Fret not if you have not been gifted with a head full of natural curls. Sporting a curly hair isn’t restricted for the select few. Particularly, not in the present day. If you know to use the curling iron you can easily stylize your hair as per your desire. We will be telling you the secrets of how to fake interesting patterns with your curling iron.
So, how to curl your hair with a curling iron? Before we steep the list of techniques, it is important that you understand what a curling iron is.
These are handy devices that are known to have saved countless women around the world from having a bad hair day. Perfect curls have never been easier to achieve with the use of curling iron. Your boring straight hair can be instantly ramped up to give you a supermodel look in minutes. But, a word of caution to those beginners who use the curling iron for the first time.
This simple piece of equipment can be tricky to master before you start styling your hair like a pro. But, handling it on your hair misinformed can lead to unexpected catastrophe for your hair. Did you know that there are up to 411 types of irons or wands to get that lasting chic look?
So, let’s turn your dull hairstyle into frizz-free springs.
A curling iron isn’t a modern invention by any means. Many civilizations from around the world have been using the iron.
The fact remains that the Assyrian and Babylonian men curled their beards with a different type of curling wand. But these devices never resembled a modern day electrical wand. The modern curling irons never debuted until 1959. Neither the present day men, nor women used the curling wand to decorate the beard, unlike the earlier times. But, it is overwhelming to know that the desire to have curly hair dates a long while ago.
Whether your choice is tightly wound springs or beachy waves, this curling guide will help you manage your curling iron in the way you wanted.
Curling Hair With Curling Iron
Curling Tip 1
All the curling irons are not the same. It is paramount that you choose the product that suits you the best. If you are aiming for a hairstyle that is both trendy and healthy, you will need to know what type of curling iron you will need. Here are some basics of the curling iron.
Size does matter. The barrel size of your curling iron will directly influence the looks of your hairstyle. If you are looking to style your hair into beachy waves, or loose curls, you should buy an iron wand that has a diameter or 2 inches. But, if you like smaller and tighter curls, you will need a .75 to an inch thick iron wand.
Curling Tip 2
The heat settings on your iron wand is critical to achieving that flawless curls. So make sure you buy an curling iron that comes with variable heat setting feature that will allow you to set manually, the temperature before you use them. The temperature at which you curl your hair directly depends on the type of hair.
Remember that famous video on YouTube where a young girl burnt her fragile hair after using the curling iron at high temperatures? If you opt to avoid such a situation, or unless you wanted a partially burned look on your hair you must pay attention to your hair type before choosing the temperature.
If your hair is colour treated, fine, or fragile – set the curling iron to 200 degrees preheated. If you have a high tensile hair that is thick, coarse, and curly – use the curling iron at a temperature between 200-300 degrees.
You must pay careful attention to the area that is heat treated. See how the hair responds to heat and depending on the response, you can vary the temperature of the curling iron. But, under no circumstances must you ever vary the temperature greater than 400 degrees. It will certainly spell disaster to your hair.
Curling Tip 3
You must know the type of material that you will be working with. The curling irons are made using a variety of materials. If you are aware of the benefit of each material, you will be able to judge which material will better suit for curling your hair.
We will be telling you about the material that is considered the safest to the least safe material.
Heard of Tourmaline and ceramic curling wands? These are most preferred by the professionals as they guarantee a damage free curling. The iron made of the ceramic material will spread the heat evenly on the hair. But, the tourmaline will unleash the negative ions that clamp the cuticle and locks the moisture within, helping you control the frizz.
If you are dealing with an iron that is cheaper on the budget, you can choose the Conair–Hydro Silk Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron.
Titanium And Gold Curling Iron
If you are alright compromising the hair for a frizz, you could choose the range of curlers that are good conductors of heat. If you are willing to shell a little extra, then you will be getting Babyliss PRO GT Titanium Gold Spring Curling Iron for $59.95.
Chrome Iron
If you are aiming at a smaller window of expense, look no further than Conair Instant Heat Curling Iron. Priced at $11.99, they are the cheapest curling wands that money can buy. It is a generic product that is available for purchase at the local drug store. Many users who used this product responded rather disappointedly due to the fragile hair getting a snag, and the absence of protection against frizz.
Curling Tip 4
It is important that you prepare the hair prior to the styling process. Once you have completed shopping for the perfect iron curlers, you will need to do some prior preparation before you can start curling like a pro.
