The type of curly cutting practiced at The Curl Alchemist is dry curly cutting, which involves individually cutting the curl families in small sections with scissors—without using combs but rather hands to control the curl and an eye for detail, balance and flow. This curly cut alone can take up to 90 minutes dependent on curly hair density and curl families. This method also shapes the curls, avoiding ledges or triangles in the final look.

It doesn’t make sense to treat curly hair the same as straight hair and cut it the same way. There are several reasons for this:

Using a comb on curly hair, especially when wet, disrupts the curl pattern (this is equally true for dry cuts), and it’s difficult to control the tension of each curl.

Applying the same tension on wet curly hair as you would on straight hair will naturally cause uneven results.

Curly hair often has multiple curl patterns, so if you comb the hair in large sections and pull it straight, you’re not cutting each curl family correctly.

Treating all the hair the same by combing and cutting it flat will create triangles, ledges, and weight lines. This makes the hair difficult to style, and it becomes challenging to use the right products. When this happens, you might feel like the product is wrong for your hair type. On straight hair, these methods can work, but on curly hair, they result in uneven cuts, holes, or what we call "shelves" or "triangles."

Curly hair is naturally diverse, with different curl patterns that need individual attention. At The Curl Alchemist, we specialize in cutting curls with precision, respecting each curl family's unique needs, and maintaining the natural shape of the curls.

At The Curl Alchemist, we allocate up to 90 minutes for curly cutting. This curly cut is the first step. After that, depending on your selection from our curl menu, you may choose a hydration treatment, a wash and finish, or a maintenance cut that prepares you to go about your day. We offer these options after the curly cut to cater to different budgets and time constraints.

After the curly cut, the hydration treatment and drying process can take an additional 90 minutes. This extra time for hydration and drying is why curly cuts are priced differently from traditional haircuts. On average, a traditional haircut may take 15 to 30 minutes, while a curly cut using newer methods can take up to an hour. The hydration and drying process adds another hour.

This is where it’s important to do your research and ensure you’re getting the service you pay for. For example, you might book an appointment with a curly hairdresser who advertises dry curly cutting, only to find that they use a comb and traditional cutting methods and charge a premium price. Or, worse, you may find that the hairdresser cuts your curly hair wet with a comb.

It doesn’t work to categorize curly hairdressers into one group. Many of them haven’t been trained in new methods or understand the Curly Girl Method. Unfortunately, some curly hairdressers advertise dry curly cuts, but use a comb and traditional cutting techniques, charging you a premium price for it.

While it’s true that they are technically cutting curly hair, the method they use may not justify the higher cost.