Curls, Curls, Curls! And How Best To Perfect Them

Whether it’s sun-kissed natural waves, bed head curls or the glamorous girl curl you’re after, the art of curling your hair doesn’t have to be something you long to learn. If you’ve found yourself down a rabbit hole of YouTube hair tutorials on how to perfect your ringlets, it’s time to learn the right information once and for all.

But the world of creating curls is enormous, from big volume curls and subtle waves to spiral curls, beach-look curls and so much more – you first need to know exactly what look you’re after.

The Curly Girl Method

One of the most researched tried and tested forms of curling is The Curly Girl Method. What is the Curly Girl Method? First and foremost, it’s a method that takes time, practice and a lot of patience. This method works best for those with naturally frizzy and slightly curly hair and will most likely not work with naturally flat, straight hair.

First things first, it’s important to determine your curl type in order to understand how best to go about this method. Use the image below to choose which best indicates your hair type.

Straight to slightly wavy – 1 to 2B
Wavy – 2C to 3A
Curly – 3B to 4A
Curly to coily – 4A to 4C

Why is this important? Well, the Curly Girl Method works best on the 2C to 4A hair types.

So how does it work?

Although many recipes may differ and what products work on one set of hair may not work for the other – The Curly Girl Method is really all about embracing your natural waves, and getting rid of products that don’t enhance your curls ( drying or harsh chemicals) and adding in products that hydrate and embrace your curls (moisturizers, proteins and soft cleansers).

Step 1: Reset Shampoo

Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to remove the excess silicone and wax buildup from your hair and scalp.

Step 2: Wash

Wash your hair thoroughly with a sulfate-free shampoo for a generous amount of time.

Step 3: Condition

Run the conditioner through your hair and detangle with a wide-tooth comb, rinsing out most of it.

Step 4: Scrunch

Place a large amount of gel into your palm and scrunch it into your sopping wet hair from roots to tips.

Step 5: Squeeze

Squeeze and scrunch the excess water from your hair with a t-shirt and then dry with a diffuser or simply air dry. Once your hair is dry, continue to scrunch to remove the dried gel feel.

Step 6: Repeat

Repeat steps 2 to 4 every time unless you use a product with silicone or wax, then repeat from step 1.

Best products for the curly girl method:

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Prep The Mop

According to a recent article by GoodHousekeeping, GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist, Sabina Wizemann explains that it is important to brush through the hair properly and to ensure that it is completely detangled before using hair tools. After you have brushed your hair out, make sure that you apply a heat protectant to the hair to ensure minimal damage.

An important point to remember is that you should avoid curling your hair with heat tools if it is still damp. Make sure that you blow-dry your hair before you use any curling tools to avoid your hair from burning and then breaking off. Lastly, if your hair refuses to curl, apply some hair curling spray to your hair before you start the curling process. That way your hair will lock in the curls and ensure that it lasts long and looks fabulous.

Best tools for prepping your hair:

Veaudry Paddle Brush
Innova Setting Thermal Protector Spray
Milkshake Amazing Anti-humidity Protective Styling Spray: For all your beachy waves

The Best Curling Tools Of The Trade

Curls can be achieved using a variety of tools, depending on what works best for your hair and your lifestyle.

In our opinion, the curling wand tends to be the easiest option if you are looking for a quick and straightforward method. We would recommend the Veaudry MyCurl wand. This is an excellent device that allows for quick styling, resulting in less heat damage to the hair, all whilst locking in the hair’s natural shine. The curling wand can provide both tighter curls as well as the natural beach wave look, depending on how tightly you wrap the hair around the barrel.

If you struggle to keep the hair in place around the barrel, then the curling tong is the go-to. This hair tool is a must-have should you want a similar look to that achieved by the curling wand. The only difference between the wand and the tong is the metal hair grip which keeps the hair in place as the hair is twisted around the barrel. The only issue with the tong is that should you not be careful, you might end up breaking your hair off if you are in a rush due to the clamp of the tongs.

Lastly, if you are feeling more comfortable and adventurous in achieving the curls you want, then opt for a flat iron. Any of our flat iron products would work well. The trick with the flat iron is to ensure that you wrap the hair around the plates correctly and that you hold it at the correct angle. In a recent Glamour article, senior stylist at LA’s Spoke & Weal, Javan Stone explains that “If the iron is too big for your hair length, it’s just going to be a pain to use.” Regardless of the tool, the bigger the barrel, the looser the curls.

Curling tools we love:

Silver Bullet Traditional Ceramic and Tourmaline Curling Tongs in various sizes
Silver Bullet Revolution Automatic Rotating Barrel (tongs)
Veaudry Mystyler Flat Iron

It’s All in The Angle

Whether you are using a tong, wand or iron, the angle needs to be determined before you begin. Ideally, you want to hold the tool at a slight angle as you twirl the hair to ensure a more natural curl.

For more volume…

Hold the tool horizontally to the hair.

For less volume…

Hold the tool vertically to the hair.

Stone further notes that “If you want more volume, heat the root of your hair first and hold the iron perpendicular to the section— at a right angle—you’re curling”. Also, ensure that you twirl the hair around the tool towards you and ensure that this direction remains consistent throughout your styling.

Perfect your angle with these great styling tools:

GO FROM VA TO VA VA VOOM!

Whether you are using hair tongs for glam waves or a hair wand for loose beachy waves, different looks are achieved by using different methods. For the glam curl, you want to ensure that you wrap full strands of hair around the entire barrel. However, if it’s the looser, more beach-inspired waves, leave the ends out and start lower down your head, away from the roots.

For more haircare tips and tricks or to purchase top-class haircare products, click here.