Antonia Gentry may be the ultimate curly hair guru. Not only does she have enviable leonine curls, she also has the zen spirit of someone who puts her hair through the ringer and comes out the other side with a full understanding of her natural texture. Her journey included bleaching her hair, having it straightened, and even having it all cut off at age 17, before she went to college. “It’s actually quite commonplace,” Gentry laughs. However, the experience was transformative for the actor. Having longer hair, she says, “allowed me to focus more on myself, so by the time my hair started growing back, I was able to really see myself in a new light.”
It’s no surprise by now that the 26-year-old Ginny & Georgia star has been tapped by Aveda for a partnership promoting the brand’s new Be Curly Advanced Hair Care Line. Gentry, who is admittedly lazy when it comes to her hair routine, says the products have cut down on her weekly hair styling time and she loves it (she’s really tried them all). Below, Gentry talks with NYLON about her daily laundry routine, her favorite styling hacks, and her experience with a disastrous wolf cut.
When you were younger, what was your relationship with beauty and specifically hair?
It was more difficult when I was younger. I didn’t really care about my hair until I was in middle school. Then you hit puberty and it starts to change, and now all of a sudden all your girlfriends are wearing makeup and looking a certain way. For me, it was a little complicated because it didn’t exactly fit the standards of the time. Although my hair was actually long, healthy, and beautiful, I never felt beautiful. That’s because having straight hair was different, misunderstood, and not easily accepted. I wanted to hide the hair and let it do things it’s not supposed to do to make it look a little better, but it’s a shame.
But now I think I’ve grown out of that and come to a place where I love my natural hair and feel beautiful and most authentic when I have it. Even if you try other hairstyles, it’s not from a place of hiding, but from a place of expression and experimentation. The difference is that when I was a child, I saw beauty as something unattainable, and now I see beauty as anything you can create. I am so grateful for that journey that I went through.
Do you remember if there was a turning point where you felt ready to embrace that part of yourself?
I don’t know if there was a specific moment, but when I was 17 and heading off to college, my hair was getting too damaged from the daily straightening, so I cut it all off. I think they also bleached it. My mom was so scared because I was doing crazy things to my hair. And at some point I thought, “I have to cut everything out.” So I kept my little curly pixie cut going for a few years, well, a year until it started growing back, and honestly, I felt great. If I could go back, I would. But since I work, my hair needs to be in a certain shape.
When I had a short, curly-haired pixie, I felt so free and wonderful. Starting over from scratch made me realize how much I love my hair and how good it feels when I don’t have to think so much about how it looks. I was able to focus more on myself and by the time my hair started growing back, I was able to see myself in a new light. It’s actually quite a cliché.
How did you learn how to best care for your curls and what works best for you?
Luckily, when I was younger, my mom took care of my hair until I was about 15. That’s what I thought at that time. “No, Mom, I want to be different!” There was a lot of trial and error before I rebooted. I had to check with my mom and ask her what she thought I should do. I had all of these products and was trying everything to see what worked.
One of the reasons I’m so excited about the Aveda Be Curly Advanced Series is that when I tried these products and saw how my hair reacted, I was amazed at what they did to my hair. Because I was able to actually see and feel that they were there. Even now, I feel more confident with my hair than I did a few years ago.
I feel beautiful and most like my true self when I have natural hair. What is your current hair care routine?
Let’s start with laundry day. If your hair needs a complete reset, use Bee Curly Advanced Shampoo. However, if it is just a simple rinse, wash them together. Wear the Bee Curly Advanced Mask for a few minutes in the shower (after shampooing). I love masks. It leaves my hair feeling super buttery, it’s easy to detangle, and it literally only takes about 3 minutes. After rinsing it out, your hair will be super soft and moisturized, making it super easy to style.
I literally only have two styling products now, which is crazy. Because I used to put 10 different things in my hair to do something to it. I use the Curl Perfecting Primer on my hair and then the Curl Enhancer Cream. I have very fine hair and the cream does not weigh my hair down. Keeps hair fluffy and elastic. Then just diffuse and let your hair do its thing.
Then you won’t even need to wash your hair for another 5 days, and the curls will remain intact. I’m super lazy so I love routines that keep hair maintenance to a minimum. I think it’s really hard to find that balance when your hair has texture, but I feel like I’ve finally found it.
What’s your favorite hair tip or trick you’ve learned?
My hair is thin and has a heavy texture, so I don’t like it to be too flat on the top. So when I diffuse, I make sure to pin the roots of my hair with small hair clips to add volume to the roots. If you want your hair to be a little bigger, it will look raised when it dries.
Is there a hair trend you’ve tried that you really regret, or is there a style you’ve always wanted to try?
I actually wanted to try the wolf cut. It’s like a shag for curly hair. And then I actually tried it. It’s kind of an all-in-one answer.
The first month looked great. Then when it started growing, I thought, “This was a big mistake.” After a while, the layers didn’t overlap and my hair looked weird. It was too geometric. It was not possible to maintain it.
What is your best advice for someone who is still honing their curly hair technique?
Be patient and kind. It gets to you and you learn. That’s the beauty of curly hair. you need to learn it. And eventually you will realize how versatile and lovely curly hair is.
