If you already own a hair straightener, you don’t need to purchase a curling iron to get beautiful ringlets in your hair. You can hit two birds with one stone by simply knowing how to curl your hair with a flat iron. Don’t know how yet? Read below and stay economical.
How to Curl Your Hair with a Flat Iron
STEP #1: Preparation
First of all, aside from your flat iron, you will need to keep nearby other supplies: a brush, some hairspray, a heat protection serum, and some hair clips and ties.
Make sure your hair is ready for the curling process. It needs to be dry – not damp and certainly not wet. Brush it thoroughly until you untangle it completely. There’s nothing more infuriating than struggling to unknot some strands of hair in the middle of your coiffure.
Although it’s optional, you should definitely apply some heat protector serum to shield your hair from the possible burns and damage caused by exposure to the high temperatures.
Last but not least, work in layers. Start by curling the bottom layer of your hair, around the nape and ear area. Tie or clip up everything you can’t tend to right now; you want to make the process as easy as possible by keeping it organized.
STEP #2: Mastering the Technique
The basic process of how to curl your hair with a flat iron is to clasp a section of hair with your straightener, which you turn on itself and you slowly run along the strand. The description may be vague, but it’s only like this because different techniques can give you different end results. Some basic tips we can give regarding technique:
- Big hair sections result in looser, more natural-looking curls. Small hair sections result in tighter curls.
- Turning the straightener halfway through or all the way through will give you different-looking curls: looser ones and bouncier ones, respectively.
The best kinds of looks are a mix of all of these techniques and methods since they allow for a personalized look. For instance, try smaller, more delicate curls around your face and larger, looser ones at your back. Find your vibes!
Also using a straightener, you can achieve a wavy hair look as well.
For a tutorial that explicitly showcases the different curling techniques you can use, watch this YouTube video.
STEP #3: Final Touches
Knowing how to curl your hair with a flat iron really is as simple as this. The most difficult bit is finding out which look and, thus, technique works best for you. After all this struggle, you probably also want your curls to last, right?
To make your look long-lasting, try:
- Twisting the resulting curl around your finger a few times;
- Clipping the curl until it cools off;
- Applying hairspray right after unclasping a curl.
Wrapping Up
And that was how to curl your hair with a flat iron. Some may argue that it’s even easier than with a curling iron since there is plenty of freedom to experiment. That being said, investing in a flat iron is absolutely worth it: you can straighten and curl your hair at the same time.
