When done right, heat-induced curls can be supremely flattering. Especially those that are soft, delicate and tousled; the gentle movement and bounce can frame the face beautifully. It all sounds great, but how do you curl your hair with straighteners?
Your first thought may be to reach for a curling wand, or heated rollers. Often, curling wands give a 'one size fits all' curl, depending on the barrel size. Thinner wands give a tighter, more coiled curl, whereas thicker wands give a looser, more relaxed curl.
Curling with straighteners helps give a varied curl type, allowing you more control over your curl. If you have layers cut in around the front of the hair, straighteners will allow you to create a softer, more relaxed curl to frame the face. You can vary the type of curl easily if you want tighter curls at the back.
The bottom line: straighteners allow you to have a great amount of control over the curl. To help you master the art of curling your hair with straighteners, we spoke to ghd's Creative Artist, Patrick Wilson.
Next time you reach for the straighteners, put a curl into your hair instead. And follow Patrick's steps for your best curls yet.
Step 1: Prep
"Prep is essential for a long lasting style," said Patrick. "I'm always shocked when people don't heat protect!" A good heat protector will not only prevent hair from heat damage, but they're often laced with conditioning oils which help with the detangling process. Brush through, starting at the ends of hair and working upwards.
Step 2: Turn and Push
The most crucial step! Once you have perfected this method, you'll be well on your way to tousled curls. We recommend practicing the below method while your straighteners are off, to fully get to grips with the motion.
"Place your hair in your chosen straightener, starting at the root," Patrick told us. "Start at the hair around the face. When curling this hair, make sure you direct the hair away from the face."
He added: "Tilt the straightener 180 degrees. Apply a light pressure and push the straightener downward, until you reach the ends of the hair."
If you're on the hunt for a new straightener, the GHD Gold Styler was a top-scorer in a recent GHI test. This straightener was our tester's overall favourite, scoring 86/100 and won the 2019 Hair Straighteners Test. You can read the full review here.
Step 3: Direction
One of the greatest advantages of curling with straighteners is the control and variation you can achieve with the curls.
"It is important to alternate the direction of the curls when moving onto the back of the head. This will give more volume and texture," Patrick said.
To do this, continue to tilt the straightener 180 degrees in the opposite direction.
Step 4: Dress
Yes: your hair needs dressing too!
Patrick emphasised the importance of letting hair rest after styling. "Once you have finished curling your hair, it is really important for you to let the hair cool down before brushing and dressing. This will keep the curls in place," he said.
Patrick recommends using a wide toothed comb to brush out curls.
Step 5: Finish
To finish off your style, set the hair in place with a hairspray. The Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray is a firm favourite of the GHI, scoring 80/100 in our tests. Our panel loved that it didn't leave a sticky, crunchy residue, and praised it's long-lasting hold.
And there you have, five easy steps to help you master curling your hair with straighteners. You can thank us later...
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