Here are some tips instructing you to prepare the hair prior to curling
Prepping Process
If you have an oily natural hair, you must shampoo your hair after washing them thoroughly. Don’t forget to condition your hair with a good hair conditioner. For shampooing your hair you can try the Nexus Diametress Luscious Volumizing Shampoo, it costs just $13.99. For conditioners, you can use the Sublime Volume Luscious Volumizing Conditioner, which costs $13.99.
Then, you must spray the damp hair to the ends starting from the roots to protect it from damage. You can use a thermal heat protectant called as Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Solutions Heat Protection and Shine Spray. This product costs just $5.99.
Then, apply a strong-hold mousse in your hair roots to get that fuller look, or you can choose a softer look by applying the moose till the ends of your hair from the mid-shaft. You can buy the Rene Furterer structuring mousse that sets you back by $13.99.
Finally, it is necessary that you blow dry your hair by turning your head upside down and gently stroking your hair with your hand, till you have completely dried your hair.
Curling Tip 5
Preparing your thick/coarse hair prior to styling. If you do not have oily hair, do not wash it prior to curling. You must shampoo your hair with a dry shampoo. You can use Rene Furtere Naturia Dry Shampoo. Costing just $12, it gives your hair root extra strength and give its appearance a facelift.
After this, you must put on a heat protectant that will guard against any form of damage. You can try the Pantene Pro-V Medium-Thick Hair Solutions Heat Protection & Shine Spray. This product will cost you $5.99.
Finish off the styling with the application of a strong-hold mousse on your entire head. It will help highlight the curls, and avoids the frizzy hair situation. Use L’Oréal Upward Spiral Springing Curls Curl Defining Mousse. It’s a cheap product costing you $4.99.
Curling Tip 6
Want to know how to get that chic-looking bouncy curls or tight curls if that is bothersome to you?
You must first start dividing and clipping your hair in strands and sections that are easily manageable. If you have a thicker hair, you will need more sections to manage it. Starting from the nape of your neck you can hold an inch of each section, and comb through it. Then, pick the end sections and mist them slightly with a lighter hold hair spray.
If you are using a spring barrel iron curler, you must clamp the hair section and slowly bind them around the barrel. If you are using a curling iron without a clamp, you can roll the hair around the barrel from your roots. You must hold the curled position on the iron for 20 minutes and finish by finger combing your hair and misting with hairspray.
If your hair is unable to hold itself in the curled position after releasing them from the iron curlers, you can hold them in place using duck bill clip after rolling them up your fingers. You can place a small tissue between your hair and the clip if you are concerned that the clip may leave the marks around the hairline. The clips must be worn till the temperature has settled, and till the hair is cooler. Only then can you use a finger comb.
Curling tip 7
If you wanted that loose wavy curls you must first section your hair and clip all the dry hair diagonally. It will allow a softer look. Hold 2 inches of hair upright and comb gently in streaks. Raise the end section and mist it slightly with a mild hold hair spray to give it a facelift. Wrap the hair spirally around the iron barrel starting from the roots and allow it to remain for 20 seconds.
Make sure you wrap the ends around the barrel firmly. Then, release the hair section, mist a little using a hairspray, and move to the next patch and repeat the process till the all of the hair section are curled.
If you want softer curls that are wavy, you must brush through your curls with your regular bristle brush. If you are aiming a beachy look, shake your curls with your hands.
Things to avoid when you curl your hair
If you want to make sure, you bear fantastic looking curls, the rule of thumb is not to curl your hair when it is damp.
If it is slightly wet, you must not attempt to curl it using a curling iron. It will certainly burn your precious hair.
Cleaning your curling wand is essential after use
Remember, it is styling product and will have some residue building up forming a coating on the surface of the curling wand. This residue will prevent your hair from a coordinated transfer of heat from the curling iron. You will end up with unimpressive curls.
Cleaning your curling wand is easy, you have to wait to allow it to cool completely, and then gently wipe the surface with a damp cloth. If you have not cleaned it in a while, you may need to invest in an iron cleaner to extract the gunk from its surface.
You could try using a cleaning product that is available at the Walmart priced at $22.50. The product is called the Hana Styling Iron Cleaner. The special formula is known to soften the residue on the curling wand. It makes it easier to remove the gunk and helps to keep the surface clean.
Wrapping up
Curling the hair is one of the trending styling statements in the fashion world. It is done by women and men alike from all ethnicity. But, if you choose to try curling your hair yourself it is recommended that you seek an expert opinion, and it is important that you be well informed about the right techniques to style your hair.
With the right techniques soon you will be sporting the gorgeous looks like your favorite celebrity.
