London’s Curly Hair Salon Reviews: Curly Hair London

Curly Hair London Review

With over 20 years experience and a booked schedule that extends two months into the future, Stephanie Nik is truly sought after.

“There’s definitely been more awareness from curly haired women that their hair has different needs and demand has been going up from there”.

We arrived at our appointment (all three of my girls hadn’t had a trim in years) just off Tottenham Court Road on Denmark St right on time. Stephanie rents a space in an existing salon and beckoned us over to the chair at the back.

A quick assessment of their hair types and Stephanie was eager to get the first one into the chair. Immediately she gave me some useful tips showing me just how- even within one head of hair- there can be three different curl types.

A dry cut later, she then proceeded to separate the hair into sections , soaking each section and generously applying leave-in conditioner to each. Her key tips:

1. ALWAYS do your styling process with soaking wet hair.

The moment your curls emerge from the shower, they begin the drying process. This means the hydrogen curl bonds (she took her time to explain this in full) will start to form and unless you apply the conditioner and detangle when it’s soaking wet, the hair won’t be able to absorb any product. I realised I had been doing this completely wrong- applying conditioner when it was already half dry.

2. NEVER use a towel to dry curly hair.

Use your shower room to apply conditioner and detangle, THEN you can use a cotton towel or microfibre towel to gently squeeze and hold the hair.

3. Or, better yet, air dry.

4. Oils do NOT moisturise.

If hair is especially dry, apply more conditioner and work it in to make sure it absorbs.

5. Hair clips are much better for curly hair.

Try to use these over hair bands to reduce breakage.

Curly hair routine:

On wash day, wash, then apply leave in conditioner to detangled soaking wet hair. Leave to air dry and clip into a pineapple (if long enough) or a silk scarf or hat overnight.

Day 2, 3 & 4, the hair shouldn’t need too much styling as the curl bonds should remain intact. Wet and apply gel or styling product as necessary.

Wash once a week and repeat.

Our experience at Curly Hair London was fantastic. Stephanie took her time to explain how to care for their hair and how each of their hair is different. Her style is ‘all natural’. She’s not into gregarious straightening or colours and rarely does anything with chemicals. She studied under Lorraine Massey, famous for starting the conversation on curly hair care and who is known as the Queen of curly hair dressing.

If you’d like an appointment to see Stephanie, her schedule is booking up fast. But stay tuned as she will be offering curly hair workshops for Mums with curly kids very soon.

For more tips and advice for caring for biracial or curly hair, visit Help! How to do curly mixed race hair…