Why does Jakay require clients to arrive with clean, dry hair for a curly cut?

Jakay requires clients to arrive with their hair clean, completely dry, minimal to no product, free of kinks from clips or hair ties, and in its natural shape. This is so she is meeting the hair exactly as it actually lives in the client's daily life — not as it looks after being washed and manipulated by a stylist. Cutting dry allows her to see and feel the natural growth pattern, how each curl falls and interacts with others, and where weight needs to be removed. It also prevents the common curly hair experience of the cut looking right in the salon but shrinking up shorter than expected once the hair dries at home.

Why should you cut curly hair completely dry rather than damp?

Jakay avoids cutting curly hair while it is damp because during the drying process the hair cuticles are in a mixed, in-between state — some cuticles are open and some are beginning to close. Cutting through hair in this transitional state means you are cutting through inconsistent textures simultaneously, which can cause the cut to sit unevenly once the hair fully dries. For dry cutting she works completely dry, and when she introduces moisture for razor work on the bangs or perimeter, she saturates the hair fully and evenly rather than leaving it in a damp in-between state.

What is Jakay's back-comb cutting motion and why does she use it on curls?

Jakay uses a back-comb or reverse back-comb motion with short shears, making small controlled cuts rather than opening the shear wide to a full blunt cut. This technique allows her to work within each individual curl, removing small amounts of weight from the interior without creating blunt straight-across lines. Because curls are not uniformly round, this approach creates slight variation in length within each curl — a light cascade — that allows the curls to group and step into each other naturally when they dry, rather than sitting flat on top of one another. The short shear size is key because it gives her precise control over this motion.

How should elevation be adjusted when cutting curly layers dry?

Jakay uses more elevation in the upper sections of the head to create more definition and layering, then reduces elevation as she works down toward the perimeter. Less elevation means less length is removed and the layers are less dramatic, which preserves density and weight at the ends. This is particularly important for fine-textured curls lower on the head that need support from the underneath to help the denser top sections sit and curl properly.

When does Jakay switch from scissors to a razor during a curly cut?

After establishing the shape and weight removal dry with shears, Jakay introduces a razor — and moisture — for specific areas like the bangs, fringe, and the perimeter. She saturates those areas thoroughly and evenly before using the razor. She avoids doing razor work on damp hair because of the cuticle inconsistency issue, but uses the razor on fully wet sections where she wants to refine the perimeter or break up a straight-across bottom edge. She never cuts a head entirely one way — even primarily wet razor cuts are always finished with dry refinement.

How does Jakay use Hair Balm, Oil, and Undressed when styling curly hair?

Hair Balm is Jakay's first-choice product for curly hair — if she could only use one product, it would be Hair Balm. It is not heavy, sticky, or crunchy, it can be added on the next day wet or dry, and it works across all curl types. Oil is described as more of a serum — lightweight enough for fine curls but substantive enough for dense curls — that adds softness, shine, and frizz control without weighing curls down. Undressed is her go-to texture spray for about 70% of her curly clients: it gives volume, body, and definition similar to a salt spray but without actual salt or sulfates, so it does not dry out the hair or strip color the way traditional salt sprays can.

How does Jakay approach the consultation for a curly haircut?

Jakay's consultations are a collaborative symposium rather than a one-sided briefing. She asks clients to bring multiple reference photos — not just the look they want, but anything they have ever been drawn to — because the photos tell her what a client is attracted to aesthetically, which can be more revealing than the words they use. She will also pull up her own past work to create shared visual confirmation, since hairdresser and client words for the same thing often mean very different visual outcomes. Consultations can run 20 minutes or more, and she books 90 minutes to two hours total per appointment to avoid rushing.

What is Jakay's position on face-shape rules in haircutting?

Jakay is passionately opposed to using face-shape rules to tell clients what they cannot have. She believes the beauty school standard that every haircut should make the face appear more oval is rooted in shame, and that telling a client their forehead is too big, their jaw is too wide, or their face is too round for a particular style causes lasting harm. Her position is that every person has beautiful cheekbones, a beautiful jawline, and eyes worth celebrating — and that if a stylist cannot envision a version of what the client wants that celebrates their actual face, the right move is to refer them to someone else rather than shame them out of the idea.

CUTTING FOR CURLS THAT POP!

Name: Cutting for Curls that Pop!
Uploaded: 2025-12-17
Channel: Hairstory
Description: Hairstory's Wes hosts curly hair specialist Jakay for a live class demonstrating her organic, individualized approach to dry cutting curls — working curl by curl with short shears and a back-comb motion to remove internal weight and allow curls to spring and group naturally, rather than stacking ...

Get your clients' curls popping with curly specialist Jikaiah Stevens. She'll reveal her curl cutting techniques to help you master your client's curls.

Home / Virtual Events / Cutting for Curls that Pop!

