heatless curls

How to Create Heatless Curls Using TikTok’s Latest Hack

Keep calm and step away from the hot tools for this one.

We all want the most perfect curls from time to time. However, It is commonly known that subjecting the hair to a curling iron can cause tons of heat damage, whether in the form of split ends or brittle, lackluster tresses. Not to say that you should completely swear off curls and waves forever, either. Enter: heatless curls! Heatless curls have become so popular over the past year, and there are actually so many different ways you can achieve this style.

The latest in heatless curl methods is the wet hairbrush trend of TikTok fame. Using the handle of a hairbrush, curly hair aficionados are defining their curls…sans heat.

How to Achieve Heatless Curls: The Tik Tok Trending Way

All you need is a bottle of your favorite leave-in conditioner and your trusty hairbrush to hack this method.

TikTok’s Trending Heatless Curls Method

how to clean a hairbrush used on wet hair
Use the handle of your hair brush to define your curls.

As most curly-haired women will tell you, much of the success of any hairstyle lies in the products you use.

Grab a leave-in ultra-hydrating conditioner like Nexxus Curl Define Daily Leave-In Moisturizer and run it through the length of your curls. Use your fingers to comb the product through and ensure that it’s evenly distributed.

After that, slowly wind one-inch sections of hair around the handle of your brush. Follow up by carefully unwinding each curl to reveal the perfectly coiled results!

5 Easy Ways to Create Heatless Curls

We are talking about curly styles that work with your hair type to encourage waviness, all without the help of hot tools.

1. Pin-Curl Heatless Curls

girl with blonde pin curled hair and red lipstick
Go for an old Hollywood look and try out pin curls.

Popularized during World War II, pin-curls were a way for women to style their hair in the popular curly looks of the decade without the use of heat. In fact, they rarely used hair products at all, since these were heavily rationed during the war. Most vintage hairstyles from that era used pin-curls as a starting point.

If you’re looking for a tighter heatless curl, try pin curls!

Start by dividing your hair into 3-inch sections. Spritz your hair with some detangling spray, like TRESemmé Pro Pure Detangle and Smooth Leave-In Conditioner, then brush hair out to remove any knots.

Follow by wrapping hair around one finger, and curling it up towards your roots. Secure each curl snugly, affixing a bobby pin at the seam. Repeat on all curls.  Remove all pin-curls the next morning, carefully shaking out the curls and brushing lightly if desired. For a vintage effect, use a comb to align the bends.

Finish with a hair spray that helps protect against frizz, like TRESemmé Compressed Micro Mist Level 2 Hold Curl Hair Spray.

2. Braid Waves Heatless Curls

girl with long dark wavy hair

Super easy and very effective braiding has always been a non-fuss way to create waves. As a result, you’re left with effortless heatless waves. All it takes is some basic braiding know-how, and the proper products, and you’re all set.

Create a center part on your hair, then use a duckbill or darby clip to clamp the other half out of the way. Create a French braid by alternately crisscrossing the side sections over the middle section, incorporating strands from the head as you go downwards—doing this will secure your braid to your scalp. Secure the end with a hair elastic.

Unfurl braids carefully by first removing the hair elastic and then gently tousling them out. Finish with a lightweight texture spray such as Suave Dry texture Finishing Spray for added texture and light hold.

3. Donut Bun Method

girl with black voluminous curls
A donut bun can help you achieve voluminous curls.

Foam donut buns are one of our favorite heatless curls tricks. This method will give you heatless curls that are looser and more voluminous. For instance, coiling hair around a hair donut creates a bigger bend, and wearing multiple hair donuts can result in a head full of big, sexy waves.

Apply some curl-enhancing mousse, such as Suave Captivating Curls Mousse Cream, onto your ponytail length. Loop hair into the donut until it reaches the base of the ponytail. Divide the ponytail into two ends and curl each around the donut until you run out of hair and the donut is completely covered.

Leave for around 2 hours. Meanwhile, tie on a scarf for protection or if you plan to go outdoors. Uncoil the hair around the donut and gently remove your hair elastic to uncover loose, sexy waves.

4. Twists Heatless Curls

girl with natural black and purple twisted hair
Use twists to achieve heatless curls.

Creating twists in hair can result in strands that have some built-in texture (at least until their next wash!). For example, rope twists or even twisted updos can unfurl into natural-looking waves that can easily transition from day to night. If a more defined curl is what you’re after, opt for twists.

Apply a curl-enhancing mousse or gel on clean, freshly washed hair, such as Suave Define & Shine Serum Gel. Then, brush through evenly. Next, section hair into four parts: down the center both vertically and horizontally, parting behind the ear.

Starting with the left and right bottom sections, twist hair in one direction from root to tip. After that, secure with an elastic. Repeat on the left and right upper sections, making a note to twist away from the hairline for a more flattering look.

Leave for two hours, then unfurl gently. Shake your waves out and mist with a light hairspray for shine, such as Bed Head by TIGI Headrush.

5. Fabric Twisted Heatless Curls

heatless curls
Finished heatless curls.

Did you know you can achieve heatless curl by wrapping your hair around fabric? We know it sounds too good to be true, but it really works! Learn how to achieve these curls below.

Start with freshly washed hair. We love using Dove Hair Therapy Strength and Fullness Shampoo and Conditioner because it helps strengthen hair and restore volume.

Once hair is washed, apply a serum to help eliminate frizz. We love Suave Simply Styled Anti-Frizz Smoothing Serum. Grab either an old pair of tights or a tie from a robe. While your hair is wet, put the tights or robe tie over your head and split your hair in half to begin wrapping it around the ends.

Take the front section from one-half of your hair and wrap it around one side of the fabric. Make sure to wrap your hair around the fabric so the curl forms away from your face.

heatless curls technique
You can use tights to wrap your hair around to create heatless curls.

After wrapping the front section once, start wrapping the back section of hair around the fabric, starting the curl going towards your face. Keep wrapping both sections around the tights until you reach the end and secure with a hair tie.

Next, repeat steps 4-6 on the opposite side of your head. Leave your hair like this overnight. In the morning, remove the tights, and you’ll be left with gorgeous heatless curls!

Let us know which method you’ll be trying!

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