How to Use a Curling Iron for Perfect Curls

It is not a secret that a woman’s hair is her glory.

Different hairstyles exist, and one of them is curling your hair. There are several ways of making curls. You can make curls with hair rollers, fingers, flat irons, and much more. 

This article will expound on how to use a curling iron for perfect curls.

Choosing the perfect curling iron

It is quite tricky to get the perfect curling iron for your hair.

First, you need to consider certain things, like the kind of curls you want to achieve.

The type of curling iron you want, a wand curling iron or a clamp curling iron, an automatic curling iron, and of course the price of the tool.

If you desire loose curls, it is ideal for curling irons with a barrel size of about one inch. However, if you desire tighter and smaller curls then go for curling irons with a three-quarter barrel size or even less. 

A wand curling iron is a literal wand. It does not have a clamp. The hair is wound around it and held in place for the curls to form.

This curling iron is unlike the other curling iron with a clamp. It is much easier to use as the hair is just wound around it and held in place with the clamp for the hair to set. 

You should also consider the type of material used in making the curling iron because ceramic irons reduce frizz in the hair. 

Suppose you don’t like the idea of manually winding your hair around a curling iron. In that case, you should consider going for an automatic curling iron. 

Finally, compare the price of different curling iron and choose the good one you can afford. Here are the best flat iron curling iron combo reviews.

Step-by-step guide on how to curl your hair.

Here is the step-by-step guide you should follow to achieve perfect curls:

Related: How to Clean a Curling Iron

Wash your hair

Like every other thing relating to hair, you cannot go wrong with freshly washed hair. Washing is the first thing to do before any hair care routine. It removes the build-up of oils and dirt and gives a generally good feel. 

Using a generous helping of shampoo, wash your hair thoroughly rubbing the scalp to eliminate traces of dandruff, sebum, and dead cells. 

Use conditioner generously to detangle and reduce the frizzy appearances of the hair. 

Apply hair mousse to your wet hair. Mousse is ideal as it adds volume to the hair. 

Drying

Allow your hair to air-dry till it’s just damp. Apply heat protectant, and then using a bristle brush, run through the hair while blow-drying. It helps loosen tangles and straightens the hair to an extent.

Even though you applied a heat protectant, use the blow dryer at a low temperature to avoid damaging your hair.

Sectioning hair

Hair sectioning is the next step. You should section your hair into smaller parts: the thinner the sections, the more perfect the curls. The thickness of the hair sections will also depend on the type of curls you want to create. 

Heat testing

By now, your curling iron should have been plugged into a power source and let to heat up. Test the heat by gently winding a section of your hair and waiting for the result. It is ideal to do this at the lowest temperature and then calmly go higher. 

Curling your hair

It is an essential step. After you take the steps above, then you can now curl your hair. You should start from the hair roots and not just the hair tips. Do this through all the hair sections.

Loosening the curls

After the hair has been gone through and perfect curls created, shake your head from side to side gently but firmly. It helps loosen out the curls and gives a more natural finish.

Setting the curls

Unlike flat-ironing which is set by tying with a silk scarf, hair curls are set by spraying over with a setting spray. 

Related: How To Use A Curling Iron With A Clamp

How to use a wand curling iron 

Section the hair. The smaller the hair section, the tighter the curls, and the bigger the hair sections are, the looser the curls.

You should properly position the wand and hold it in hand opposite the hair being worked on.

Gently wrap the hair around the wand and hold it in place for about 15- 20 seconds. Gently unwrap to see the beautiful curls created. 

The hair should be curated in a counterclockwise direction on the left side and clockwise on the right to create a natural look.

How to use a curling iron with a clamp 

Section the hair into small or large sections to facilitate the curls. 

Place your hair between the curling iron and clamp, and it should be at the root of the hair. 

Close the clamp of the hair curler when it’s at the tips of the hair, gently close the clamp firmly.

Wrap the hair and then wait for about 15-20 seconds before removing the hair gently to reveal the curls.

How to use an automatic curling iron

An automatic curling iron saves you the stress of having to wind the hair around itself. Although it resembles the clamp curling iron, it does not precisely function like it. They help produce even and stunning curls. 

Section your hair. It’s easier to work with small hair sections than voluminous ones. 

Use the iron to grip the ends of the hair and then press a button. The curling iron will rotate side to side and make a beautiful work of your curls. 

Repeat the process until all the hair sections are covered in curls, and then gently remove it and observe your bouncy curls.

Conclusion

Many people might have wondered how to use a curling iron, the type and brand to buy and what generally constitutes a good curling iron. We have answered all your questions in this article.

However, note that you should only curl your hair once a week to avoid hair damage due to excess heat.