To celebrate my birthday last month, I decided I wanted big, fluffy disco curls because of course. And so my hairstylist Kat Zemtsova proceeded to use a 1/2-inch barrel curling iron on my entire head until it was a cloud of picture-perfect ringlets. But in the spirit of making my mane even bigger, and loosening things up a little, she started using a technique she calls "umbrella-ing" to fluff out the curls.
As a curly girl, I was mesmerized...
The Umbrella Tease
"Whether your curls are natural or you've created them with an iron, you can add volume by taking a strand at a time, holding it by the ends, pulling the rest of the hair up, then down like you're opening/closing an umbrella," explains Zemtsova. "It's another form of teasing, but instead of just being at the roots, it expands the hair without completely disrupting the curl for fluffier texture."
Product-wise, it's all about a lightweight dry texture spray that won't weight hair down, like Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Perfect Texture Finishing Spray ($28). "You can spray as you go—mist on a little bit before and after you umbrella for some grit and texture—or turn your hair upside down, spray it all over, flip it back up, umbrella, and finish with a dry oil mist, like Alterna's Bamboo Smooth Kendi Dry Oil Micromist ($25)."
The Finished Look
The humidity-happy days of summer are basically upon us, so instead of trying to cloak the extra oomph in your texture, take it a step further by umbrellaing your curls like it's the '70s and you've got a date with the dance floor.
You might just give RiRi a run for her money. Just make sure you give it back.
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