All curling irons were not created equal, so if you want to keep your hair healthy (and get the perfect style) while curling your hair, you need to know what to look for in a curling iron.
First, size them up. The barrel size you choose for curling your hair should be based on the look you want to achieve. If you want to create loose curls or beach waves, pick an iron that is one-to-two inches in diameter. If you want smaller, tighter ringlets, go for a .75 to one-inch thick iron, says Moticka.
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Tip 2: Curl Hair With The Right Heat Setting
It's really heating up now. Your hair type should determine how to curl hair, believe it or not, especially when determining your heat setting.
You'll need an iron with variable heat settings in order to control it (so look for that feature at time of purchase). If your hair is fine, fragile or color treated, use a low heat setting -- below 200 degrees -- to avoid burning or damaging your hair. If you have already curly, coarse or thick hair, you can go higher -- between 200-300 degrees, says Moticka. As you curl your hair, notice how it responds to the heat and increase the temperature accordingly. Never go above 400 degrees though, she warns.
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Tip 3: Know Your Curling Irons -- and What They're Made Of
What's the secret to mastering how to curl hair like a pro? Knowing your curling irons. Just like our hair, curling irons come in all shapes and sizes and are made with different materials. Knowing which curling iron is best suited for you could just be your hair-curling saving grace.
Ceramic and tourmaline irons: These are the first choice of professionals because they are the healthiest for your hair. Moticka says ceramic irons disperse heat through your hair more evenly, while tourmaline irons control frizz by releasing negative ions that close the cuticle down and lock in moisture. For a wand that will give you shine and keep you frizz-free, try the T3 Whirl Convertible Styling Wand, $185.
This prep is specifically tailored for the ladies in need of learning how to curl hair that's fine. Once you've found the iron that best suits your needs, the next crucial step to curling your hair like a pro is preparing your hair for the heat it's about to endure.
Ladies with the thicker manes need to prep a little differently before curling hair. Look at your hair: If you hair doesn't appear oily, don't wash it before curling, says Moticka. Just apply a dry shampoo, like Elizabeth and James Nirvana White Dry Shampoo, $28 to your roots to give extra lift and staying power, says Moticka. To give curls extra shine and hydration, apply a lightweight hair serum (try Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Amber+ Oil Nutrition Oil-in-Serum, $6.97). Finally, use a strong-hold mousse on your entire head to define curls and fight frizz (try Joico JoiWhip, $16.99)
If the almighty hair care gods didn't grant you naturally curly hair, you've likely clocked your fair share of time in front of YouTube tutorials on how to curl hair. And perhaps your curling iron has become your BFF as you've tried to fake the bouncy curls and flowing waves of your dreams.
Curling irons are indeed magical little devices that can turn straight hair curly in an instant, and simply add definition and perfection to natural curls. But as easy as that last declarative statement sounds, they can actually be quite tricky to master. That's why we went to a pro to get the 411 on the best types of irons for your hair type and texture, the tried and true methods for how to curl hair into a lasting look, and the expert techniques that will turn your hair into frizz-free ringlets every time you style.
The curling iron is by no means a modern invention; people have been using them to add texture to their hair for eons (think ancient Greece, not caveman days). In fact Babylonian and Assyrian men crimped and curled their beards with curling irons (freaky fact, but yes, it's true). Of course these curling irons didn't look anything like the electrical curling irons we know and love today — they didn't debut until around 1959 thanks to BaByliss, and we're assuming women or men today don't use them to curl their beards (not that we're ones to judge), but it's interesting to know that the desire to have curly hair dates way back. So whether you're after tightly wound ringlets or tousled, beachy waves, this guide on how to curl hair will help you master the curling iron once and for all.
