5 Things You Need to Know Before You Curl Your Hair
This weekend, my sister and I went to an antique shop in a nearby neighborhood.
Browsing the dozens of shelves and displays, I came across a freaky device. It looked like something out of a mad scientist’s laboratory.
The shop owner said It was an old hair-curling machine, the kind they used back in the 1900s.
Seeing it made me smile...then breathe a sigh of relief.
No doubt about it:
When it comes to creating marvelous, long-lasting curls, we have truly come a long way.
"Women used to put themselves through a real ordeal to get beautiful curls”
But even with new tools that put salon-quality curling power in the palm of your hand…
...you can always count on professional stylists for that extra expert spark...to make your curls and waves even brighter, bouncier, and more vibrant!
That’s why we asked some of today’s most innovative and celebrated hairstylists:
“What are your top secrets for creating eye-catching curls and waves?”
And what they shared is sure to help you take your curl-crafting game to the next level!
SPRAY BEFORE YOU CURL
A senior stylist for LA’s Spoke & Weal Salon, Javan Stone says one of the major mistakes women make when curling at home is saving the hairspray until they’re done with the wand.
He says only spraying after you’ve curled increases the risk your curls will lose their spring before the day is through.
Stone suggests spraying with a light-hold hairspray before you apply the curling wand to your tresses. This will give your hair an added volume and hold boost, making it that much easier for the wand to lock in those curls.
He says this tip is especially important for hair that’s resistant to holding a curl.1
In that case, it’s best to pair your spray with a titanium-barreled wand. Their strong heat conduction packs the right styling punch for naturally hard-to-curl hair.
PRACTICE YOUR CRAFT
When you purchase any tool or appliance, it’s a good idea to practice with it before you put it to use.
According to Lucy Flora, a stylist at New York’s Frederic Fekkai Soho, that includes your curling wands.
So, whether it’s tight ringlet-style curls or looser beachy waves you’re after, Flora recommends a few practice runs with the wand turned off before you try styling your hair for real.
Not only will this added expertise and comfort give you more protection from burning yourself…
...it will also ensure you’ll have enough skill with the wand to always give your hair the curls you desire!2
HOW YOU HOLD YOUR WAND MATTERS
In addition to getting comfortable with your curling wand, it’s also important to know how to hold the wand for the curls you want.
This pro tip comes courtesy of Jen Atkin, who has become such an indispensable part of the Kardashians’ beauty team...her likeness even shows up in a Kardashian-themed video game!
Atkin’s key curling wand tips include:
- Hold your curling wand vertically to create loose-flowing beachy waves.
- If you’re after tighter, springier curls, hold your wand horizontally; this also works for the sharply curving style Atkin calls “the Hollywood wave.”
- Wrap the hair around the wand in one-inch-wide sections for the most attractive curl.
- ...And don’t be afraid to use multiple wands in one styling session; different wands are often designed for different styling effects, and your look can incorporate them all!3
TRY A FLAT IRON FOR SLEEK-LOOKING WAVES
You’ve probably noticed in the last few years, it’s much more common to hear a certain styling tool referred to as “flat irons,” rather than by their previous name, “hair straighteners.”
That’s because of a hot tip stylists have known for years:
Flat irons are great for more than straightening your hair!
In fact, a properly designed flat iron, like L’ange’s curved-edge Le Revé, offers a dynamic, easy-to-use way to create cool, soft beachy waves.
Anthony Cole agrees. A stylist with Christian Siriano’s Sebastian Professional salons, Cole has found a unique way to use a flat iron to create curvy waves that really shine!
To craft this look, you simply bend your hair’s sections into an “S” shape, then clamp the flat iron’s plates over the “S” to create a bend that holds.
Continue this process all the way down the length of your hair...and you’ll have sinuous “S”-shaped bendy waves that last all day!4
SOMETIMES, TRUST THE CLASSICS
It’s true: Modern-day curling wands can be a big step up from the freaky contraptions of the past.
But Cervando Maldonado, a Suave Professionals stylist who’s worked with The Big Bang Theory’s Kaley Cuoco, isn’t afraid to trust his star client’s look to a classic styling tool:
Good old-fashioned hair rollers.
Maldonado especially appreciates how rollers can help you create extra-volume curls without the often-risky practice of teasing.
“Rollers create height,” Maldonado says, “and a fluffier, softer texture in your hair that backcombing cannot create.”5
So, to enjoy full-bodied all-day curls, without the hair damage teasing can cause…
...you might want to pull those old rollers Mom gave you out of the closet. Turns out, they just may come in handy!
As you can see, even with the added ease and flair of top-grade styling tools like our L’ange curling wands and flat irons…
...you can always count on the unique insights and vision of a pro stylist to help you get even more out of your curls.
That’s why we’ll be sure to keep bringing you our L’ange PRO TIPS.
Because truly terrific hair is NEVER going to go out of style!
CITATIONS
- Gustashaw, Megan. “The 7 Biggest Curling Iron Mistakes You're Making-And How to Avoid Them.” Glamour, Glamour Magazine, 6 Jan. 2017, www.glamour.com/story/biggest-curling-iron-mistakes-youre-making.
- Hayes, Miki. “14 Secrets Hairstylists Wish You Knew.” Bustle, Bustle, 19 Apr. 2018, www.bustle.com/p/14-secrets-that-hairstylists-dont-usually-tell-you-61887.
- Images, Vanessa Carvalho/Brazil Photo Press/LatinContent/Getty. “Secrets From Kim Kardashian's Hairstylist.” The Cut, www.thecut.com/2015/07/kim-kardashians-hairstylist-on-hair-secrets-jen-atkin.html.
- Cardellino, Carly. “6 Flat Iron Hacks for Flawless Waves.” Cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan, 6 Oct. 2017, www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/how-to/a52634/flat-iron-hacks/.
- Pai, Deanna. “11 Hair Secrets Only Celebrity Stylists Know.” Glamour, Glamour Magazine, 1 Mar. 2017, www.glamour.com/story/hair-tips-from-celebrity-stylists.