Hi y’all—today I’m taking you step-by-step through how I cut and style my naturally curly hair when I need it to be straight, smooth, and curled at the ends for an event. I start on freshly shampooed hair and re-wet it with just water so it’ll lay down. Then I use a little foaming lotion, a little clear gel (I stick to what works), and a bit of oil to keep everything smooth while I brush it down. My curls are extremely tight, so getting the crown and sides to lay flat is the whole goal before I ever think about heat styling. I also show a few different ways to tie your hair down while it dries: neck strips, my favorite wrap papers from the beauty supply, and a scarf/do-rag option if you need the top flatter. I sit under the dryer just long enough to get it about halfway dry with the wrap on, then I let it finish drying so it stays flat. After that, I trim my own hair (I’m barely trimming because I’m growing my color out), line it up, and curl it with a small iron for a loose curl—because I don’t like parts or gaps in my hair. To finish, I use a little holding spray, comb it down once it’s dry, and at night I wrap it in a circle with a scarf to keep my sides flat.