro Tip: “Use a foam for raking,” Laura explains. “The airy movement of the curls needs a foam to stay voluminous and hydrated.”

Try these blow dry techniques for clients wanting to try a straight style!