How to Curl Your Hair with a Hair Straightener

If your hair is very straight to begin with you can jump right in at step one of this guide. However, if you have curly, wavy, or kinky hair, you will typically want to straighten you hair first, to create a clear canvas, if you will, on which to curl your masterpiece hairdo. See our guide “How to Use a Hair Straightener” to produce straight hair you can sculpt into something creative and uniquely YOU!

To back up even a bit further, it is always a good idea to wash your hair and apply a quality conditioner before beginning. If possible, let your hair air dry. Comb or brush your tresses straight down, so they’ll be easier to divide into sections when it comes time to employ the hair straightening tool. The use of a hair dryer will damage hair and will also create hair frizz caused by static electricity, making it more difficult to curl the hair for the look you want.

Now that your hair is dry, brushed straight and well-conditioned, here are a few steps to achieving gorgeous curls. First, spray on heat protector if your hair is fragile or has been damaged by blow drying or the use of chemicals in bleaching or perms. This is especially important if you are using a tool that does not use ceramic tourmaline heaters, which emit negative ions that help to seal in hair’s natural oils and moisturizers.

Secondly, divide the tresses into sections one to two inches wide, and separate with clips. Grasp the first vertical section with the plates of the styling tool and curl it upwards towards your scalp. Hold it for about 7 seconds, and then release it. With time, you will know how long you need to hold the curl to get it to stay, without holding so long it damages your hair. Your straightener should be horizontal to the ground. If you want a curl, release the hair by sliding out the tool to the side. If you want to turn that curl into a twist, turn the tool vertically and gently pull it downward to release the hair into a loosened curl, or twist.

Thirdly, keep in mind that the more hair you curl, the larger the curls will be. For tight curls, select a smaller amount of hair. Start towards your neck, grasping and curling sections as you move toward the top of your head. When that section has been curled, move laterally around your head, until every section, top to bottom, has been given attention. Use a mirror to check each section, and if touch-ups are needed, now is the time to handle them.

Finally, if you want the curls to stay as tight as possible, add hair spray immediately. For more relaxed curls, gently run your fingers through them to loosen them before hitting them with hair spray.

The perfect hair styles are possible, but remember that perfection takes time to achieve. Keep practicing on basic styles until you have them down pat, them stretch your technique to obtain more elaborate styles that will wow all those you meet, including those you most want to impress!