Be it perfectly sculpted Hollywood waves or “effortless” beachy curls, there’s nothing worse than walking out of the bathroom to start your best hair day EVER only to catch a glimpse of your reflection two hours later and see limp, sad locks peering back. So what gives? What’s the trick to keeping your curls, swirls and waves in place from morning to night? Read on as we share our best tips for making curls last.
Tip #1
For many people curls hold better on second day hair. A little grit can be instrumental in getting curls to “stick”. If this sounds like you, plan to wash hair the day or night before and then in the morning use a little dry shampoo at the roots to help absorb any excess oil on the scalp.
Tip #2
Make sure you are using a quality hot tool and don’t just crank it up to the highest setting possible. Start low and increase slowly so that you are applying the least amount of heat required to achieve the desired result.
Tip #3
Which brings us to our next tip. Always use protection! Work in small sections and apply a thermal protectant prior to working with each. This creates a barrier between delicate hair strands and the iron, preventing damage and breakage.
Tip #4
Use carbon clips to set curls as you go. As soon as you remove hair from the iron reshape and clip to your head so that it can cool in place rather than letting gravity undo all your work. Once you’ve curled your entire head, go back and release in the order that you started.
Tip #5
Choose a finishing spray depending on the look you’re going for. If you want a little extra oomph and messiness use a texturising spray to break up the curls and add fullness. If you’re going for more polish use a hairspray with a firm finish for lasting control.
Tip #6
Our final tip for making curls last? Hands off! Dirt and oil from your hands can loosen curls and remove product that helps to hold in place. As tempting as it may be, just don’t do it
