Beauty

[JBKO]

Hi everyone. I usually blow dry or air dry my hair. I wanted to get creative so I bought a curling iron. It's 1.5 inches and really does heat up well. However, every time I curl my hair, it well doesn't curl! It's nice and smooth and bouncy but I want a nice curl. Please give me some time because I'm clueless when it comes to hair styling I'm finding out. TIA

[CamilleP]

JBKO, I have super-straight, super-curl-resistant hair as well, it will fall out straight from being curled in half an hour or so if I don't use the right products on it.  The first thing to make sure of, if you are using a heated tool, that you use a heat protectant on the hair first.  I'm a WEN user, so I use WEN styling cream.  I usually wash my hair at night, and put in the styling cream when I get out of the shower, then towel dry and go to bed.  The next morning, I comb out my air-dried straight hair and use a Callista Perfecter to curl it.  I also get good results with Callista hot rollers, but the Perfecter is faster, and my hair is so silky that the rollers fall out too easily if I don't get them clamped in quite right.  I am growing out a pixie cut, and when my hair was very short I used a flat iron, but finally it got too long, so I went to the Perfecter.  Finally, I'll admit my main "keep my curl" product, even though it will make a lot of people mad at me.  I use hair spray.  Yup, plain old-fashioned hair spray.  My hair is just plain militantly straight, a chemical perm straightens out in six weeks, I kid you not!  If I don't use hair spray to hold the style, I will have straight hair in a few hours.  Plus, I live in Oregon, and nine months out of the year the humidity is 90+%, so that will straighten my hair in a flash as well, so out comes the can of hair spray. 

I have a second curl method that takes more time, but works well, too.  If I don't want to use heat styling, I can spray my clean dry hair with WEN texturizing spray enough to get it good and damp, and roll it up on "velcro" rollers, I use the Goody brand I bought at the grocery store.  My hair won't slide out of those like they will foam rollers, and because they are hollow in the center, my hair can air dry in a couple of hours.  The texturizing spray gives my straight hair lots of body and hold, so that the curls don't fall out in minutes like they would if I just rolled my hair wet with water.  Again, if I'm going out in the rain, only hair spray will hold a style against that level of wet, but the texturizing spray is nearly a miracle product.  If I could sleep in those rollers, I'd spray my towel-dried hair and roll it up at night, but I just can't sleep in rollers, so I make do with daytime use if I have the time and don't want to heat style. 

Good luck with your curling iron, I hope I've been helpful!

[JBKO]

Thaaaaank you!!! I need to invest in some more styling products. For now I'll have to steal my sister's hair spray lol.

[Sister Golden Hair]

@JBKO When I want real curl, I use my hot rollers. Works great and stays put.

[Kachina624]

How long is your hair?  Mine is short and if I want curley, I use a curling iron with a 3/4" barrel.  If I used a 1 1/2", I would just get a smooth effect too.

[BabyYoda]

@JBKO the bigger the barrel on a curling iron the bigger and looser the curl on your hair will be. I use a smaller curling iron when I want wavy hair. Trick is not to comb or brush out the curls and to set them with hairspray quickly as you curl your hair. Hope it helps.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

Some styling products can be good, but be careful not to overuse them or they'll backfire on you, coating your hair and weighing it down and that will pull the curl out.  When I want a full bouncy style, I also use the velcro rollers with the metal interior barrel.  As I section my hair, I'll give it a light mist with a styling spray (Calista's) and then put the roller in.  Once my entire head is done, I'll use the blow dryer all over and finish with a burst of cool air.  Then I'll go about other things for awhile (making the bed, doing makeup, getting dressed).  The rollers coming out and finishing the style is the last thing I do.  Rather than brushing through my hair, which can also pull out the curl, I'll use a large pick and my fingers to fluff through it and direct it where I want it.  Then a light shot of hairspray (Calista's).  When I do my hair this way I have more fullness and volume, and the style lasts longer.  If I'm only interested in turning the ends under, I'll either use the blower and a round brush or the Perfecter. 

As an aside, lately I've been using Redken Pillow Proof Blow Drying Primer before blow drying my hair.  This week I had a few days where I just used that and no other styling mousse or anything and was surprised at how nice my hair looked when I used the blow dryer and round brush.  Even though I was just turning the ends under, they seemed to have more bounce than when I use the mousse.  One of these days I'll have to try this method using the velcro rollers.

[KentuckyWoman]

If I use too much styling product, I find my hair will not curl.  My hair is baby fine with natural wave and body.  The more styling products I use, the less curl I have.  I use the one inch Calista Perfecter and get lots of volume and body and if I want curl, I use the three quarter inch barrel.  I simply can't use curling irons that have clamps.  They fry my fine hair.

[cuddlesmama]

I also have stick straight hair and I  have no luck with a curling wand or hot rollers and I do use a heat protectant. The only thing that works for me is a flat iron. I learned how to curl it on youtube and the curl will last for days. And I have very long hair almost touches my waist. If no method works try a hair straightener.

[Shanus]

I think if you like using a curling iron, try using one w/ a smaller barrel...maybe 1". Depending on length of hair, it has to go around the curling iron at least 1 1/2 times.  Be sure you leave it in each section of hair long enough & then use a duckbill clip to hold the curl until cool while you do the rest of your hair. After all your hair is curled, in clips and cool, use a lightweight hairspray before taking out clips.