Curly hair girls/guys tell all: Lorraine Massey

Curly hair girls/guys tell all: Lorraine Massey
LORRAINE MASSEY
Stylist, texture expert and educator, founder of Deva salon and DevaCurl products

What type of texture do you have? Describe your hair.
“I have predominantly Corkscrew Curls. But when it's ultra humid, the mood ring personality of my curls can change on a whim and become “bottiscrew,” which is a mix of corkscrew and Botticelli! After pulling a curl strand to its actual length and releasing it, its spring-back factor can be as much as 6 inches! That's why it's a disaster when you cut curly hair wet Anything wet expands, and when it dries, it contracts. It's like a transformer.”

How did having textured hair affect you growing up? How did you feel about your hair growing up and how has that changed since you became involved in the beauty industry?

Lorraine Massey's massive curls back in the day.

"I was so young when I figured out 'this is it!'—me, my curls and I, 'til death do we part! But I was not happy about it until later in life. We curlies are not born loving our hair. We have to learn to love it and if we are lucky to find a curl sponsor' who will encourage us on our unavoidably curly path. That is priceless! As a child, the teasing and name calling didn't help either with comments like "with hair like that you don't notice her ankles.'

What do you think are the most interesting developments in hair texture today?
The Devafuser is truly unique and efficient in its design and makes so much sense.

What type of products/tools and what amount of time do you spend on your hair on "curly" days and on "straight" days?
“Frizz and curly hair are still severely misunderstood. Unruly is a word I hear all the time in the media, and I do not like it! Experts say 'unruly children are looking for consistency." Same goes for curls! When your consistent in your approach, you get consistency back. I started to love my curls the day I stopped shampooing! So no shampoo equals no sulfates. Add superior conditioners and alcohol and silicone free gels. Love me as I am and do not disturb curls in progress.

"The only straight I do is to talk straight or go straight to bed (but always Curly to rise). I am a 100 percent committed Curly Girl, and I spend such little time on my curls—because fuss equals frizz. For me it’s about truly radiCurl simplicity."

Any other comments/observations on curly/textured hair?
"When the word texturized is applied to natural textured hair, it really concerns me. Curly hair is nothing but texture naturally, and with what I have observed over the last 10 years is that can happen naturally in the hair is far more beautiful than anything I can manufacture. It's very humbling."

More curly profiles: