How to curl your hair with straighteners
Don’t buy a curling tong, you can use your straighteners instead
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Don’t be deceived by their name, hair straighteners can do a lot more than simply smooth out your hair so it’s poker straight. Unlike thebest hair dryers, which can only dry your locks, and with the help of a barrel brush, add volume to your tresses, thebest hair straightenersare an extremely versatile hair care appliance.
They can be used to create curls, waves, S-bends, and flicks, all of which add texture and movement to the hair in ways that straightening can’t. There is a catch, however. Creating these styles is easier said than done.
To help simplify the process and expand your styling repertoire, we’ve spoken to experts from salon hair care appliance brandsGHDandRevamp ProfessionalandHairstoryto find out how to curl your hair with straighteners.
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Read on to find out how the experts recommend curling your hair with straighteners. Alternatively, check out the prices we’ve found for some of the best hair straighteners right now.
First, prepare your hair
Preparing to curl your hair is the same as straightening it. We’ve explained those steps in more detail in our guide onhow to straighten your hairbut in summary:
Just as you shouldn’t straighten your hair when it’s wet, you also shouldn’t curl it when there is any water trapped inside. This increases the chances of damaging the hair and breaking the cuticle.
How to choose a heat setting for curling your hair with straighteners
Choosing the correct heat setting for your hair type will minimize damage and make sure you achieve the best finish and style as possible.
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If you’ve got thin and fine hair, you’ll be able to achieve curls and waves with your straighteners on a low setting. If you’ve got thicker hair, you’ll likely need to increase the heat to a medium or high setting, depending on how thick and long it is.
The only exception is if you have damaged or colour-treated hair. In this instance, it’s better for the hair to remain on a low heat, regardless of how thick or thin your hair is.
Some straighteners, like the GHD Platinum Plus and GHD Unplugged, don’t offer adjustable settings. In the case of the GHD range, their default temperature setting is 365 F / 185 C. This is when the hair is said to be the most flexible, which according to manufacturers is the optimal temperature for creating smooth styles without causing excess damage.
How to curl your hair with straighteners
We’ve tried various ways to curl our hair with straighteners, including wrapping the hair around the plates, and continually rotating the hair as the styler moves through it. They all work well, but can be a little fiddly, not to mention potentially dangerous when trying to wrap hair around burning hot plates…
With this in mind, the following step-by-step guide is what we consider to be the easiest and fastest way to get curls and create body and movement.
If you want bigger curls or waves, you can pull the straighteners away from your head at right angles during step 6. If you want looser curls or waves, pull the straighteners down towards the floor.
“My top tip on curling hair is to trust the styler, don’t clamp and drag the plates down the hair,” GHD Creative Artist, Patrick Wilson tells TechRadar.
“It’s not a competition to curl it in the fastest time possible, so take your time with the sections you are curling and let the styler do the work for you.”
He continues that the benefits of curling with a styler, over a wand or similar, is that it helps to smooth the hair while curling, and is “a really quick way to get through a full head of hair once you know the correct technique to use.”
Victoria Woollaston-Webber is a freelance journalist, editor, and founder of science-led health, beauty, and grooming sites, mamabella and MBman. She has more than a decade of experience in both online and print journalism, having written about tech and gadgets since day one for national papers, magazines, and global brands. Victoria specializes in beauty gadgets, as well as small appliances including vacuum cleaners, air fryers, blenders, and mixers, plus all things baby and toddler. When she’s not testing the latest must-have beauty product, she loves Lego Architecture, murder mysteries, and chasing after her four-year-old.
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