Christo: Curlisto Creator Explains New Technique

by Evelyn Ngugi on Monday, April 26th, 2010

Christo

Christo, curly hair expert and stylist to the stars, unveiled his curly-haired technique “Diametrix” this March at the International Beauty Show in New York.

“It was a great success because even the most inexperienced stylist said it was easy for them to understand the technique,” said the owner of Christo Fifth Avenue salon in New York.

The technique is very visual and hands on, but Christo—who also offers a line of products called Curlisto—assures stylists that it is designed to give guidance on how they can go about cutting curls, kinks, coils, and waves.

“People with no experience when they see someone with curly hair they will run out, and a lot of people have a lot of bad experience from hair stylist that didn’t know what to do with curly hair.”

Diametrix uses certain maneuvers and types of cuts that take thickness, length, texture and curl of the hair into account. (he mentioned cross sections, cross wise, and center of the crown – I have no idea what that is, and he said it’s best not to go into detail…so should I still leave that in?)

The Diametrix technique is highly personalized and shouldn’t be applied to a weave or hair extensions, Christo said. Even customers with seemingly “similar” hair texture or curl pattern shouldn’t have the exact treatment because “you’ll end up with a disaster,” he said.

Christo, suggests stylists edit the style as they go. Yes, Diametrix provides the blueprint, but can be a fantastic tool for a stylist to work with, creating unique styles every time.

Once a month, Christo holds a class at the Curlisto headquarters in New York City. It is $300 to attend if your salon carries Curlisto products. The cost is $1500 if you do not. It’s about a 4-hour class plus a luncheon.

“Everything starts with me teaching and usually I let them take over,” he said. “I’m a very hands-on stylist. I like my classes to be involved. I don’t just drop it on them.”

For stylists who desire a more basic course in curly hairstyling, Christo recommends the “Art of Curly Hair” seminar, which teaches the styles that varying textures of curly hair can create. The class is free and available upon request.

“I want stylists to first understand curly hair—get the fear out of their system,” he said. “I want them to feel comfortable, to say ‘okay this looks cool—that’s how we basically guide the style.”

Christo introduced this technique in hopes that stylists will be better equipped to serve their customers.

“Diametrix is designed simply as an extra tool to encourage stylists to want to make part of their salon a specialty for curly hair.”