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8 Reasons Your Curls Won't Last

Got limp curls? Here's what you're doing all wrong -- plus, how to curl your hair the right way
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How often do you curl your hair just to see it go womp before you've finished your morning cold brew? You've probably been told your hair just can't hold a curl.

Put that noise out of your mind. The real reason why your hair is falling faster than Trump's approval rating is your technique -- before, after and during heat styling.

If you learn to curl your hair properly, not only will your curls last all day, you may spend even less time under the iron than you do now. Here are the eight mistakes you're making when you curl your hair, according to top hairstylists.

Image via Getty

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Your Curling Iron Is Too Big
"Using too large of a rod" is one of the biggest mistakes women make when curling their hair, says Sarah Potempa, celebrity hairstylist and creator of the Beachwaver curling iron. Not only do large rods create looser curls, she says, they prevent "an even curl pattern from being created throughout the hair."

Try a curling iron that's about a quarter-inch narrower than the one you're using now, Potempa suggests. "For example, if you are using a one-inch barrel and your curls are falling, then try using the Beachwaver S.75 instead," she says.



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Your Curling Iron Is Cheaply Made
Another way you might be going wrong when you curl your hair? "Not investing in the right tools," Potempa says. "If you use a cheap curling iron, then your curls will fall more quickly."

Poorly made or old, worn-out irons may radiate heat unevenly, frying some strands while others are cool AF.

Get rid of your iron if you're working with a vintage model. Or, if your iron's plates are metal, upgrade to one with even-heating ceramic or tourmaline plates.

Remember: A high-quality iron doesn't have to be expensive. Hot Tools curling irons are popular with pro hairstylists and start at about $40.



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You Use Conditioner
Shampooing without conditioning might sound like eating a peanut butter sandwich without jelly (i.e. wrong, awful, totally unthinkable).

But Nicole Contrastano, stylist at Pierre Michel Salon in NYC, says skipping conditioner is key to make curls last all day. "It makes the hair too soft, which makes [curls] not hold that well," she says.

By washing with shampoo alone, you'll rough up your hair's cuticle just enough to help curls stay intact.



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You Use Oily or Creamy Styling Products
Just as conditioner can make your hair too smooth to hold a curl, styling creams and oils also "weigh it down," Contrastano says. You need styling products to give your hair texture and grip, not make it smoother.

Before you curl, think about using light stylers -- e.g. mousse or spray -- to give your hair light hold and bounce. Save greasy products for blowouts or slick hairstyles like ponytails and topknots.



BY KATIE MCCARTHY | SEP 27, 2017 | SHARES
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