Defined curls: the curly method that starts with a dry cut
A Mi Momento guide
Guide No. 12
Every curl on your head curls in its own way: some tighter, some looser, and not always the same at the nape as at the front. That is why, at the salon, curly hair is cut dry, deeply hydrated, defined curl by curl, and we teach you how to repeat it at home. This is the curly method.
In short
How do you get defined curls?
Defined curls come down to three things: a dry cut, which respects the real shape of each curl; good hydration, because a hydrated curl defines better; and a product chosen for your hair's porosity, applied curl by curl. It is our curly method, and in the session we teach you how to repeat it at home.
What the curly method is and how it differs from a standard cut
The curly method is a way of working wavy, curly and afro hair that starts from one idea: every curl is different, so each one is cut, hydrated and defined individually. A wet cut is a cut designed for straight hair; in the curly method the cut is done dry, and every step of the session is explained so that at home you can keep your curls as defined as when you left the salon.
Before cutting, we look at your curl pattern. On most heads some areas curl more than others, and curly hair can have a different texture at the front and at the nape, which is often straighter. The standard women's cut at our salon does not include the curly technique: if your hair is curly, the service for you is the curly method, 90 min and from 120 €.
It is for you if you have spent years straightening and want your curl back, if your curl loses its shape two days after washing, or if you want to learn a routine you can repeat at home. It is also for you if you have been avoiding hairdressers for fear they will not understand your hair. Eira, for example, had gone five years without visiting a hairdresser: she shaved her head, curls grew back, and she knew that many salons do not stock products for curly hair. She came back when the salon wrote to tell her we had a curly specialist, Génesis. Génesis told her a fringe would suit her, something Eira had wanted for a long time, but that first she needed to see how her curl came out naturally.
Dry cut or wet cut: why curly hair is cut dry
Every curl on your head curls in its own way: some more, some less. That is why they are worked independently, and for that you have to be able to see them. If we wet the hair, we add weight and it is impossible to see its natural fall. If we cut wet, once the hair is styled some curls end up longer than others.
One client arrived with a cut done wet in the summer: the hair bulky on one side, with little volume on the other, and a layer that did not fit with the next. Curly hair moves in sections and likes to stay together, and when the layering is very marked, after two months the step shows too much. By cutting dry, we saw when each curl sprang up and that the back was straighter than the front.
| What changes | Dry cut | Wet cut |
|---|---|---|
| What the stylist sees | The natural fall of each curl, without the weight of water. | The hair with the weight of water: you cannot see how each curl will fall. |
| When styled | Each curl is cut seeing when and how much it curls. | Some curls end up longer than others. |
| The areas of the head | You see the texture of each area: the nape may be straighter and the front curlier. | It is a cut designed for straight hair. |
The final touches are done wet, once the curl is hydrated and styled naturally.
Ari's first curly cut: before, during and after
Ari, a client of the salon, came to try the curly cut for the first time. She wanted definition and to cut very little, because she likes her length. Her curl rose a lot just after washing, but by the second day it was coming apart. She had had highlights done a couple of months earlier.
i.
Before
Ari on arrival, with dry, undefined hair. This is the starting point: hair like this is cut curl by curl.
ii.
With defined curls
After the cut, the wash and the hydration, each curl is defined separately. The highlights stand out more.
iii.
Ari, at the end
"It's a really lovely curl," said Ari, who also noticed her highlights standing out more. That day quite a lot had to be cut, and the cut will grow out gradually.
Stills from the video of her session, which we published on our Instagram in February 2026. Unretouched.
Which product defines the curl best: porosity decides
In the session we analyse what type of curl you have and how porous your hair is. Porosity is the hair's ability to absorb and hold hydration. Hence the rule: the more porous your curl, the denser the product needs to be, a cream or a gel with body that helps hold that hydration in.
The other question is oil. The client with the wet cut, outside the shower, used conditioner and oil. Oil does not remove frizz, that halo of loose hairs around the curl: it is not made for that, and for porous curly hair it is too liquid and does not seal the pore. What you need is a curl cream.
The result of hydrating well and defining with the right product can be seen in Marta, another client of the salon: she left her curly cut with hydrated, well-defined curly hair and no frizz. Throughout the service we hydrate the curl constantly, because a well-hydrated curl is the key to defining it better.
The products we use are suitable for the curly method: free from harsh sulphates, insoluble silicones and ingredients that dry out or weigh down the curl. We distribute them with a Denman brush, curl by curl.
| Question | Curl cream | Oil |
|---|---|---|
| With frizz | Seals the pore and holds in hydration. | Does not remove it: it is too liquid for porous curly hair and does not seal the pore. |
| According to your porosity | The more porous, the denser: a cream or a gel with body. | Does not replace the cream for defining. |
| When to use it | To define the curl, curl by curl. | As occasional support from the fourth day after the session, if the curl no longer responds. |
Which cream or gel suits you, we decide with you in the session, after looking at your curl and its porosity.
Want to try it on your hair?
The curly method session, step by step
The session lasts 90 min and costs from 120 €. These are the steps:
We talk
You tell us what you want to achieve (more definition, more volume, keeping the length, trying a fringe), how much you want cut and how you look after your hair now.
Dry cut
With dry hair, we look at how each area falls (nape, sides, front) and cut curl by curl. It is the best way to see the natural texture of the curl.
