Straight hair... How to curl it?

[sybarite_1]

My hair won't hold a curl.
Any product to help? Technique?
Thanks!

 

[SunDevilGirl]

My hair won't hold a curl.
Any product to help? Technique?
Thanks!

I've recently discovered a deep waver tool (by Hot Tools). You can find it on Amazon and tutorial videos on Youtube. My hair doesn't usually hold a curl at all but this thing is amazing. It's super easy to use and the waves stay.

 

[sybarite_1]

I've recently discovered a deep waver tool (by Hot Tools). You can find it on Amazon and tutorial videos on Youtube. My hair doesn't usually hold a curl at all but this thing is amazing. It's super easy to use and the waves stay.

Thanks! Do you use a mousse or spray?

 

[SweetErika]

Do you have fine or thick hair, Sybarite?

I have fine, straight hair that won't hold a curl without significant help.

Right now, I'm going with:
1) Washing and conditioning (I use a "volumizing" conditioner that doesn't really volumize, but it's light enough that it doesn't prevent styling)
2) A touch of volume-enhancing, heat-protecting spray if I'm blow-drying it.
3) Blow dry if necessary
(Although if my hair is clean enough, I won't wash it the next day, and it certainly holds a style better then!)

4) Section
5) A touch of hairspray* on the section.
*I've tried a whole bunch of hairsprays, but what's working for me now is actually a very light mist of aerosol Salon Selectives I got on a trip this summer as kind of a throwaway bottle. The "undone" and "super touchable" formulas are a nice idea, but they just leave me with "undone," unfortunately! A medium-hold spray is what generally works best for me.

6) Curl with a gold-plated, adjustable heat, 3/4" curling iron (I've had a couple of these over the years, and they work really well.)

My hair is a few inches past my shoulders, and with the above routine (it takes me about 10 minutes from towel-dried hair), I get nice larger curls and waves that typically last all day. If my hair gets much longer, it won't really curl, though.

If I need curls that are more likely to hold, I do the above, but pin the curls as they come out of the curling iron. Then I leave those to cool fully and they stay pretty well once I take them out. Hot rollers can work, but only with a ton of styling products on my hair.

Occasionally I'll find a heat-styling spray that allows me to get away with lightly spraying the bottom few inches of dry hair, then curling as usual. But that only works when there's low humidity.

Now this is not the best routine for my hair's health, but it's been my only option since my hair demands one particular cut and I have to do something to it if I want it to have some sort of style. Otherwise, it just hangs: fine, sad, and super prone to tangling.

I'll have to look into the curling machines and maybe give one a shot to see if it works for my hair.

 

[Iceprincess12]

There are so many techniques, here are a few.

You can use rollers after washing and drying until just damp. Using a setting spray, rollers and blow dry. Wait until your hair is completely cool before taking out the rollers and don't comb or brush. Use your fingers to separate.

The beach hair waves sprays work well, just don't overuse them, they can make your hair sticky.

Setting spray, braid you hair tight and use a flat iron to go over it several times. Unbraid and if it's not wavy enough, make smaller braids and do it again.

Always wait until your hair is completely cool after curling and don't brush. Can also use hairspray after it's curled, before you separate to help your curls last longer.

 

[Weird Harold]

My hair won't hold a curl.
Any product to help? Technique?
Thanks!

http://statemuseumpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CDL-DSCN1407-wave-machine.jpg

 

[Privates1stClass]

My hair won't hold a curl.
Any product to help? Technique?
Thanks!

My wife had the same problem. She said the only way she was ever going to have curly hair on her head was to transplant her pubic hair.

 

[sybarite_1]

http://statemuseumpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CDL-DSCN1407-wave-machine.jpg

You have too much time and nothing to do.

 

[sybarite_1]

Do you have fine or thick hair, Sybarite?

I have fine, straight hair that won't hold a curl without significant help.

Right now, I'm going with:
1) Washing and conditioning (I use a "volumizing" conditioner that doesn't really volumize, but it's light enough that it doesn't prevent styling)
2) A touch of volume-enhancing, heat-protecting spray if I'm blow-drying it.
3) Blow dry if necessary
(Although if my hair is clean enough, I won't wash it the next day, and it certainly holds a style better then!)

4) Section
5) A touch of hairspray* on the section.
*I've tried a whole bunch of hairsprays, but what's working for me now is actually a very light mist of aerosol Salon Selectives I got on a trip this summer as kind of a throwaway bottle. The "undone" and "super touchable" formulas are a nice idea, but they just leave me with "undone," unfortunately! A medium-hold spray is what generally works best for me.

6) Curl with a gold-plated, adjustable heat, 3/4" curling iron (I've had a couple of these over the years, and they work really well.)

My hair is a few inches past my shoulders, and with the above routine (it takes me about 10 minutes from towel-dried hair), I get nice larger curls and waves that typically last all day. If my hair gets much longer, it won't really curl, though.

If I need curls that are more likely to hold, I do the above, but pin the curls as they come out of the curling iron. Then I leave those to cool fully and they stay pretty well once I take them out. Hot rollers can work, but only with a ton of styling products on my hair.

Occasionally I'll find a heat-styling spray that allows me to get away with lightly spraying the bottom few inches of dry hair, then curling as usual. But that only works when there's low humidity.

Now this is not the best routine for my hair's health, but it's been my only option since my hair demands one particular cut and I have to do something to it if I want it to have some sort of style. Otherwise, it just hangs: fine, sad, and super prone to tangling.

I'll have to look into the curling machines and maybe give one a shot to see if it works for my hair.

I bought the curling machine, and I have a lot of normal hair very straight.
Shoulder length hair. I'm thinking of next trying a mousse in the hair, blow dry it to damp, then use the curling machine. I have a lot of hair. Never considered hair extensions LOL

 

[Weird Harold]

You have too much time and nothing to do.

It took about thirty seconds to find that picture. It helps to be old enough to remember things like that exist.

 

[Weird Harold]

You have too much time and nothing to do.

Perhaps a pill to solve the OP's dilemma?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml7V7LvSi0M

 

[Laluai]

How much time do you want to spend working on your hair every day? I'm lazy and hate fussing with my hair so I get an old-fashioned perm. I've been doing that for 40 years. My hair is so fine that without a perm, it has no body or volume at all, and using products like mousse or gel just weigh it down and make it flatter. The amount of curl is determined by the size of perm rod used. I use medium/large rods to get a curly look that I can spritz with leave-in conditioner, scrunch and go. Most days that's all I want to do. When I want a more finished look, I get out the curling iron and style away. Then I get GREAT curls - smoother and larger than the daily norm, but they HOLD.... for hours, without any other product at all.
Talk to your stylist....

 

[Eilan]

I'm probably not the person to ask because my hair holds a curl reasonably well, but how well might non-heat options work? I've had success** with sock buns, headband curls, twisty braids, etc., things that I can do at nighttime (since I have to fight four girls for one bathroom on the days that I work) or when I have all day to wait for curls.

**My 13-year-old has fine, straight hair, and she's also had success with headband curls.

 

[DevilKitty]

Have you ever tried a Curl secret? The wand thing that sucks it in and is suppose to curl it. I have not, so I have no advice on this. But I have a friend who loves hers.