If you’ve been on social media recently, you may have heard of “Irish curls”, a hair pattern where the outer canopy layers are straighter than the inner layers. You might wonder: is this a real thing? Does it have anything to do with being Irish? And can it be fixed? (Many of us with it have asked that!)

I was especially curious because this is my hair pattern. I've often been annoyed by the fact my outer layers seemed flat while my inner less visible layers had lovely curls.

In this post, I’ll take a deep dive into Irish curls — what they are, what causes them, how to care for them, and what the science says.

What Are Irish Curls

Irish curls describe a pattern where the outer layer of hair is less curly or wavy than the inner layers. Typically, the top layer forms loose waves, while the bottom layers forms tighter waves or even curls. However there are many variations of this pattern

• Top layer almost straight, inner layer loose waves or curls
• Top layer loose waves, inner layer tighter waves or curls
• Top layer tighter waves, inner layer loose curls
• Top layer loose curls, inner layer tighter curls

I suppose having a coily outer layer and a curly inner layer is possible, but this pattern tends to be the most common in looser curl patterns such as waves and loose curls.

Illustration of Irish curls showing outer layer more wavy and inner layer more curly

There’s also a “reverse Irish curls” pattern, where the inner layers are straighter and the outer layers curl more.

We don’t know how common these patterns are yet, but conversation and content about them are definitely increasing online.

Do You Need to Be Irish to Have Irish Curls?

No. There’s no evidence linking this pattern to Irish ancestry, and no scientific studies focused on Irish hair or this specific variation.

I’m a small percentage Irish myself, but I’ve talked to people with the same pattern from Poland to Indonesia, all with zero Irish ancestry.

What we do share are looser curl patterns: large, easily elongated curls and waves.

Research supports that looser curls show more internal variation:

• Berg et al. (2025) found greater intra-fibre variability in low and medium curl types compared to tightly curled hair^[29].
• Mkentane et al. (2017) found that different hairs from the same person were often classified into multiple curl types^[30].

Looser curl patterns are still poorly understood, but genetics likely plays a role.

I looked at my own 23andMe data and found a mix of gene variants associated with both straight and curly hair — which makes sense given my mix of textures. Like many people, I also have multiple hair colors and strand thicknesses (fine and coarse) on my scalp, adding even more variation.

My 23andme hair genetics results + Irish ancestry

If you prefer not to call this "Irish curls" you can call it mixed textures or something I guess. But as this is not any sort of cultural Irish tradition I don't think you need to worry about using this term if you're not Irish. It's kind of like "French" braids or "German" chocolate cake (no it's not from Germany!).

Are Irish Curls Just Damaged Hair?

This is a big controversy. Some people think the straighter outer layer is due to damage, since that layer gets more exposure to sunlight, wind, and styling.

Microscopic image of my hair showing no damage

That might be true for some, but not everyone. There’s evidence for healthy hair showing this pattern:

• Susan of WavyHairRoutines had a microscopic Strandprint analysis showing no damage.
• I examined my own hair under magnification and also found no signs of damage.

In my case, damage actually made my hair curlier, not straighter — back when I bleached it heavily.

If the outer layer’s straightness came from damage, you’d expect it to be worse at the ends, with visible roughness or discoloration.

If you do have those symptoms, it may help to treat your hair as high porosity and my Abbey Yung Method guide might be useful here. But for many of us, this seems to be simply natural variation, not damage.

Best Products for Irish Curls

For this pattern, weight is everything. Heavy products can pull out your curl pattern and make the canopy even straighter.

Focus on:

• Lightweight products that add hold and texture, for this you might go with using more regular products and fewer "curly" products
• Clarifying shampoos to remove buildup (a big cause of elongation)
• Hard water treatments if your water is mineral-rich, read my guide to hard water for more information and tips on this because this can make a huge difference.

Example routine:

Recommended Products

Redken Volume Injection Shampoo

Redken's volumizing line is a great example of a product line that is appropriate for Irish curls

Amazon

Biolage Volume Boost Conditioner

The Biolage Volume boost line is another great choice for Irish curls

Amazon

Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Volumizing Foam

This foam is a great option for lightweight hold and texture that boosts the outer layer of Irish curls

Amazon

Pantene Miracle Rescue 10 in 1 Multitasking Leave in Conditioner Spray

This is my most-recommended leave-in, as it's BOTH lightweight and effective.

Amazon

To learn how to identify light products at any store, check out my free ebook.

Get our free lightweight products guide! It has tips for finding light products at any store with dozens of example products and routines

Get the ebook →

Can You Get Rid of Irish Curls?

I’m not sure this pattern can be “fixed.” Both I and WavyHairRoutines have tried protein treatments like Curlsmith Bond Curl Serum which helped our outer layers bounce up a bit.

Curlsmith Bond Curl Rehab Salve

A bond-building treatment that can help boost the curl pattern on the outer layer of Irish curls

CGM Approved

Sulfate FreeSilicone Free

Curlsmith (US and UK)Buy on AmazonTry a sample

Analyze with Curlsbot

If your pattern is caused by damage, reducing or repairing that damage might make it more consistent. Otherwise, it’s likely a natural texture difference that can only be managed, not removed.

Styling Tips for Irish Curls

A few techniques make a big difference for me:

• Brush styling: helps create a more uniform curl pattern (I use the Bounce Curl brush).

Bounce Curl Define EdgeLift Brush

I use this to help make my outer layer more consistent

Bounce Curl (CURLSBOT10 for 10% off)Buy on Amazon

• Root clipping: adds lift to counteract flatness.
• Pull-back styles: great for emphasizing the curlier underlayers (see my Pinterest board for some examples).

You can also try weight-reducing techniques:

• Conditioner before shampoo (“reverse washing”)
• Double shampooing
• Brushing through shampoo (see my guide to brushing through shampoo)
• Using a leave-in or gloss ( see my Abbey Yung Method guide for info about glosses) instead of a heavier conditioner

These all help reduce elongation and maintain bounce.

Wavy Hair Routines has great content on Irish curls

Irish Curl Influencers

If you want Irish curls content, follow Susan of WavyHairRoutines on TikTok or Instagram, she’s the go-to.

I’ve also learned a ton from Katherine Page Waves and Swavy Curly Courtney, who share great tips for wavy and loose curl care.

Best Cuts for Irish Curls

One advantage of this pattern: bangs are easier. Because the canopy tends to be straighter, bangs are more manageable and can help reveal the curlier underlayer.

Many people find that shags and layered cuts bring out their waves. From my experience, though, don’t expect your canopy to spring up just because it’s shorter — mine only waves when it’s very short. Mid-length, it’s almost straight; long, it regains a bit of wave at the ends.

Some haircut ideas for Irish curls

I haven’t had much luck with traditional “curly cuts,” but others have — especially those using the curl-by-curl method.

Learning to love your Irish curls

Irish curls are real, and for most of us, they’re not damage but natural genetic variation. They can be tricky to style, but with lightweight products, clarifying, and smart sectioning, you can make the pattern work for you.

And at the beginning I said I found this pattern annoying, but writing this helped me learn to appreciate it. It's a unique texture and can be beautiful in its own way.

About the Author

Melissa McEwen is the creator of CurlsBot. She is a software developer with training in science writing and chemistry. Her writing has appeared in publications such as NPR and Quartz.