The Biggest Mistakes You're Making Curling Your Hair
Heading to a holiday party? There's no better way to amp up your look than with a few curls, but as we all know, curling irons aren't always the easiest tool to maneuver. Here is what you're probably doing wrong -- and how to fix it.
1. Not choosing the right sized barrel
You need to match the barrel size to the look you're going for. For more ringlets (or if your hair is fairly short), use a curling iron that's less than 1 inch in diameter (1 inch is the most common barrel size). If your hair's on the longer side and you want large, glamorous curls, use a barrel that's greater than 1 inch, such as a 1.25 or 1.5 inches.
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2. Curling big clumps of hair
If you have a lot of hair, try sectioning pieces off, keeping everything neat and making sure you hit all the spots. Start off by clipping up the top section and curling the bottom layers. This helps keep the extra hair out of the way and makes the whole process easier and less overwhelming. It also helps keep you from missing a spot, leaving some uncurled pieces hanging straight.
3. Using too much heat
You only want to use as much heat as you need to create the curl, not any more, to prevent long-term damage to your hair. Fine, thin, and fragile hair should be curled using the lowest heat setting available -- you don't want to sacrifice your hair's health for one look. Look for a curling iron with multiple heat settings, so you can tailor the heat to your hair. If the iron has just one "ON/OFF" switch, you won't know what temperature you're using and this could spell trouble. Also, don't keep your hair on the barrel for longer than it needs to be; sometimes five or 10 seconds is all it takes. Play around with lower temperatures and faster curling times to figure out the best temperature for your hair health and the look you want.
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4. Curling in the wrong direction
In order to frame your face, any hair in front should curl away from your face, not toward it. That means on the right side of your face, curl to the right; on the left side of your face, to the left.
5. Trying to curl damp hair
This one seems obvious, but it's an important reminder: Wet hair is more susceptible to damage, so even if your hair is just slightly damp, curling it will do some harm. Air dry your hair completely or finish it off with a blow-dryer. (Day-old hair actually sometimes holds a curl a little bit better than freshly washed, but everyone is different so you'll need to experiment.)
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Tips for Finishing Touches
If your hair has a hard time holding a curl, try this trick: After releasing the curl from the iron, using your fingers, re-twist it tightly in the same direction as it was curled and let it sit like this as it cools (or even clip it into place like this). After finishing your whole head, let the curls cool for a few minutes and then lightly brush them out to turn them into looser, more glamorous waves. Or, for a beachy look, break up the curls with your fingers. Lastly, lock everything into place with a touchable hairspray. We like L'Oreal's Elnett Satin Hairspray in Strong Hold. It holds the style all day long, leaving hair soft and touchable but not crunchy or sticky.
-By Mary Clarke
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