Let’s hear it for the curls.

To those girls who dutifully straighten their strands into submission every single morning, please stop.

“Curly hair is having a comeback because it’s gotten so much easier to style and maintain curls, so women are willing to embrace their natural texture, rather than work against it,” explains Acadèmie Salon hair and makeup artist Mikele Simone, who styled the hair on this shoot with Maya Stepper, model of the moment (and the next).

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Maya wears: Aje top, Pfeiffer trousers, Dinosaur Designs earrings.

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Maya wears: Pfeiffer dress, Dinosaur Designs earrings.

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Maya wears: Pfeiffer top, Alice McCall skirt, Dinosaur Designs earrings, Dinosaur Designs ring.

And it’s not the only thing staging a revival: perms are back, too. Yes, really. But it’s not the perms you (or Elle Woods) remember. “Perming products have evolved to become more nourishing and less damaging to hair,” explains Simone. “Perms have also changed in terms of the end result, giving clients the option of going for the traditional tight curl or a more relaxed wave for those with very straight hair.”

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Maya wears: Dinosaur Designs earrings.

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Maya wears: Aje top, Pfeiffer trousers, Dinosaur Designs earrings.

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Maya wears: Aje top, Pfeiffer trousers, Albus Lumen hat via MyChameleon

Simone says…

Don’t go to bed with wet hair. “It will leave your curls a mess in the morning,” he warns. Instead, use a water-wicking towel, like Aquis Lisse Luxe, post-shower to cut down on drying time without messing your natural curl pattern.

Get a diffuser. “Use it to dry your but only until it’s 80% dry, which will help minimise frizzing,” advises Simone (he loves the one that comes with the Dyson Supersonic).

But don’t fight the frizz too much. “A little bit of frizz can definitely work, so let your hair do its thing and tame it slightly using a hydrating curl product,” suggests Simone. Moroccanoil Curl Re-energizing Spray has argan oil and aloe leaf juice to put a spring back into slept-on spirals.

Moisturize your curls. This will give your coils a little bounce. “Wella System Professional Beautiful Base Curl Definer gives hair the right nutrients and tames frizz, but doesn’t corrupt the natural curl,” he says.

Wear your curls in the evening. For a more polished look, Simone recommends starting with dry hair and using BaByliss Tight Curls Wand to tweak and define your natural curls in the top layer.