3 Ways to Curl Your Hair — With and Without Heat

If you ever wondered how to curl your hair effectively, look no further for bouncy, beautiful curls full of shine. No matter if you're wondering how to create curls with a flat iron or how to get heatless curls overnight, learn the basic steps and the products that you need for effortless waves below. 

1. Using a flat iron or curling iron

Just as you'd protect your hair from the sun when you go outside, the very first step with using a product that heats up your hair is to apply a heat protection spray. The Coconut Hair Defrizzer & Heat Protector is our go-to for keeping hair beautiful. Infused with coconut oil, jojoba seed and nopal cactus, this silicone-free spray delivers nourishing provitamin B5 to create a barrier against drying and ironing. 

Flat Iron

After applying a heat protectant to clean, dry hair, clamp down with the flat iron near the root, holding the straightener vertically and away from your face. Move gently down your hair shaft, then twist your straightener 180 degrees from your face where you want the curl. The last step is to pull down your hair as though you're twirling a ribbon with scissors. That's it — repeat until you've finished curling all of your hair! After you've styled your gorgeous mane, run your fingers through your hair for an effortless, just-off-the-beach look. 

Curling Iron

Very similar in concept, a curling iron should be even easier to use than a straightener. Take a one-inch section of hair and wrap it around the barrel away from your face. Hold your hair for ten seconds, then release. For a wand without a clamp, position the curler with the tip pointing downwards and make sure to wear a heat protective glove to avoid burning yourself. If you’re wondering how to curl short hair, a curling wand with a smaller barrel will give you the most definition and control. 

Whether you use a straightener or a curling wand to define your curls, you'll want to pamper your hair with some nourishing products later. When it’s time to wash your hair, look for a shampoo formulated with strengthening biotin, keratin and provitamin B5, such as Desert Essence Anti-Breakage Shampoo. 

2. Using rollers (heatless and hot)

With rollers, you can create even bouncier curls. You have the choice between heatless rollers or hot rollers. Heatless rollers, which are usually velcro or foam, only require you to wrap your hair around a roller that comes with a clasp to secure your hair. Leave the rollers on for as long as you can to get the strongest curls — most people will keep them on overnight. 

If you’re using a hot roller, the idea is the same, although you want to first apply heat protectant spray to your hair. Take a section of hair, wrap it around a heated roller, and secure it with a clip — then, repeat. Once your rollers cool, you can take them off for gorgeous voluminous hair! For a tousled, soft wave, place the rollers vertically as opposed to horizontally. 

3. Using a headband

Heat can be tough on hair if you use a hot iron every day. Another heatless method for achieving curls is the trusty headband method. With this means of curling, you will basically wrap hair strands around a stretchy fabric headband — grab hair sections from each side of your head and weave them around the headband. Keep your hair like this overnight or for a few hours, then shake out your hair for loose, modern waves! 
Once you have beautiful curls, you'll want to keep them that way after all of the hard work you've put into creating them! To retain bounce and definition, apply Desert Essence's Coconut Soft Curls Hair Cream for touchably soft and effortlessly shiny hair.