Styling your curly hair is as easy as 1, 2, 3 – just ask hair guru Justine Alexander. We’ve created 5 beautiful looks you can pull off yourself. Here’s how…

FULL-BODIEDS
Letting it loose and leaving it natural might seem like the easiest style to have, and in truth, there is beauty in simplicity. However, this lends itself to a fair amount of breakage, frizz and unnecessary build-up due to frequently touching your hair to keep it in check. Justine advises using your fingers to define and untangle your curls with the help of a rich detangling formula. This helps to avoid mechanical damage, minimise frizz and keep the integrity of the curl. A curl-activating cream worked through the lengths can also mean the difference between flat and bouncy curls while keeping frizz at bay.

PERFECT EDGES
There’s no denying the enviable power of perfectly defined edges. Justine gets it right, and perfectly so, by using a pintail comb and gel for hold. She prefers a gel formula rather than a paste or wax and mentions that it’s better for hold, shine and washes out easily. Furthermore, she uses a small, firm-bristled brush (such as a toothbrush) to comb the edges into shape, after which she defines the hair into intricate little patterns and curls. Scrape the rest of your hair back into a pony to really show off your work.

SOFT CURLS
Soften your curls before parting it down the middle. Change your curl pattern by curling small sections of hair tightly in the same direction, with the help of a curling wand. This helps to separate and keep the integrity of the curl beautifully without creating frizz, but adding enough volume to make it look soft. Justine gets the look by only curling the most visible parts on top, so that you don’t have to spend time curling everything from the bottom.

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