There is a variety of hair curling techniques out here for each intended style of curl, as well as tools for creating them. While there are a ton of fancy and specific curling irons out there, you can actually get by creating a lot of popular styles with a basic curling wand and a flat iron. When you’re styling your hair on your own always remember to use a salon trusted heat protective spray to avoid any unnecessary damage from heat styling. Here are some of the more popular curl options and how to go about creating them on your own.

 

 

Creating a Loose Wave  

 

 

 

 

It might seem like you need a large barrel curling iron to create a loose wave, but it’s actually possible to create one with a one-inch spring barrel curling iron and/or curling wand. One way to accomplish this is to flat wrap the hair around the barrel of the curling iron, but pausing halfway down and wrapping the remainder of the hair the opposite way on the iron. This will stop the curl from turning into a spiral curl, but will still offer the wavy movement that you’re looking for. Allow the curl to curl before shaking it out to allow it to set.  

 

 

Creating Spiral Curls

 

 

To create a spiral curl with a curling iron it’s best to work with small sections of hair at a time. Keep some clips nearby to section off the hair as you work so that you can approach each section one at a time. When you’re doing loose waves it doesn’t matter as much if the curls aren’t cohesive, but if you miss a section of hair when creating spiral curls it will be a noticeable gap in the look.

To create a tight curl, one trick is to twist small sections of hair and then wrapping the twisted portion around the barrel of the curling iron. This ensures that the curl stays as tight as possible. Be mindful when you’re curling around the face and decide whether you want the curls to curl towards or away the face. Generally, you would want the curls to turn away from the face, which would require curling from different directions to make it do so on both sides.

 

 

Curling With a Flat Iron

 

 

 

While flat irons are generally used to straighten the hair, they can also be used as a great tool for curling the hair as well. The flat iron creates a similar curl to a spiral curl but with a slightly different look. The key is to start with the flat iron at the base of the root. Slide a section of hair into the flat iron, and then wrap the rest of the hair around the iron. Then you’ll carefully move the iron down that section of hair until it has all spent some time in the heat. The result should be what is sometimes referred to as a ribbon curl.