10 Common Hair Mistakes, According to a Curly Haired Celeb Stylist

I've been seeing celebrity hairstylist and co-owner of 454 North Salon Cervando Maldonado, ever since I landed in L.A. almost two years ago. I had just begun my career as a beauty editor for Byrdie and had some residual hair damage from cringe-worthy college wear and tear—bleaching, extensions, the like. His cosy West Hollywood salon feels like a secluded oasis (I've been a regular ever since meeting Maldonado!), and it was also there where I first laid eyes on celebrity hairstylist and colourist Jenda Alcorn. Her station was right next to Maldonado's, and she had the most incredible, I repeat, incredible curly hair.

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(Image credit: @JUSTJENDA)

With noteworthy clients like the Fanning sisters and other members of the Hollywood A-list (in addition to her very loyal non-famous clients), Alcorn is one of the best hair experts in the industry, and thanks in part to her own gorgeous strands, she has special expertise in the realm of caring for and styling naturally curly hair

Since curly hair can be challenging to care for (largely because texture and curl pattern are highly individual and can seem to have a mind of their own), I knew I needed to feature Alcorn and all of her best hair tips ASAP. Here, she's sharing 10 of the most common curly hair mistakes and what you should be doing instead to maximise your hair's ultimate curl potential. Keep scrolling.

Mistake #1: Brushing and Detangling Post-Shower

Related: The 21 Most Epic Curly Hairstyles I've Seen Recently

Mistake #2: Combing and Rinsing in the Wrong Direction

Mistake #3: Not Scrunching as You Condition

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This one may seem simple, but it's one of the best ways to help keep your curls intact before you begin the product and drying process after you've shampooed. "Flip your head over and scrunch your hair up to the roots while the water is rinsing the conditioner out," instructs Alcorn. This, combined with the inverted position of your rinse, will help maximise curl.

Mistake #4: Not Using a Hair Towel

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Mistake #5: Waiting Too Long to Apply Products

Mistake #6: Not Using Two Separate Coats of Your Curl Product

Mistake #7: Not Experimenting with Different Curl Formulations

Related: Rosie HW, Meghan Markle and Victoria Beckham Swear by These Hair Products

Mistake #8: Favouring Your Blow Dryer

Mistake #9: Using Hair Oils

Related: The Controversial £10 Product That My Friend With Great Skin Uses for Everything

Mistake #10: Neglecting Your Mask Routine

Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.