Curly hair can be a blessing or a curse, depending on how you look at it. Most people with curly hair often find it unruly and difficult to style, especially on humid days, and people with stick-straight hair often wish they had curly hair. For those who are blessed, or cursed, with curly hair, the best way to style it begins with a great haircut and ends by following the path of least resistance.

Because curly hair can range from mildly wavy to very tight and frizzy, it’s important to recognize what your hair does naturally and what it won’t do. Curly hair, regardless of the texture, is often naturally dry so it is important to keep it moisturized with a good conditioner. Similarly, it’s important to use styling products that don’t over dry curly hair, so avoid products with alcohol.

Since the foundation of any good hairstyle is the cut, find a hair stylist who is comfortable cutting and styling curly hair. If you wear your hair long, the weight of your hair will pull the hair downward causing your curls to be slightly looser than they would be short. However, curly hair worn long should have some layers to reduce the bulk. When curly hair is cut short, the cuts should be made with the natural curl rather than against it. Consider looking for a stylist who is adept with a razor and you may get a better cut.

One advantage people with curly hair have over those with straight hair is that the cut marks from scissors tend to not show. What might look like a choppy hair cut on someone with straight hair will not appear the same on someone with curly hair. Ask your stylist to avoid short layers, but rather to “slide cut” longer layers. If you trust your stylist, ask them to recommend a hairstyle for your hair type and face shape.

With a good cut, curly hair is best styled by allowing it to do what it does naturally. Use hair styling products that moisturize and reduce frizz and allow your hair to air dry. Blow drying curly hair tends to make it bulkier or bushier than necessary. If you can’t shape and air dry your curly hairstyle into a manageable one, then you can use heat styling options.

If you use a blow dryer, use a diffuser with your hair dryer. Sold separately, a diffuser fits on the end of your hair dryer and diffuses the air to dry hair with minimal frizz. If you want to use a flatiron to straighten your hair, make sure to use a heat-protecting product first. Upon completing heat straightening, apply a moisturizing, frizz-reducing serum or polishing gloss to lock in the finished style.

Try to vary your style periodically each week to include at least one or two days of no heat styling. This will give your curly hair a chance to rest and reduce heat damage and unnecessary drying. If you feel you must chemically straighten your hair, enlist the services of a professional and make sure to avoid other chemical processes, such as coloring, immediately before or after.