Pinterest worthy curls and waves come from a 1 inch to 1.25 inch curling iron. For this demo I am using my Hot Tools 1.25 inch curling iron. I like it because it has a large heat proof tip which I hold to give me more control. This iron is available on Amazon around $40 but could be found cheaper at a third party retailer like Marshalls and TJMaxx who often have the same iron for around $20!
Prep Hair
Prep dry hair with a heat protectant. I like Pravana’s Hydro Oil which provides frizz and heat protection without making hair feel greasy.
Curl Hair
Separate hair at the temples into two sections, upper and lower.
Take vertical (up and down) sections no larger than the width of the iron
Hold the section out straight from the head and with the clip facing the mirror begin curling the hair at the base first. Curling at the base gives volume and make sure curls don’t ‘fall out’.
Continue curling down the strand by lightly pumping the curl clamp to feed hair inside while you turn the curler back away from the head
Repeat all over the head
Pro Tips
A curling iron creates longer lasting curls than a wand because hair is heated on both sides.
The clamp should always face the mirror regardless of what side the head you are working on
Start at the base – finish on the ends
Always turn the iron back away from the face
Finish
Allow curls to cool at least 10 minutes before finger styling
Finish with a dry finishing spray. I like Loreal Professional Tecni Art Next Day Dry Finishing Spray – it gives the perfect amount of hold and texture without being sticky.