Tips And Tricks To Make Curling Your Hair Easier
Curling your hair seems like a huge challenge if you don’t know what you’re doing, but it’s actually very simple if you know how to do it properly. Follow these super easy pro tips to help you achieve perfect, bouncy curls!
1) Curl Away From Your Face
When you curl your hair, make sure you’re curling each strand away from your face. What we mean is, when you wrap your hair around the barrel of your curling iron make sure you’re wrapping your hair out and around the barrel, not inwards towards your cheek. Curling your hair away from your face will help you achieve more natural-looking curls, and the finished product will look much more put-together. Just make sure you pay attention to which side you’re curling! Remember if you’re curling away from your face on both sides, the hair will be curled in opposite directions on either side.
2) Use Lower Heat
Lots of people think that the higher the heat, the better the curl or the longer the curl will last, but this isn’t actually true. The more heat you apply to your hair, the more damage the heat is doing to your follicle. If your hair is on the thinner side, anything over 200 degrees is a no-no. If your hair is thicker, you can crank it up to about 250 degrees. Any higher and your hair will start to singe, creating dead and frayed ends which nobody wants! Your curls will also set a lot faster if the heat is too high, and your curls could end up falling very quickly. You want to keep your iron on a lower heat setting, and hold each strand in place for about 10-12 seconds. This will allow enough time for your curl to set, but the lower heat will save your hair from any unnecessary heat damage!
3) Section Your Hair
This is where most people go wrong when curling their hair. You don’t want to take random chunks from your head, because the curls will look messy and they might fall in weird positions. When it comes to curling your hair, always make sure to section it into larger pieces before taking smaller sections to curl. The bigger sections allow you to concentrate on specific areas rather than having to tackle your whole head at once, and because your sections will follow natural parts in your hair, the curls will fall into place neatly and correctly. To section your hair, take a fine-toothed comb and follow the parts in your hair to create even sections. Clip back or tie any sections you’re not currently working on to keep them out of the way!
4) Don’t Take Too Much Hair
The right amount of hair is key for the perfect curl. Too much hair and you’ll end up with a wave, or a partial curl. Too little and you could end up looking like Shirley Temple. The ideal amount of hair is about two finger-widths wide. Remember to curl through the entire section of hair, so you’re not left with that small straight piece at the end of your hair that just looks unnatural. Keep turning your barrel and adjusting the clip to make sure you include the entire section in each curl.
5) Brush Through Your Curls
We’ve all heard that rumor that brushing through your curls is a no-go, but that really only applies to natural curls. If you’re curling your hair using an iron, brushing through the end product is actually the way to go. Just make sure you use an actual brush and not your fingers! Brushing through your curls can’t get rid of any unwanted kinks, and fill in any gaps you may have created with your curls. It also smooths out some of the curl, and pulls the curls downward so the finished product doesn’t look as polished. Take your comb or your brush and start at the crown of your head and brush downwards, using even gentle strokes. Don’t pull too hard, or you might end up flattening your curls!
6) Use Hairspray Before And After
Using hairspray before you curl your hair can make a HUGE difference in the look, and the lifespan, of your curls. After you section your hair, lightly spray each section of hair with some extra-hold hairspray. Wait until your hair is slightly tacky, then curl your hair. The tackiness of the hairspray will act as a sort-of glue for the heat of the iron to adhere to. Your curls will last way longer and you’ll have significantly less fly-aways. But just because you used hairspray before curling your hair doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hit it again when you’re all finished. One last spray will tame any unruly hairs, and will make sure that your curls don’t budge!
7) Use The Right Barrel Size
There are lots of factors that go into achieving the perfect curl, and one of the biggest is barrel size. When it comes to curling your hair, size definitely DOES matter. Before you decide which barrel size to purchase, there are a couple things to keep in mind. One, what type of curl are you planning on executing, and two, how thick is your hair? If you want bigger more voluminous curls, you want a larger barrel. Tight banana curls require a smaller barrel. Thicker hair will always require a slightly larger barrel, just so you can fit all your hair onto it! Keeping this in mind, we recommend looking for an iron that has a detachable barrel. Ir’s always better to have multiple options on deck!
8) Start Your Curl Close To Your Root
If you feel like your hair is left looking flat and matted when you’re done curling your hair, its probably because you’re not starting close enough to your root. The closer you are to the root, the more height you’ll achieve. Your curls will look bouncier, and your hair will look much more polished!
9) Let The Curl Cool Down In Your Hand
If your curls just aren’t getting that spiral you’re looking for, try holding each curl in your hand before letting them fall. Cup your hand at the bottom of your curling iron and allow each curl to fall into your palm once you’ve finished curling it. The curls will set in a tighter position instead of getting weighed down when you let it drop all on its own. Letting your curls set in your hand will tighten your curls and give you that ringlet effect you’re after!
