Everything You Wanted To Know About Curling Your Hair

By Shammi Mondal

If you have naturally straight, sleek hair, there have been times you’ve inwardly wished you had some bounciness and texture to your hair and if you have curly hair, you already know the struggle to maintain the shape of your hair without making it look like a pouffe ball. To ease the distress and make curling your hair an easy achievable endeavour we’ve a detailed guide. These hair curling methods not only help you get the curls of your dreams but also ensure you choose the right method as per your time constraints to get your desired hairstyle.

1. The curly girl method

The curly girl method in a nutshell is a way to amp up your natural wave, curl, or coil pattern while reducing frizz and dryness. This is one of the most hassle and damage-free methods that will help you enhance your natural curls and give it some extra definition. Curling your hair was never easier.

Start with damp hair: Begin by washing your hair with a sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner specifically formulated for curly hair. While your hair is still damp, gently squeeze out excess moisture with a microfiber towel or an old t-shirt. To prevent frizz avoid vigorously rubbing your hair
Apply curl-enhancing product: Pick a curl cream and gently apply it from mid-length to the tip of your damp hair ensuring even distribution.
Scrunch it up: Take a section of hair in your hand and scrunch it upward towards your scalp, starting from the ends and working your way up. Repeat this scrunching motion throughout your hair, section by section. This helps encourage the curls to form and adds volume.
Air dry or use a diffuser: After scrunching your hair, allow your hair to air dry if you have the time. If you're in a hurry, you can use a diffuser attachment on your blow dryer to gently dry your curls while scrunching them upwards. Set the dryer to a low heat or cool setting to prevent heat damage and frizz.
Set the curls: After your hair has dried, to help the curls hold their shape, you can mist your hair with a lightweight hairspray or use a curl-refreshing spray throughout the day.

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2. Roll them up with rollers

If you’re thinking of Cindy Crawford from the sensational cold drink ad film, hair rollers are the way to it. Curling your hair using rollers offers more than just creating beautiful curls. Curling rollers not only give you smooth bouncy ringlets but also supplement your hair with intense volume Additionally, when you're short on time, hot rollers can help smooth and define your hair faster than blow-drying. Here's a step-by-step guide on using hair rollers:

Prep: Start with clean, dry hair. If you’re using a hot roller make sure you apply a heat protectant spray to protect your hair from heat damage.
Section your hair: For ease of working divide your hair into sections. To add more volume go with thinner sections. Use clips or hair ties to keep the sections separate.
Choose your rollers: Select the type of rollers you prefer. Velcro rollers work well for most hair types, while foam or heated rollers may be better suited for coarser hair. Choose the size of the rollers based on the desired curl size—larger rollers will give you loose waves, while smaller ones will create tighter curls.
Roll your hair: Take a 2-inch section of hair, slightly dampen it if necessary, and wrap it around the roller, starting from the ends and rolling up towards the roots. Make sure you roll your hair away from your face. Secure the roller in place by either using clips or the built-in fasteners.
Wait it out: Leave the rollers in your hair for 30 -40 mins the least, but if you’re using hot rollers or are externally adding heat by a blow drier 20 mins should be enough to give you old Hollywood-esque voluminous curls.
Remove the rollers: Once you feel your hair has completely dried, carefully remove the rollers, starting from the bottom and working your way up. Avoid tugging or pulling on the hair to prevent frizz.
Style and set: Use your fingers or a wide-toothed comb to gently separate and shape the curls. Finish with a light-hold hairspray to set the curls and add extra hold.

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3. The fail proof hair curling method

Let’s give attention to the most popular and reliable hair curling technique, enter the curling tong. Curling tongs are cylindrical tools that come in various sizes and shapes. These styling tools combine heat and the barrel design to create curls in the hair, you can pick a thicker curling iron if you’re looking to achieve bigger more voluminous waves or curls and a thinner tong for tighter ringlets.

We know curling your hair with a hot tool for the first time can be intimidating, which is why we recommend you practise the steps without turning on the power to your hair curler.

Prep: Make sure you prep your hair with a heat protectant as it not only helps in cutting down heat damage but also smoothens your hair. Adjust the heat setting of your curling iron to the optimal temperature, which is 1800 C as it avoids damage and still gets the perfect shape.
Section your hair: Part your hair from the centre and then divide it into manageable sections. Start with a 1-inch section of hair near the roots for optimal control.
Clamp and wrap: Take the section of hair and position the clamp of the curling iron near the roots. Close the clamp gently to secure the hair. Then, start rotating the tong away from your face. Be careful not to overlap the hair or wrap it too tightly.
Hold and release: Hold the hair wrapped around the curling iron for about 10 seconds to give it enough heat and allow it to shape the curls. Release the clamp gently and slide the curling tong out of the curled section.
Let the curl cool and set: Allow the curled section to cool down before getting jumpy or touchy. This helps the curl to set and maintain its shape for longer-lasting results.
Repeat for remaining sections: Repeat the same process on the remaining sections of your hair, working your way through until all sections are curled.
Set: Once you’ve curled all your hair, you can either gently brush it out to get loose voluminous waves or simply apply a hair serum to give a glass-like shine to your curls.

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4. Curl hair by braiding

If you're longing for those effortlessly tousled beachy waves, hair braiding can be a simple and effective technique to achieve the look without using heat-styling tools. Here's a step-by-step guide to getting beachy waves through hair braiding:

Start with damp hair: Begin with freshly washed and conditioned hair. You can either towel-dry your hair or mist it lightly with water to achieve the right dampness.
Section your hair: Divide your hair into several sections for easier braiding. The number of sections will depend on the thickness of your hair and the size of the waves you desire.
Braid your hair: This would be your grand mum's favourite step. Take a section of hair and begin braiding it loosely, but if you want to achieve a more defined shape braid it loosely.
Secure the ends: Once you reach the end of the braid, secure it with a small elastic or hair tie to keep it in place.
Wait it out: You can either sleep with your braids to wake up to effortless beach hair or leave the braids in your hair until it's completely dry. Ideally, 2-3 hours should be enough to give you the desired shape.
Unravel the braids: Once your hair is fully dry, carefully unravel the braids by gently pulling them apart. Avoid using a brush or comb, as this can cause frizz. Rather, use your fingers to separate your hair sections and tousel the waves.
Set the style: For added hold and texture, you can spritz a salt spray or texturizing spray throughout your hair and scrunch it gently with your hands.

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Hair Curling 101

Q. How to naturally curl my hair?

A. If you’re looking for a heatless option to curl your hair, try out the braiding or the scrunching method to add texture and enhance the shape of your hair.

Q. What is used for curling hair?

A. Several tools will help you create bouncy curls, A hair curling tong or curling iron is one of the most used tools that helps you achieve different types of curls in a short time.

Q. Hair curling trick to make your curls look natural?

A. The trick to make your curls look effortless is to alternate the direction of your curls. Curl one section towards your face and curl the neighbouring hair section away from your face, this gives your hair a natural but elevated look.