How to style curly hair: Hacks and tutorials that will make your life easier
Curly mane? No problem! Here's how to style your locks in a flash.
You Will Need
Let us share a little secret: learning how to style curly hair will help you achieve the best curls ever. The good news is, that with the help of our tips, you can become your own hair expert and style your coils like a pro.
Watch our simple tutorial above to see how to use a diffuser and curling tong to get perfect curls. Then, read on below to find out how you can speed up your styling process.
How to style curly hair
Use a microfibre towel.
Use a mircrofibre (not normal) towel to semi-dry your hair. It will remove excess moisture while managing frizz.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t have one to hand? You can always use a clean cotton t-shirt instead.
Section the hair.
Section your hair horizontally in half, starting just above your ears, and clip the top section up and out of the way.
This will make the next styling steps easier as you can now access all layers of the hair.
Use a moisturising conditioner.
Starting with the bottom section of your hair, spray the TRESemmé Botanique Nourish & Replenish Hydrating Mist directly onto the mid-lengths and ends.
This will help tame any flyaways and prep the hair for additional products. Repeat the process with the top section of hair and finger comb through to distribute the product.
Apply a smoothing cream.
Apply a small amount of the Tigi Bed Head On The Rebound Curl Recall Cream to the palm of your hand and apply it to the hair.
Concentrate on the mid-lengths and ends, ensuring you get both the top and bottom sections.
Next, use your fingers to gently scrunch handfuls of curls upwards to add definition.
Add a hair oil.
Lastly add a few drops of the TONI&GUY Curl Lock Oil to the ends of the hair and gently scrunch upwards with your hands.
This last product will help lock in the moisture from the previous cream and spray by sealing the cuticles of the hair.
Pin your hair back.
Pin random sections from the top of your hair upwards using metal clips, especially around your hairline.
By lifting the hair up, it will encourage volume and body throughout the drying process. No one wants flat curls, right?
Dry hair with a diffuser.
It’s finally time to dry your curls! To get the best definition, use a diffuser attachment on your hair dryer and go over the hair section by section.
Place the bottom of the curls into the diffuser and scrunch them upwards. Shake through any areas with your fingers to loosen the style.
Add extra definition.
Now your hair is completely dry and full of curls, add extra definition with a curling tong.
Take thin, random strands of hair and wrap them around the heated curling tong to take your spirals up a notch.
Repeat around the top section of your hair until you’re happy with the final look.
Styling hacks every curly-haired girl needs
Review your hair accessories
Inspect your bobby pins and make sure that the protective plastic tips are still on, as well as trying to select hairbands and ties that are seamless and snag-free. Why? Well, not only will this make achieving your hairstyles easier, but it will also limit any accidental damage caused by hair accessories while styling your mane.
Blow-dry with a diffuser
Be honest with us: when was the last time you used your hair dryer’s attachments? Believe it or not, you can make styling curly hair much easier if you start using a diffuser when blow-drying (yes, really!). It can help dry your hair and retain the shape of your curls, by evenly directing the heat on your mane.
Assess your appliances
We know that you might be attached to your trusty hair straightener and curling iron, but if you’ve had these heated styling tools for a significant amount of time, you might want to consider an upgrade.
While early straighteners were simply made of metal, there are now new versions with advanced materials (like ceramic and tourmaline) that employ ionic technology to limit hair damage and dryness. So really, there’s no excuse not to get one!
Select haircare products designed for curls
This might sound like an obvious one, but try to use shampoos, conditioners, and styling products specially formulated for curly hair. These products are created with curly locks in mind and will help you care for them properly.
We particularly love the Dove Advanced Hair Series Quench Absolute range, which is specifically designed for naturally wavy and curly tresses. Developed with formulas that help tame your wild textures, the products will help make your strands appear healthier.
Take it easy with your towel
Drying your hair with a traditional towel can easily lead to frizz if you have curly hair, so when you can, air drying is more suitable. However, if you do need to dry your tresses a little more quickly, gently squeeze the excess water out and dry your hair using a T-shirt, instead. The cotton will absorb the water, while its smooth finish will limit the amount of frizz!
Use your styling products on wet hair
Try applying your styling products while your hair is still wet, as this will help it to absorb and lock in moisture, while keeping your curls defined. We suggest giving the Dove Quench Absolute Intense Replenishment Mask a go. Not only does it take just five minutes to work, but it can help reduce your precious styling time. Bonus!
Lock in moisture with hair oil
The key to gorgeous curls? Moisture, of course! The Dove Hair Pure Care Dry Oil Nourishing Treatment is made with African macadamia oil, and will instantly help to soften and add shine, resulting in reduced detangling time! It also has a non-greasy formula, so its nourishing properties can get to work, without you worrying about having oily-looking locks.
Love your curls!
I usually let my hair do its own thing, I like to define the curls and then just see what happens! – Dani
And last but not least: learn to embrace your curly locks! Loving them will make styling them fun and special.
