Finally Learn How to Curl Your Hair With Tips From a Pro Stylist (2024)

  • Beauty
  • Hair

By

Ariel Baker

Finally Learn How to Curl Your Hair With Tips From a Pro Stylist (1)

Every editorial product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission.

Not knowing how to curl your hair is like not knowing how to play spades: extremely embarrassing to say out loud. Still, a growing subset of people on TikTok bravely admit that they aren't that well-versed in working with a traditional clamp curling iron, nor do they know how to curl their hair at all. And we're here to say that you're not alone.

"There are many different ways to curl your hair," Jerome Lordet, hairstylist and owner of his eponymous salon, tells PS. "It all depends on the kind of curls you're going for in terms of tightness, size, and definition, as well as your hair's length, thickness, and natural texture."

Still, there are a few universal basics to understand when it comes to curling your hair. So ahead, Lordet explains everything you need to know from how best to hold a curling iron to how to curl hair with a straightener.

How to Curl Hair Using a Curling Iron

The most important part of any curling tool is not actually the clamp but the barrel size. "For a more undone, natural look, a larger barrel will create a loose curl that works for every day," Lordet says. "Typically, an iron with a 1.25 or 1.5-inch barrel will achieve this look." The Hot Tools Pro Curling Iron ($35) is one of his favorites. Still, swap your barrels if you want tighter spirals or a more flowy look. "For the former, you'll need a smaller, thinner barrel, as well as to work with smaller sections of hair," he says. "For the latter, do the opposite."

Regardless of the barrel size, the direction you curl your hair also matters. No matter what look you're going for, it's always recommended to curl away from your face. This means the clamp is usually positioned at the front of the barrel. "For face-framing curls, you'll usually want to go this direction," Lordet says. This technique is typically a pretty safe one to do because the result usually ends up highlighting your face as the center of attention by adding a bit of volume differentiation, meaning your hair isn't hiding any of your features but enhancing them.

How to Curl Hair With a Straightener

Another complicated feat is trying to master how to curl your hair with a straightener. Even though it looks hard to do, we promise it's not. "With a flat iron, you can place a strand of hair between the plates, flip your wrist to wrap the piece around it once, and pull down," Lordet says. "It's almost like you're curling a ribbon."

Additionally, you can also use a flat iron to create that '90s zig-zag wave pattern by bending the hair towards and away from your face. Think of the movement as flicking your wrist halfway in each direction as you go down the section of hair.
Ideally, having a straightener with curved edges will make this process a lot smoother. The GHD Chronos Flat Iron ($329) is editor-approved and would be perfect for the job. (Read our review of the tool here).

How to Curl Short Hair

If you have short hair, don't worry — you can still get in on the fun. "For shorter hair, you'll need to hold the barrel higher up toward the scalp to get a real, full curl in," Lordet says. "This differs from longer hair, where you can just curl the length." For short–shoulder length styles like lobs, a loose, beachy-wave look will never fail you. "Focus the curl up toward the ears and leave the ends a little piecey," Lordet says.

How to Curl Hair Without Heat

Heatless curlers have become increasingly popular over the past few months, as they allow you to have the curls that you'd like without the risk of heat damage. "They are the most customizable way to create curls of different sizes for different hair types," Lordet says. There's no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the heatless curling method that works for you. Still, our PS editors have tested quite a few — you can read about their favorites here.

How to Get Curls to Last

There are some insider tips that you can implement into your routine to extend the life of your curls. "Using a texturizing or curl spray on the hair before you curl, especially if you have fine, straight hair, will help give them some grip," Lordet says. "Also, spraying each curl individually with a good hairspray will help each of them keep their shape." Some editor-favorite hairsprays include the Kenra Platinum Hot Spray 20 ($25), the Oribe Superfine Strong Hair Spray ($46), and the Eva NYC Shapeshifter Flexible Hairspray ($15).

Eva NYC Shapeshifter Flexible HairsprayFrom$15

If wash day makes your hair go limp, dry shampoo can help you extend the time between washing and add volume. "Over hours and days, curls will fall, so if you want them to keep their full shape, you'll need to touch them up in the mornings," Lordet says. "While all of these products will help them last longer, be conservative with application so hair doesn't get weighed down."

If you plan on doing your hair at home, Lordet recommends being conservative with the temperature. "How hot the iron should be depends on how fine or thin your hair is," he says. "Thinner hair should be at a lower temperature to minimize damage while still getting a curl, and thicker hair will need a higher temperature to get the curl to hold in the first place." While many hot tools will go up to 400+ degrees, that's too hot for almost anyone's hair, so Lordet recommends that your iron stays at a temperature anywhere between 250 – 375 degrees, depending on your hair type. Of course, be sure to also use heat protectant.

