How to Use a Curling Iron

How to Use a Curling Iron

Who doesn’t love a full head of gorgeous luscious curls? A curling iron helps you curl your hair like a pro and lets you look salon-fresh in a matter of mintues. This is great especially when you have a special party to attend or a romantic evening planned out with your partner. Just like a flat iron used to straighten hair, a curling iron is a heat styling device that will beautifully achieve an opposite effect if used correctly.
how to use a curling iron

Curling Iron Types

• If you have short or fine hair and want to create an illusion of volume, you should go in for small, tight curls. Select an iron with a smaller barrel size of 0.75 inch.
• If you want curls to be a little larger and more natural, select a 1 inch barrel size.
• If you want to create cascading waves, rather than curls, choose an iron with a large barrel of 1.5 – 2 inch length.
Curling irons come in several materials. Metal plated ones cause more damage from the heat and make hair brittle over time. Opt for ceramic or tourmaline irons for gentler and more uniform heat. These iron materials are better for your hair because they generate negative ions when heated , which seal the hair cuticles. You will see much less frizz and dullness over prolonged use.

Temperature Settings

• Select an iron with adjustable temperature settings.
• If your hair is very thick and coarse or hard to manage, it needs higher heat of around 400 degrees F to curl effectively.
• Normal hair should be worked on slowly from lower temperatures of 280-300) and may be built up only if curls don’t hold up.
• Thinning, fine hair, chemically treated, colored or damaged hair should use lesser heat.
• Use lesser heat while touching up curls.

Prepare Your Hair

• Wash your hair with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Blow-dry it completely as wet hair will make for limp poorly-formed curls.
• Use a heat protective serum before curling to avoid heat damage.
• Detangle hair with a wide tooth comb.

Using Your Curling Iron

• Begin at the back of the head if your hair is medium-length or long. Start at the crown of the head if you have shorter hair.
• Make small sections no more than 1-2 inches. Use pins and clips to keep the sections divided. Start rolling from the tip of each section, to about 0.5-1 inch from the scalp. Hold the iron there for about 10 secs.
• Release the hair by opening the iron and sliding it out slowly. With long hair, pin up the curl with a bobby pin to keep its shape while you work on the rest of the hair.
• If you don’t want all of the tips to be curled, then take some sections, wrap them around the barrel without using the clamp. Release hair after 10 secs.
• Continue the process all over your head till all the sections are complete.
hair curls

Waves Done With a 2” Barrel Curling Iron

Setting Your Curls

• After you are done, set it in place with a holding spray to preserve the curls for a longer time.
• Now you may remove the bobby pins, and arrange the curls around with fingers for the desired effect.

Protect Your Hair & Equipment

• Any kind of heat damages your hair over time, so deep condition your hair regularly and use moisturizing shampoo to restore lost moisture.
• Curling irons of all materials tend to heat up. Store them in a heat proof pouch. Clean it with appropriate cleaning solvents to ensure a longer life for its plates.

Some videos on how to use a curling iron

Instyler Rotating Iron Review
Farouk CHI 1 Inch Ceramic Flat Hairstyling Iron
How to Use A Flat Iron
How to Curl Hair at Home, Get Curly Hairstyle and Manage Curls
How To Curl Hair Without Heat
How to Curl your Eyelashes

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14 thoughts on “How to Use a Curling Iron

  1. I love curls 🙂 …need to get a curling iron cos i cant create nice curls with my hair iron 🙁

    anyone uses curling irons?u guys recommend any particular brand??/

  2. wowww this article came at ryt time….iv ben toying with the idea of buying a tong… now itl b easier.. and ill look for ceramic coated ones… any brands that you suggest??

    i love curls :teddy: :teddy: :teddy:

  3. i have a naturally curly hair so dont have to curl them :jalwa: :jalwa: :jiggy1: i love my curls :makeup: :love:

  4. i love wavy hair personally bt never use irons.. 😐 if ever i want to get it don, i go to the salon and get it done. very lazy :headbang:

  5. awsome as always bhumyka
    i have a babyliss one from london and its very thick and round i like it that way but i need a slim one too now soon :vampire:

  6. i have curly hair and have not had to use curling irons per se. what i would recco is also those rubber hair curlers. i think fem makes such curlers, you just twist your hair around it, and make a c shape with the curler. use a hair dryer to give heat so that the curl stays, and hair dries sooner. it gives super awesome results on straight hair too. try it before you invest in a curling tong, to see if you really love the curly look that much.

  7. Nice article bhumyka! I have ek dum straight hair, I am growing them longer so that I can wear a curly hairstyle just like the hairstyle of the very first model . It will look awesome on a dress with deep back :happydance:

  8. very nicely written.
    I have wavy curly hair – so i guess this is something i would be doing 🙂
    Am into straighteners at the moment. have you written any post on how to best use straighteners?

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