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Afro Curls

Afro curls give you a defined, uniform curl pattern that holds its shape for weeks rather than collapsing after one wash. The service works either way: bringing definition and consistency to naturally coily hair, or building a curl pattern into hair that grew straight. PIED-DE-POULE stylists at South Kensington and Oxford Circus assess your curl pattern and porosity before anything is applied, then match the rod size and product to what your hair will actually hold.

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Definition That Holds

Curls stay separated, not frizzed together

Real Volume

Height and fullness without backcombing

Less Daily Work

Refresh with water, skip the two-hour routine

Consistent Pattern

Even shape from crown to ends

What are afro curls?

The term covers a set of curl patterns rather than one look — from tight coils that spring back on themselves to wide spirals that fall in defined columns. The work is about pattern definition: getting every section to form the same curl at the same scale, so the head reads as one shape instead of a mix of loose, tight and flat areas.

Two different starting points, two different services:

Naturally coily hair already carries the pattern but loses it to dryness, product build-up or heat damage. The job is restoring what’s there.
Hair that grew straight has no pattern to define. It has to be created chemically, which is a longer appointment on a different timeline.

Different Types of Afro Curls

Curl pattern is graded 3A through 4C, and almost nobody carries one type across the whole head:

3A to 3C — loose spirals through tight corkscrews, visible loop, shrinkage around 30 to 50%
4A to 4C — small coils through dense zigzags, little to no visible loop, shrinkage up to 75%

That grading decides rod size, product weight and how much moisture the hair needs before it holds anything. Porosity matters as much as pattern: high-porosity hair takes product fast and loses moisture just as fast, which is why definition drops within days on hair that’s been through hair colouring or heat damage.

Afro Curls Hairstyles and Setting Methods

Tight coil definition

Suits 4B and 4C hair. Works through sectioning, moisture and manipulation rather than heat — twist-outs, braid-outs, coil-outs, finger coiling.

Afro spiral curls

Rods or flexi-rods build wider, longer curls that hang rather than shrink. The usual request from clients who want length to show.

Elongated and stretched styling

Blow-dry stretching, banding and threading reduce shrinkage without straightening, gaining several inches of visible length with the pattern intact.

Chemical curl formation

For straight or relaxed hair. Bonds are reformed around a rod, following the same principles as any hair perm, with rod size setting the scale of the finished curl. Starts with a strand test.

Who This Suits

Coily hair that’s gone flat or undefined after months of protective styling
Curl patterns disrupted by heat damage in the mid-lengths
Clients wanting length to show without straightening
Straight or relaxed hair with no curl to work with
Anyone spending over an hour a day on definition at home

Session Length

Definition work on natural texture — 1.5 to 2 hours, covering cleanse, condition, sectioning and set
Rod sets on longer or denser hair — 2.5 to 3 hours
Chemical curl formation on straight hair — 3 to 4 hours, including strand test and finish

A hair treatment is usually worked into the same appointment on porous or previously lightened hair, since a coated or dehydrated strand won’t hold a clean pattern. Clients who want the curl to sit against a specific shape book a haircut in the same visit — curly hair is cut dry and to pattern rather than to length.

Results and Timeframe

A set holds definition for two to three weeks with satin protection at night
Chemically formed curls hold four to six months, roots giving way before the ends
Heat-damaged sections that have lost the ability to curl need cutting out over two or three visits rather than treating

Finishing options are covered in hair styling for anyone who wants the set shaped into something specific on the day.

How to do afro curls at PIED-DE-POULE

Consultation

Your stylist identifies your curl types across the head, tests porosity by how fast a strand takes water, and checks for heat damage. This determines rod size, product weight and whether the hair needs restoring before it will hold a set.

Cleanse and Deep Condition

Build-up is removed with a clarifying wash, then a deep conditioner is worked through in sections under heat. Coily hair will not form a clean pattern on a dry, coated strand, so this step decides the quality of everything after it.

Sectioning and Detangling

Hair is divided into working sections and detangled wet, from ends upward. Each section is kept saturated so the curl pattern stays visible and the hair doesn't snap at the tightest bends.

Curl Formation

Each section is set — rodded, twisted, coiled or wrapped — at the tension needed for the curl scale agreed at consultation. Direction and size are kept consistent so the finished head sits as one pattern.

Drying and Setting

Hair dries fully under a hood or diffuser before anything is unravelled. Unsetting damp hair is the most common cause of frizz, so the curl is left until it's completely set.

Separation and Finish

Sets are taken down with oiled fingers and separated at the root for volume, then shaped. You'll leave with the specific night routine and refresh method for your pattern, since definition is kept or lost overnight.

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Treatment Benefits

Moisture Retention
Deep conditioning fills the raised cuticle on coily hair, so strands hold water long enough for the curl to form and stay springy rather than brittle.
Curl Elongation
Setting the hair under tension on rods pulls the coil open before it sets, reducing shrinkage and showing several inches of length that were previously hidden.
Reduced Breakage
Defined curls sit separately instead of tangling into each other, which cuts the mechanical damage that daily detangling causes at the mid-lengths.
Pattern Uniformity
Sectioning the head evenly and setting each piece at the same tension brings looser and tighter areas into one scale, so the shape reads as intentional.

FAQ

How do you get afro curls?

On naturally coily hair, definition comes from cleansing, deep conditioning and setting the hair in sections while wet, then drying fully before taking it down. On straight hair, the pattern has to be created chemically, which is a longer appointment and starts with a strand test.
What is a curly afro called?

Depends on how it’s achieved — a wash-and-go on natural texture, a twist-out or braid-out where the pattern is set in sections, or a rod set where curls are formed on rollers. The look is the same family; the method changes how long it holds.
What's the difference between kinky curly and afro curly?

Kinky (type 4) hair forms tight zigzags with no visible curl loop and shrinks up to 75% of its length. Afro curly (type 3) forms defined loops and spirals with less shrinkage, and holds a set with lighter product.
What are the afro hair curl types?

Type 3A through 3C runs from loose spirals to tight corkscrews, and 4A through 4C runs from small coils to dense zigzag patterns. Almost nobody has one type across the whole head, which is why a set has to account for two or three at once.
How do you do afro curls on straight hair?

Straight hair has no curl pattern to define, so it needs a chemical service that reforms the bonds inside each strand around a rod. Heat tools give a version of the look for a day, but it drops with humidity and the first wash.
How long do afro curls last?

A set on natural texture holds two to three weeks with a satin bonnet or pillowcase at night. Chemically formed curls hold four to six months before the roots need redoing.
Can you do this on colour-treated hair?

Yes, though bleached or highlighted hair holds moisture poorly and drops definition faster, so a strengthening treatment usually goes into the same visit. For chemical curl formation on lightened hair, the strand test decides whether it goes ahead at all.

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