At this point, you practically have a certificate in "how to curl hair 101." The most important thing to note here is that practice makes perfect, so don't be afraid to do some trial and error with your tools off or buy a mannequin head to really get your technique down. Once you start seeing those perfect ringlets regularly, trust us — it'll be worth it.

Ariel Baker is the assistant editor for PS Beauty. Her areas of expertise include celebrity news, beauty trends, and product reviews. She has additional bylines with Essence and Forbes Vetted.

Finally Learn How to Curl Your Hair With Tips From a Pro Stylist (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my hair look good curled? ›

Journey to Curls Part 2: Styling
  1. Begin styling your hair when it is dripping wet. Don't towel dry your hair after your shower. ...
  2. Apply your styling product using the “prayer hands” method. ...
  3. Let hair air dry. ...
  4. Use a diffuser. ...
  5. Once dry, gently tousle hair with finger tips. ...
  6. Make small adjustments.
Apr 18, 2022

How do I look like I have natural curls? ›

Using Heat Styling Tools
  1. Wrap sections of hair around a curling iron with a ½ to 1 inch (1.2 to 2.5 cm) barrel. ...
  2. Vary the size of the curls. ...
  3. Leave the ends out for a natural look. ...
  4. Vary the direction of the curls. ...
  5. Apply more curl cream to define and set your curls.

How do you give yourself perfect curls? ›

10 hair tricks on how to get perfectly curly hair
  1. 2) Pat dry, don't attack it. ...
  2. 3) Start styling hair wet. ...
  3. 4) Mousse up. ...
  4. 5) Add heat protection for hair. ...
  5. 6) Dig out your hair diffuser… ...
  6. 7) …or sleep on it. ...
  7. 8) Curl cool, dry hair. ...
  8. 9) Brave a cold blast!

What direction to curl hair? ›

You can curl the hair away from your face, toward it or alternate, depending on your preference. Simply take a vertical section of hair, choose the direction you want to curl, and focus on keeping the hair flat as you wrap it around the iron. Wrap until you get to the ends and hold for about 15 seconds.

How to curl hair permanently? ›

Perms: Perms are a chemical treatment that use heat and chemicals to permanently curl your hair. During a perm, your hair is wrapped around rods and a chemical solution is applied to break down the bonds in the hair, then a neutralizing solution is applied to re-form the bonds in the new curly shape.

Is a curling wand or clamp better? ›

Smoothness: Curls tend to be more structured when done with a curling iron as the clamp can flatten the structure of the hair. More loose curls and waves are made when using a curling wand that has no clamp. Level: Those who are new to curling may generally prefer the curling iron with a clip.

How to not get kinks in hair when curling? ›

The reason we get kinks is you're putting it in, you're bending back onto the hair, and that's what gives you a kink. So when you go to put your hair in. before you clamp down, twist it the way you're going to start curling, and that will help you avoid kinks. All you have to do is make sure that you turn.

How to curl the ends of your hair? ›

  1. If you need curl the ends, you need to the twist the ends of your hair with the hair straightener.
  2. Do the straightening process and when it comes to the end, twist it, wait for 5 seconds and slowly move to the opposite direction of the rolled hair.
  3. You will attain the curls.
Sep 11, 2023

What to spray on hair before curling to hold curls? ›

Texturizing spray is great because it adds volume and can also act similarly to a dry shampoo by neutralizing the oils in your hair. You can still use hairspray before or throughout the curling process, but finishing with a texturizing spray will help hold the curls in place without dragging them down too much.

How can I activate my curls? ›

To invigorate your curls, water is your BFF. 'Use a water spray and spritz the hair. Then, reapply your leave-in conditioner, gels or serums to reactivate the curls,' says Sultan. That said, if you're someone with looser curls, a good salt spray can do a great job of creating texture and revitalising the wave or curl.

Why do hair tips curl? ›

ALL HAIR IS CREATED EQUAL

All hair textures are biologically the same. Where they differ is in the actual shape of the fiber and the follicle. Curly hair is born deep in the scalp from a curved bulb, and takes its winding shape due to irregularly distributed keratin, the building blocks of hair.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Roderick King

Last Updated:

Views: 5247

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Roderick King

Birthday: 1997-10-09

Address: 3782 Madge Knoll, East Dudley, MA 63913

Phone: +2521695290067

Job: Customer Sales Coordinator

Hobby: Gunsmithing, Embroidery, Parkour, Kitesurfing, Rock climbing, Sand art, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Roderick King, I am a cute, splendid, excited, perfect, gentle, funny, vivacious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.