Share this video

Hairstory's Wes hosts curly hair specialist Jakay for a live class demonstrating her organic, individualized approach to dry cutting curls — working curl by curl with short shears and a back-comb motion to remove internal weight and allow curls to spring and group naturally, rather than stacking on top of each other. Working on model Natalia's dense, mixed-pattern curls, Jakay explains why she requires clients to arrive with clean, dry, product-free hair; how she uses elevation and cascade to build layers without imposing a rigid system; and when she introduces a razor and water for the bangs and perimeter. The class also covers her philosophy on the deeply personal nature of haircutting, the case against face-shape shaming in the salon, and how products like Hair Balm, Oil, and Undressed support curly styling. This is essential viewing for any stylist looking to move beyond formulaic curl cutting and approach each client's texture with genuine curiosity and adaptability.

How to Cut Curly Hair Dry Using an Individual Curl-by-Curl Back-Comb Technique

An organic, individualized dry-cutting approach for curly hair that works curl by curl to remove internal weight and allow curls to spring and group naturally, followed by selective wet razor refinement on the bangs and perimeter.

Require and assess the hair dry and in its natural state

Ask clients to arrive with their hair clean, completely dry, with minimal to no product, free of kinks from clips or hair ties, and worn down in its natural shape. This is non-negotiable: you are meeting the hair exactly as it lives for the client on a regular day, not as it looks after a salon wash and manipulation. Before picking up any tool, work your hands through the hair to assess the natural growth pattern, identify where weight is concentrated, note the mix of curl patterns across different sections of the head, and observe where the curls are sitting on top of each other rather than grouping naturally.

Pro Tip: If a client with heavy hair arrives and the hair is still slightly damp from washing, make sure it is fully dry before cutting. If you diffuse it to dry it, diffuse completely — not to a damp in-between state — so all cuticles are in the same closed position.

Set up your tools

Lay out your full toolkit before beginning: short dry-cutting shears (4.5–5 inch) for primary work, a straight blade razor for bangs and perimeter refinement, texturizing shears as an optional tool, a metal tail comb, sectioning clips, and a fine-mist spray bottle. Having all tools physically present and available matters — you will use different tools as different sections call for it, and switching mid-cut should be natural and responsive rather than planned in advance.

Pro Tip: The short shear length is critical for this technique. A longer shear flops and loses control during the back-comb motion. Short shears keep the cutting action precise and out of the way of the live curl so each cut is fully controlled.

Begin at the top with the back-comb curl-by-curl cut

Start at the top of the head and work in a vertical pattern, moving down and around the head. Pick up individual curls or small groups of adjacent curls — not sections pulled flat under tension. Use the back-comb or reverse back-comb motion: position the short shear at the area of the curl where you want to remove weight and make small, controlled cuts without opening the shear to a full wide cut. Never cut blunt straight across a curl. Work your hands constantly to feel and shift how the hair is laying as you go. Do not think of any section as done — you can always go back.

Pro Tip: The goal is to create a light internal cascade within each curl rather than a uniform length. This slight variation allows curls to step into each other and group naturally when they dry, rather than stacking flat. Because you are taking very few strands at a time, the effect is subtle while the structural result is significant.

Adjust elevation as you work down the sections

Use more elevation (pulling sections further away from the head) in the upper sections to create more dramatic layering and definition through the crown and sides. As you work lower toward the perimeter, reduce elevation so less length is removed, preserving density and weight at the ends. This graduated approach prevents the bottom layers from becoming too wispy or thin over time, and ensures the underneath sections retain enough structure to support the denser top layers.

Pro Tip: Lower-section hair that is finer or more damaged needs that support from underneath. Resist the temptation to remove weight evenly throughout — the upper sections need to be lighter, and the lower sections need to stay relatively denser.

Work curl by curl across the full head, checking balance continuously

Continue working around the full head, always moving your hands to see how the curls are grouping and cascading as a whole shape rather than as individual sections. Flip sections out of the way by using already-cut hair as a support rather than clips when possible, giving you visual access to the underlying layers. Periodically pull everything forward or release it into its natural fall to check the overall silhouette — you are building a round shape to replace a triangular one. Any curl that is not hanging or grouping right can be addressed at any point.

Pro Tip: Curls cut this way will always show some variation in length within each curl and between adjacent curls. This is intentional — it is what allows the shape to look natural and grow out beautifully rather than becoming boxy or disconnected. Do not try to make everything exact.

Saturate selectively for razor work on the bangs and perimeter

Once the overall shape is established dry, introduce moisture for specific areas that benefit from razor refinement — typically the bangs, fringe, and the bottom perimeter edge. Use a fine-mist spray bottle to saturate these areas thoroughly and evenly before picking up the razor. Do not work with the razor on damp hair — the cuticle inconsistency of hair in the drying process causes uneven cuts. Wet fully or stay dry; avoid the in-between state.

Pro Tip: The razor is particularly useful for breaking up a bottom edge that has become too straight or blunt, for refining the perimeter into a softer more textured finish, and for any area where the dry shear work did not fully release the weight you were looking for.

