{"id":4703,"date":"2023-01-24T19:28:14","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T01:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/?p=4703"},"modified":"2023-01-26T11:00:22","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T17:00:22","slug":"12-helpful-tips-for-curling-iron-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/12-helpful-tips-for-curling-iron-beginners","title":{"rendered":"12 Helpful Tips for Curling Iron Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Spend a few minutes watching hair tutorials on your favorite social media platform, and you\u2019ll quickly learn there\u2019s a hair tool for everyone and every hair type. There are flat irons, rotating curlers, curling wands<\/a>, and \u2014 of course \u2014 the trusty curling iron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But make no mistake \u2014 the curling iron has come a long way since you (or possibly your mother) were in high school. Not only can you choose from various barrel sizes, but you can also select an iron based on the materials it\u2019s made of and whether or not you can adjust the temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, all those options mean you need to understand what each feature will offer you. But it\u2019s not only the curling iron itself that matters; you also need to know how to use it. We\u2019re here to help with guidance to choose the right curling iron for you plus tips to curl your hair with it safely and effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"12<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Curling Iron How-To for the Perfect \u2018Do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve picked the right styling tool, it\u2019s time to put your curling iron to work. The following tips will help you get just the right look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dry your hair
<\/strong>Set yourself up for success before you even touch your curling iron by making sure your hair is completely \u2014 and we mean completely<\/em> \u2014 dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect your strands
<\/strong>Heat protection is imperative<\/a>. If you\u2019re using a blow dryer, use a heat protectant first. If you\u2019ve allowed your hair to air dry, you can apply a heat-protecting product before you start curling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prep for a good hold
<\/strong>Depending on your hair texture, you may want to use a styling product that gives your hair extra hold<\/a>. Maybe you opt for a product you use in wet hair (like mousse), or you might simply use a spritz of hairspray on each section before you take the curling iron to it. Or you might do both!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set the temp
<\/strong>If your curling iron has temperature settings, it\u2019s best for the health of your hair to use the lowest temperature setting available<\/a>; higher heat causes more damage, especially on thin or already damaged hair. Of course, a lower temperature setting is only a good solution if it actually creates the curls you want. If the curls fall right out \u2014 or if you find you can only get the results you want by leaving the iron in your hair for more than 10 seconds per section \u2014 turn up the heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create sections
<\/strong>While you don\u2019t want each section you curl to be too thick, there is some wiggle room<\/a> when it comes to sectioning. With thick hair, up to 1 inch will usually work, while with thinner hair, you might be able to get away with an extra half-inch added in. That being said, thicker sections will generally lead to looser waves, while smaller sections create tighter curls, so consider playing around with how much hair you curl at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid the clamp crimp
<\/strong>There are two common ways people end up with a clamp crimp. The first is by rolling their hair toward the clamp instead of toward the barrel when they curl, which causes a deep crease where the hair folds back over the clamp. That\u2019s easy to avoid if you pay attention to the direction in which you curl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second way is a bit trickier, and generally happens when you clamp your hair toward the bottom. When you clamp at the bottom, for one thing, this is where your hair is thinner, likely more damaged, and therefore more likely to show where the clamp came down. Additionally, when you clamp at the bottom, you typically leave the clamp there as you roll the rest of your hair onto the barrel, which means that bottom inch or so gets the most heat. Instead of clamping at the bottom, use the clamp at least at the midway point of your hair \u2014 if not near the roots \u2014 then feed your hair through as you continually release and close<\/a> it. This method helps distribute the heat evenly throughout the curl and doesn\u2019t keep one section of hair in the clamp for the full time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternate direction
<\/strong>When you curl some pieces forward and some backward, you create more definition. Many hair experts recommend always curling the hair around your face away<\/a>, but this is one rule you may want to consider breaking; depending on your facial structure, hairline, and hair type, inward-facing curls can create a soft frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the time
<\/strong>You shouldn\u2019t leave any section of your hair in the curling iron for longer than 10 seconds<\/a> at any heat. If you\u2019re feeding hair through and working your way down from roots to tip, the entire process per section might take longer, but make sure you keep the iron moving. And for looser waves on an iron that doesn\u2019t feature temperature settings, try shortening the time even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hold your curling iron with purpose
<\/strong>Curling your hair while holding your iron horizontally can create more bounce<\/a>, while holding it vertically can create less, especially with hair that holds curls well. If your tresses like to play hard to get with the curls, this technique is unlikely to make much difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t curl from top to bottom
<\/strong>If you want a more modern, beachy look, leave an inch or more of your ends out of your iron as you curl. To create even more definition, you might even want to hit your ends with a flat iron. For a super casual look, start your curls around the midpoint of your hair and just add a couple of waves. Leaving out the top \u2014 or bottom \u2014 of your hair can really transform the final product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let those curls set
<\/strong>Try not to touch your curls until they\u2019ve cooled completely<\/a>. After cooling, you might consider gently spraying your hair with a soft-hold hairspray to keep them intact. If you want to keep your curls tighter, try pinning them against your head as they cool. And to get the most out of your hard work, don\u2019t immediately reach for your brush! In many cases, a light finger combing will tousle your curls enough to achieve the look you want. And for a more polished appearance, a wide-tooth comb might do the trick. A brush designed for curly hair will smooth things out significantly, so make sure that\u2019s what you want before you start brushing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clean up
<\/strong>Once the curling iron has been unplugged and completely cooled, wipe away any product build-up using a damp cloth. Unless the manufacturer\u2019s directions specify otherwise, stick to just water (alcohol, for instance, can cause damage).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all that, the only step left to do is to make sure you take a selfie. Good hair days deserve documentation!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Spend a few minutes watching hair tutorials on your favorite social media platform, and you\u2019ll quickly learn there\u2019s a hair tool for everyone and every hair type. There are flat irons, rotating curlers, curling wands, and \u2014 of course \u2014 the trusty curling iron. But make no mistake \u2014 the curling iron has come a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":4704,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n12 Helpful Tips for Curling Iron Beginners - Health Perch<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/12-helpful-tips-for-curling-iron-beginners\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"12 Helpful Tips for Curling Iron Beginners\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Intimidated by curling irons? 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