In the past, for women with naturally curly hair—from loose to classic, tight or kinky—the effects of Florida’s hot, steamy summers with stifling humidity levels and soaring temperatures were unwelcome.

Throughout the centuries, the secret to curly hair obedience has been a wide range of salves, irons and rollers that reshaped every strand, either flattening natural curls or creating artificial ones. Today’s expert stylists such as Mida Ademaj, owner of H&N Salon in Naples, and Melanie Nickels, owner of Raw Hair Organics Salon, also in Naples, these harsh treatments are definitely history and have no place in controlling curls.

Trained and certified in 2007 by Ouidad, known throughout the industry as the “queen of curl”, Ademaj loves cutting curly hair because it is lively and fun. “It has a life and personality of its own. I love making women feel as if their curls are a gift,” quips Ademaj, whose experience has taught her that every curl is unique, with its own distinctive needs. “As a Ouidad-certified stylist, I understand how to cut and style curly hair with the curve and slicing technique at the curvature of the curl pattern. The result is all defined curls that fall gently into each other like puzzle pieces, encouraging curl definition and creating more manageable hair.”

By directing her clients to the right products, Ademaj helps women understand their curl type and how to keep their hair healthy. “Using the Quidad signature rake-and-shake styling method, women leave my salon with beautiful, curly hair that they are delighted with,” she advises. Ademaj is also Vidal Sassoon-trained and organic color certified. Her new salon is also Quidad-certified.

A Master Colorist and Curl/Texture Specialist, Nickels is a curly hair expert who trains stylists via her comprehensive Raw Curls Academy workshops and has formulated her line of Raw Curls natural organic hair products sold in 31 countries. “I have had years of training and cutting experience which benefits other stylists interested in learning how to cut curls. I also conduct expert panels, as well as keep up with the 4,000-plus members of my Facebook page by filming live video tips and posting photos of my cuts,” explains Nickels.

“It’s impossible to avoid humidity, but we curly-headed girls can combat it. Frizz is caused by dehydrated or damaged hair which needs moisture, so it pulls humidity from the air. The trick to control frizz is definitely a combination of a good cut and the right products, which I talk about weekly with my live Facebook group,” advises Nickels.

“Although it isn’t curly-girl friendly, silicone is a widely used ingredient in commercial anti-frizz products. I compare silicone to wax on a car that causes rain to bead and run off. Curly hair needs moisture to penetrate it, or over time, it will dry out,” she says.  

Curly hair has to be properly prepared for a cut and the right tools have to be used. A stylist can’t use a razor or thinning shears; those create even more frizz. The right cut enhances curls without causing additional frizz. The right products eliminate frizz. My entire Raw Curls product line is my number-one seller. I think that and the fact that it has won awards says a lot about how well it works,” says Nickels.

H&M Hair Salon is located in the Heritage Court Plaza, 5020 Tamiami Tr. N. Ste. 102, in Naples. For appointments, call 239-298-2569. For more information, email [email protected].

Raw Hair Organics is located at 2940 Immokalee Rd., Ste. 4, in Naples., For appointments, call 239-597-0939. For more information, visit RawHairOrganics.com.