Nothing is more annoying than spending hours curling your hair only to end up with a hot (no pun) mess on your head. Alright, maybe there are worse things in life, but when it comes to the topic of curling hair, I guarantee you nothing beats hours wasted in curling hair. You will often notice women in fashion magazines and movies having those beautiful, bouncy curls that you so badly crave but you are having a hard time obtaining.
Is there a difference in curling between you and them?
Can you get those well-defined curls without having to spend a lifetime on the mirror? Before you throw out your curling iron in frustration, I would like to tell you that you can also get those well-defined, bouncy and long lasting curls from your curling iron. How? You ask. Well apart from the obvious care taken to avoid burning yourself there are literally thousands of tips on how to properly use your curling iron so as to attain desired effect.
While I’d love to spend time telling you about all these tips, we both know you will probably zone out halfway. Besides, most of the tips you already know, so I have come up with those tiny, easy to miss and curtail tips that are your ticket to rocking your hair in style.
Enjoy!
Heat Protection
At this point I should not even be mentioning this to you. It has been said over and over again I could bet good money there is a song about this. Before using your curling iron, make sure you use heat protectant spray or serum. Why? I should be annoyed that you don’t know this by now but for the sake of newbies… Heat protection prevents your hair from being damaged by the heat from curling iron. While this may not seem as tip, ask yourself, how will you attain beautiful curls if you don’t have healthy hair to curl? It goes without saying, for that style that you desire, healthy hair is a must. Moreover, heat protection prevents frizz as a result of dry hair, which is a bonus effect. Imagine curls with frizz all over… Yikes!
The Right Tool For The Job
There is a wide variety of curling styles waiting for you to explore! This therefore means that different styles will result from different barrels. The barrel (the plates you use to curl) comes in different shapes and sizes. Large barrels result in big wavy curls while small one lead to smaller curls. Depending on your style preferences and hair, you can select the right barrel for the job. It is observed that short hair looks better with small curls while long hair with large wavy curls.
The Right Amount of Hair
You have parted your hair, applied heat protection and now you are down to curling. Halfway through the job, your curls have disappeared and you are back to zero. What did you do wrong? Well, don’t feel ashamed, most people fall into this category. The disappearing act by curls is due to selecting huge amounts of hair to curl at a time. This prevents even distribution of heat as well as curls from lasting. To fix this, curl smaller but not equal sections of your hair so as to get a natural look.
Direction of Curling
While there is no fixed direction of curling hair, the rule of thumb for hair curling is that you should curl away from your face. This agrees with almost all face shapes and prevents obvious burning hazards to the face. However, if you are not for curling away from the face, at least ensure you curl in the same direction. Nobody wants hair that’s pointing in all directions like a dysfunctional compass.
Correct Curling Time
If you curl for too long you fry it, curling for a short time results in disappearing curls. What to do? If you have set the correct heat according to your hair type, the curling time should come pretty easy. You can give your hair about 30 seconds for curls to set in while observe your hair. After the first few curls you will have gotten the hang of it.
Cooling Hair After Curling
Releasing the hair as soon as you are done curling will cause the curls to drop and be less defined. If you are looking to get well defined tight curls, it is advisable to hold the curled hair in your palm for a few seconds before gently releasing it.
Hands And Combs Off!
As tempting as it may be to touch your curls, avoid immediately touching your hair until the curls have set. This will prevent your curls from being lost allowing them to last longer. Also avoid combing using a comb. To keep your curls, comb through using your fingers and if you must use a comb, use a wide toothed one.
Steer Clear From Build Up
While this may seem obvious, you will be shocked at how many people curl hair that is not clean. This is a big no no in the curling world. Why? Because build up prevents hair from getting defined curls due to uneven distribution of heat. Also, other than contributing to the burnt hair smell, build up can result in hair breakage where heat is involved. To fix this, ensure you shampoo your hair prior to curling and avoid applying too many products.
Recommendations/Tips
- Hold hairsprays are a good ways to ensure that your curls stay intact and defined.
- Setting temperature according to the texture of your hair is vital. Low settings for fine, soft hair while higher settings for coarse hair.
- Curling should not be done on a daily basis to avoid heat damaged hair. Opt for other hair styles such as buns and ponytails when curls are lost.
- Proper deep conditioning is recommended for curl lovers for extra protection.
- Twist your hair instead of the curling iron.
Conclusion
Proper hair manipulation and good use of curling iron can make a big difference in the appearance of your curls. By following these few tips on how to curl your hair, you can save yourself the headache of bad hair days.