Wash and scalp
We wash with products suitable for the curly method. Depending on the case, we add a scalp oxygenation (a deep cleanse of the root) or an exfoliation with chlorella algae, a very nourishing and purifying ingredient.
Deep hydration
A well-hydrated curl is the one that defines best. We apply the treatment your hair needs, sometimes an intensive mask strand by strand, and, if you wish, the mist: a steam machine that wraps the hair in a fog of water micro-particles so the treatments penetrate further and last longer.
Wet review
At the styling station, the mirrored spot where we style hair, with the curl hydrated and styled naturally, we review the cut: after the hydration, everything falls into place differently.
Curl-by-curl definition
With the Denman brush and the product that matches your porosity, we define each curl separately. While we do it we show you the techniques and the tools that matter, such as a microfibre towel: it is the tutorial for repeating it at home.
Diffuser drying
We dry with a diffuser, the wide attachment of the hairdryer, according to what you are after: more definition, more volume or a balance between the two.
Breaking the cast
As it dries, the product leaves a stiff layer around the curl: that is the cast. Once the hair is completely dry, we break it with gentle techniques so the curl is loose, defined and full of movement.
What if I want volume and not just definition? Laura's case
Some curly hair prefers definition to volume, because the volume ends up coming anyway. Laura, on the other hand, asked for volume and to bring out the full potential of her hair. With the curly method that is possible too: diffuser drying is adapted to what you are after, more definition, more volume or both.
Laura's session followed the same steps: dry cut, a wash with products suitable for the curly method and an intensive treatment with a mist of water micro-particles, with microfibre towels throughout the service. Then she was defined curl by curl and dried with three diffusers, to speed up the drying.
i.
The definition
With wet hair, each curl is defined separately, just as it was cut.
ii.
Before drying
The hair, still wet, before moving on to drying with three diffusers.
iii.
With the cast broken
With the hair dry, the curls are separated and the cast is broken. Laura asked for volume and to bring out the full potential of her hair: this is how it turned out.
Stills from the video of her session, which we published on our Instagram in August 2026. Unretouched.
Defined curls at home: the routine we teach you
A lovely curl only on the day of your appointment is not much use. That is why in the session we teach you how to apply the product, how to dry and which tools matter, so your defined curls last at home. Sandra left her session knowing how to style her curl and which product to use, and summed it up like this: "I've never had it this good in my life." This is what we recommend after the session:
- Wash your hair once or twice a week with a shampoo suitable for the curly method and a good application of product.
- Hydrate at every wash, with conditioner and mask.
- Define with curl cream, not with oil, chosen according to your porosity, and use the tools we teach you, such as the microfibre towel.
- For the first three days after the session, do not add product. In the morning, a little water and scrunch, which is squeezing the hair with your hand towards the root so the curl clumps together.
- From the fourth day, if the curl no longer responds, a little oil or product, or a ponytail to hold on one more day until the wash.
- Get a trim every three months or so, which is what suits curly hair.
Defined curls in Barcelona: we are waiting for you in Gràcia
If you want defined curls and your hair has gone a long time without finding anyone who understands it, we are waiting for you at Mi Momento, our curly hair salon in Gràcia, Barcelona: Carrer de Verdi 49. You can book the curly method online. And if you want to know more about the hydration that sustains definition, read the hair hydration guide.
Key takeaways
- Curly hair is cut dry, curl by curl, because water adds weight and stops you seeing how each curl falls.
- Defined curls depend on hydration: a hydrated curl defines better, which is why we hydrate throughout the session.
- Your curl's porosity decides the product: the more porous, the denser. Oil does not remove frizz; to define, use a curl cream.
- The curly method lasts 90 min and costs from 120 €, and in the session we teach you how to repeat it at home.
- At home: wash once or twice a week, curl cream and not oil, no added product for the first three days and a trim every three months or so.
Frequently asked questions
Oil or cream to define curls?
Curl cream. Oil is too liquid for porous curly hair: it does not seal the pore and does not remove frizz. As occasional support, from the fourth day after the session, if the curl no longer responds, you can use a little oil.
What do I do with my hair in the days after the session?
For the first three days, add no product: in the morning, a little water and scrunch, which is squeezing the hair with your hand towards the root. From the fourth day, if the curl no longer responds, a little oil or product, or a ponytail to get you to the wash.
Can I have a fringe with curly hair?
Yes, it is possible, but first we need to see what type of curl you have in that area and how it comes out naturally. That is why we decide it in the session, after looking at your curl.
What if I want more volume than definition?
It can be done. Some curly hair prefers definition to volume, and others, like Laura's, ask for volume. You tell us what you are after and the diffuser drying is adapted to give you more definition, more volume or a balance between the two.
Can I have the curly method if I have highlights or colour?
Yes. Ari had had highlights done a couple of months earlier and, with the hydration, they came out shiny and more defined. If you are thinking about a balayage on curly hair, we recommend doing the curly method first and letting the hair rest.
Are you going to cut a lot off?
We talk about it at the start: we ask what you want to achieve and how much you want cut. Sometimes more has to be cut than planned to balance the shape: with Ari, who wanted to cut very little, quite a lot had to be cut that day, we explained it beforehand and the cut will grow out gradually.