Apply product and finish styling

After completing the cut, apply Hair Balm as the primary styling product. Use approximately two to two and a half pumps for medium-density curls, running it through the hair and then scrunching back in. Hair Balm is non-sticky and non-crunchy and can be layered more the next day wet or dry. Add Oil if frizz control or additional shine is needed — it is serum-weight and will not weigh down finer curls. Apply Undressed as a texture spray if more volume, body, or curl definition is desired. Curls can be air-dried or diffused depending on the client's preference and how much volume they want.

Pro Tip: For the best air-dry result, encourage clients to handle the wet hair as little as possible after product application. Scrunching in product rather than raking it through preserves curl grouping and reduces frizz.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Jakay require clients to arrive with clean, dry hair for a curly cut?

Jakay requires clients to arrive with their hair clean, completely dry, minimal to no product, free of kinks from clips or hair ties, and in its natural shape. This is so she is meeting the hair exactly as it actually lives in the client's daily life — not as it looks after being washed and manipulated by a stylist. Cutting dry allows her to see and feel the natural growth pattern, how each curl falls and interacts with others, and where weight needs to be removed. It also prevents the common curly hair experience of the cut looking right in the salon but shrinking up shorter than expected once the hair dries at home.
Why should you cut curly hair completely dry rather than damp?

Jakay avoids cutting curly hair while it is damp because during the drying process the hair cuticles are in a mixed, in-between state — some cuticles are open and some are beginning to close. Cutting through hair in this transitional state means you are cutting through inconsistent textures simultaneously, which can cause the cut to sit unevenly once the hair fully dries. For dry cutting she works completely dry, and when she introduces moisture for razor work on the bangs or perimeter, she saturates the hair fully and evenly rather than leaving it in a damp in-between state.
What is Jakay's back-comb cutting motion and why does she use it on curls?

Jakay uses a back-comb or reverse back-comb motion with short shears, making small controlled cuts rather than opening the shear wide to a full blunt cut. This technique allows her to work within each individual curl, removing small amounts of weight from the interior without creating blunt straight-across lines. Because curls are not uniformly round, this approach creates slight variation in length within each curl — a light cascade — that allows the curls to group and step into each other naturally when they dry, rather than sitting flat on top of one another. The short shear size is key because it gives her precise control over this motion.
How should elevation be adjusted when cutting curly layers dry?

Jakay uses more elevation in the upper sections of the head to create more definition and layering, then reduces elevation as she works down toward the perimeter. Less elevation means less length is removed and the layers are less dramatic, which preserves density and weight at the ends. This is particularly important for fine-textured curls lower on the head that need support from the underneath to help the denser top sections sit and curl properly.
When does Jakay switch from scissors to a razor during a curly cut?

After establishing the shape and weight removal dry with shears, Jakay introduces a razor — and moisture — for specific areas like the bangs, fringe, and the perimeter. She saturates those areas thoroughly and evenly before using the razor. She avoids doing razor work on damp hair because of the cuticle inconsistency issue, but uses the razor on fully wet sections where she wants to refine the perimeter or break up a straight-across bottom edge. She never cuts a head entirely one way — even primarily wet razor cuts are always finished with dry refinement.
How does Jakay use Hair Balm, Oil, and Undressed when styling curly hair?

Hair Balm is Jakay's first-choice product for curly hair — if she could only use one product, it would be Hair Balm. It is not heavy, sticky, or crunchy, it can be added on the next day wet or dry, and it works across all curl types. Oil is described as more of a serum — lightweight enough for fine curls but substantive enough for dense curls — that adds softness, shine, and frizz control without weighing curls down. Undressed is her go-to texture spray for about 70% of her curly clients: it gives volume, body, and definition similar to a salt spray but without actual salt or sulfates, so it does not dry out the hair or strip color the way traditional salt sprays can.
How does Jakay approach the consultation for a curly haircut?

Jakay's consultations are a collaborative symposium rather than a one-sided briefing. She asks clients to bring multiple reference photos — not just the look they want, but anything they have ever been drawn to — because the photos tell her what a client is attracted to aesthetically, which can be more revealing than the words they use. She will also pull up her own past work to create shared visual confirmation, since hairdresser and client words for the same thing often mean very different visual outcomes. Consultations can run 20 minutes or more, and she books 90 minutes to two hours total per appointment to avoid rushing.
What is Jakay's position on face-shape rules in haircutting?

Jakay is passionately opposed to using face-shape rules to tell clients what they cannot have. She believes the beauty school standard that every haircut should make the face appear more oval is rooted in shame, and that telling a client their forehead is too big, their jaw is too wide, or their face is too round for a particular style causes lasting harm. Her position is that every person has beautiful cheekbones, a beautiful jawline, and eyes worth celebrating — and that if a stylist cannot envision a version of what the client wants that celebrates their actual face, the right move is to refer them to someone else rather than shame them out of the idea.