20 Tips for Killer Curls (That Won’t Kill Your Hair)
Lush, sumptuous curls and waves full of volume can make any girl feel beautiful and sexy. You know what doesn’t, though? Dry, brittle strands that are the result of too much heat and too little care. But fear not! Because you can have the bouncy curls of your dreams without ruining your healthy locks (Truth!). From curling techniques minus the heat to products that’ll revive your ‘do, here’s 20 fool-proof ways to curl with the best of ’em.
1. Glam Retro Curls: Take a stab at these Oscar-worthy side-swept curls — a look that never goes out of style. We totally understand if you start practicing your speech in the mirror once you’re done, just don’t be late for whatever glam event warrants such a gorgeous ‘do. (via Brit + Co)
2. Long Spiral Curls Curlsformers Styling Kit ($59): Yup, this is real. But don’t knock it till you try it. This alternative to your grandma’s rollers will give you mess of curls without the heat. Just maybe stay indoors until the curls have set.
3. Preserve Your Curls: Another way to keep your hair healthy is to use the curling iron less, and with the help of a little Moroccan Oil Luminous Hairspray ($24), you might even get a little extra sleep in the morning. (via Ducklings in a Row)
4. T3 Voluminous Hot Rollers ($99): If you want serious volume, then hot rollers are usually the way to go. And with these rollers from T3, you don’t have to worry about typical heat damage thanks to their use of ionic heat that preserves hair’s moisture.
5. Overnight Sock Bun Waves: Sock buns are still a thing, so you should have no prob digging out your bun shaper ($6) for this brand new use. After washing and towel drying your hair, roll it up with the bun shaper, go to sleep, and when you wake up, glorious waves will be yours. (via Daily Makeover)
6. Beach Waves Tutorial: Keep the curls low key with this simple hair tutorial. With a few bobby pins and a little sea salt spray, you’ll have perfectly tousled waves in no time. (via Beautylish)
7. DIY Dry Shampoo: You know what keeps your hair healthy? Not washing it as much! But since greasy hair days can get us all down, combat the flat with a little DIY dry shampoo. And since you know exactly what’s going into it, there’s no need to worry about weirdo chemicals. (via Brit + Co)
8. DIY Milk and Honey Hair Mask: Quite possibly one of the simplest DIYs around, this combination of milk and honey moisturizes your hair while removing dead cells. It’s a rinse that ensures your curls will have a healthy bounce before you get to styling. (via All Women Stalk)
9. Bun Twists Waves Tutorial: If you want easygoing waves in 15 minutes while doing as little as possible, then this is for you. A few crazy buns and bobby pins are all you need, and thank goodness you only have to sport them a few minutes. (via Brit + Co)
10. amika Titanium Digital Pro Styling System ($135): No one said your hair tools couldn’t be as glam as the ‘do you’ll be creating with them. And with infrared heat keeping your hair moist and negative ions eliminating frizz, this iron has it all.
11. Heatless French Twist Curls: If you learned how to do a French twist when you were a kid, you can use those skills to make loose, flowing curls sans heat. Plus, it’s just fun to do! (via offbeat + inspired)
12. Aquis Hair Towels ($17): For the best hair health, it’s best to put the hair dryer away and towel dry your hair. This lightweight towel (made especially for pat-drying your hair) is made of microfiber so it not only dries your hair quickly, but it’s gentle as well. Bye-bye, split ends.
13. DevaCurl Dryer & DevaFuser ($160): Sometimes, though, you just gotta use a blow dryer. If so, it’s best to use a diffuser, and this diffuser is perfect because it lets the air flow all around the curls, creating more volume and bringing out your hair’s natural curl. And it looks like a muppet hand, so it’s adorable.
14. Agave Healing Vapor Iron ($149): While many hair tools promise to prevent damage, not many claim to undo damage. With special plates to seal in moisture, this iron goes even further when paired with its thermal hair products, made with Agave plant sugars to heal your hair when heated.
15. DIY Beer + Banana Hair Mask: Besides being delicious, beer is a natural volumizer that can thicken your follicles and make your hair full and flowy. We recommend a ratio of one sip for you, one sip for the hair mask.
16. Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment ($42): But…if DIY-ing a hair mask isn’t too appealing, there’s no shame in buying one. For an intense round of hair therapy, Living Proof’s mask promises to make your hair 20% stronger without weighing it down. If you tend to have a lot of breakage and flyaways, you should definitely give this a try.
17. SoCal Curls Hair-Curling Headband ($19): Most of the time, if you want to get overnight curls, you have to go to bed looking like a crazy person. But thanks to this headband and a few clever tuck-and-rolls, you’ll go to bed looking like a retro pinup and wake up looking like a beach babe.
18. Lovasilk Silk Sheets ($182): Keep your curly locks looking fresh the next day by spending the night on luxurious silk sheets. By reducing friction, the sheets will prevent split ends (and since they don’t pull on your skin, they might even prevent wrinkles, but that’s just a theory).
19. Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Heat Protect Spray ($24): Infused with keratin protein to strengthen your hair, this spray protects your tresses from heat up to 450 degrees, while holding in your style. Even better? It smells yummy.
20. Ceramic Vented Radial Brush ($53): While it takes a little practice, it’s possible to master creating epic waves and curls with just your blow dryer and a round brush. This vented ceramic brush heats up quickly so you can shorten the amount of time your hair is exposed to the heat.
What are your tips for creating voluminous curls while protecting your delicate tresses? Let us know in the comments!
