How to Curl Hair

How to Achieve Perfect Curls Every Time

Curled hairstyles instantly elevate any look with glamour and femininity. Beautiful spirals and waves add gorgeous movement and body. However, creating flawless curls takes the right tools and techniques. This guide covers the best methods for curling hair using various products and hot tools.

Preparing Hair for Curl Success

Preparing hair properly sets the foundation for long-lasting curls that hold their shape. Hair should be clean and free of heavy product buildup before curling. Skip rich creams, pomades, and oils which can weigh strands down.

A few must-have prep products aid curl formation and longevity:

Mousse – Provides light, brushable hold while protecting hair from heat damage.
Volumizing Mist – Adds grit and grip for curlsto set without dropping.
Thermal Protectant – Shields hair from hot tool temperatures up to 450°F.

Apply any of these stylers from roots to ends before curling. Mist in small sections for even distribution, avoiding oversaturating hair. Curls form and hold best when hair has some very light grit rather than being silky smooth.

Consider hair’s natural texture as well. Air-dried waves and curls may require extra hold compared to straight styles. Some curl creams or gels enhance definition on naturally textured tresses.

Sectioning longer hair into manageable pieces also prevents tangled messes while curling. Use hair clips or covered elastics to keep each segment separate.

Using Curling Wands and Irons

Traditional curling irons and wands remain the tried-and-true tools for creating perfect spiral curls and soft waves. Each tool creates a specific type of curl texture and shape:

Cylindrical Curling Wands
These clamped wands have cylindrical barrels ranging in size from 1⁄2″ to 1 1⁄4″. Smaller barrels yield tighter ringlets, while wider cylinders produce looser waves.

Conical/Tapered Wands
Cone-shaped barrels start narrow at the tip and gradually widen. This allows curling different sized ringlets using one wand.

Standard Marcel Curling Irons
Marcel irons contain a clamp that holds hair tightly against the barrel when winding. This enables neatly spiraled uniform curls which wind close to the head.

3-Barrel and Bubble Wands
These sculptured tools create distinctive curl patterns with added volume. A bubble wand forms full, bouncy crests between tight ringlets.

Ceramic and tourmaline barrels provide the most even heat distribution with minimal damage. Lower temperature settings under 350°F grab curls gently without frying hair. Always use a heat protectant first!

Holding both ends of each hair section taut helps wind strands smoothly around the barrel. Form a hook shape before gliding towards scalp. Release curl by unwrapping towards ends.

To create spirals versus waves, leave a bit of length uncurled near ends. Curling from roots to tips produces an all-over pattern.

Varying curl direction makes styles look more natural. Alternate wrapping some pieces away from face, others towards it. Curl random sections root-to-tip or leave some ends out for thickness.

Air-Drying and Overnight Curls

Skipping hot tools provides a gentle, heat-free approach to casual beachy waves. These methods work best on naturally wavy, curly, or coarse hair textures. Fine, straight hair struggles to hold overnight sets.

The most common air-dry techniques include:

Banding or Rag Curling
Dampen hair and divide into sections. Wrap fabric strips or rags around each section’s ends, securing with a covered elastic band. Air dry fully before removing bands.

Braiding or Twisting
Part hair into four or more segments. Tightly braid or twist each section towards the ends. Coil up braids/twists securing ends with a covered elastic or clip. Air dry overnight then unravel waves.

Headband or Half-Up Curling
Pull the top half of hair into a half-up pony or headband situation while damp. Let the remaining lower lengths air dry in their natural curl pattern.

Pin Curl Setting
Wind damp hair sections outward into individual curl pin coils secured with curl clips or bobby pins. Sleep with pin curls intact and release in the morning for heat-free bounce.

Let hair dry fully before releasing curls. Apply a volumizing texture spray or sea salt mist to enhance separation, volume and hold once dried.

Hot Roller Sets

Setting hair in heated velcro or hot roller creates long-lasting curl formation and body without direct heat exposure. The roller shape and direction provides curl memory and structured ringlets.

Begin by applying a thermal protectant and curl-holding mousse or setting spray from roots to ends. The extra grip products prevent curls from dropping.

Next, take vertical sections around the head and roll each piece onto a heated velcro roller or hot roller. Vary roller size – larger rollers yield looser curls while smaller ones produce tighter ringlets.

Wind sections smoothly onto rollers and secure ends with clips until cooled completely. Rolling hair in alternating directions creates lift and volume around the face.

Once rollers have cooled, carefully unwind each section while gently separating curls with fingers. Mist in a flexible hold hair spray to lock in curl definition.

Try placing rollers in a crisscrossed diagonal pattern across the back for added body and lift through interior sections. Leave face framing tendrils out.

Flat Iron Curls and Beach Waves

Add flat irons to your curl toolbox for soft, natural-looking beach waves. How to curl hair?While not the first tool expected for curling, straighteners deliver gorgeous, lived-in texture when used properly.

Coat hair with a thermal protectant, light hold mousse, and optional texturizing spray. Opt for a flat iron around 1″ wide with beveled edges. Narrower irons create tighter pattern curls.

Take vertical 1-2 inch sections and clamp the flat iron midway up the length. Holding taut, slowly turn the iron 180 degrees towards you. Pause when fully rotated to lock in the bend.

Release the twist and continue rotating and clamping down the remaining hair length for loose, mermaid-inspired waves. Alternate rotating motions inward and outward for variation.

For tighter curled ends, don’t twist as far down the length and leave the last several inches straight. Wrap ends around the curved iron clamp’s edge to create spirals.

Finish With Setting Products

High-performance hairstyling products help lock curls into place with long-lasting hold and beautiful movement. Several key curl enhancers include:

Flexible Sculpting Sprays
These brushable, reworkable sprays provide touchable, non-crunchy hold. Layer on curl patterns before separating and scrunching waves into shape.

Texturizing Salt Sprays
Beachy salt sprays infused with mineral and sea salt compounds absorb excess moisture and “grit” up curls. Use to add separated definition and finish .

High-Hold Hair Sprays
For all-day staying power, lock in curled styles with a humidity-resistant high-hold finishing hairspray. These give brushed-out waves extra insurance against frizz and drooping.

Glossing Serums or Oils
Just a dime-sized amount of shine serum or argan oil tames flyaways and smooths ends without disrupting curl structure. Concentrate only on the very bottom lengths.

Heat Protection
Always use a thermal protection cream, spray, or serum before curling with hot tools. Even capping curl preps with a protectant shields from high-heat exposure.

With the right combination of prep, hot tools/air-drying, and setting products, anyone can create salon-quality curls at home. Take time mastering technique and curl memory sets in over time!