Stringy curls are a tabloid scandal in long-form—a pattern that has been broken up into thin, moody pieces instead of lush, defined clumps.
As dumb luck would have it, stringiness is often a result of overhandling or a lack of insurance in your routine. If you’re using too much product on hair that isn’t wet enough, the surface layer will crack and separate into a blank and spooky mess. You need a technical shift—a “Flexible Greasepaint” approach that uses water as the primary blender. Stringy curls are like orthochromatic film that has lost its sensitivity; they need the right workday habits to stay together and capture the glow.
Mind the resistance when you style. To assuage the insecurities of stringy strands, apply your products to soaking wet hair. This allows the curls to “clump” together into studio-endorsed sections. Avoid the “gold dust” of too many heavy stylers that weigh the hair down and cause it to separate. Use a “slick lip coat” of gel to lock the clumps in place while they dry. By mastering the art of the “squish” and letting your pattern set without constant manipulation, you can ensure your profile is always Academy Award worthy. Something I think we’re all still kind of into.
—Lauren Maas