If you have straight or wavy hair and find yourself admiring bouncy ringlets, you might wonder if you can make your hair curly. The good news is that with a few techniques and a bit of patience, you can encourage beautiful waves and curls, even if your hair doesn’t naturally form them. It all comes down to working with your hair’s texture and using the right methods to set the shape.
Working With Your Natural Texture
Before you start, it helps to identify your hair’s natural pattern. Is it pin-straight, or does it have a slight bend? Starting with a loose wave is much easier than creating a curl from completely straight hair. The goal is to enhance what you already have. On freshly washed hair, apply a curl-enhancing mousse or cream to damp hair. Scrunching your hair upwards towards your scalp with your hands helps to create a wave pattern and encourages your hair to clump together, which is the first step to forming curls.
Effective Styling Techniques for Curls
Heat styling is a common way to create curls. Using a curling iron or wand can give you defined, long-lasting curls. For a more natural look, try curling sections of hair in alternating directions and varying the size of the sections. If you prefer to avoid heat, there are many no-heat options. You can try braiding damp hair before bed and letting it dry overnight for soft waves. Another popular method is twisting sections of damp hair and letting them air dry, or using flexible foam rollers to set your style without any damage from hot tools.
Setting and Holding Your Style
Creating the curl is only half the battle; making it last is the other. After styling, gently scrunch a light-hold hairspray or a texturizing spray into your curls. This adds hold without making your hair feel stiff or crunchy. A key tip for all hair types is to avoid brushing your curls once they are set, as this will separate the strands and create frizz. Instead, use your fingers to gently separate and shape the curls. If your curls start to fall, you can refresh them the next day by spritzing with a mixture of water and a little leave-in conditioner, then scrunching them back to life.
Making curly hair is an art that you can perfect with practice. Whether you choose heat tools or embrace no-heat methods, the secret is to be patient and experiment to find which techniques give you the beautiful, bouncy curls you’re looking for.