How To Prep and Get Big, Bouncy Curls

By: Mary M.

I curl my hair almost every day because I have straight, flat hair that doesn’t do what I want it to. When I curl my hair, it’s like a ritual; it’s relaxing and prepares me for the day ahead. This is how I curl my hair, and the products I use to get the voluminous, flirty look.

I start off with fresh, clean, dry hair. I usually avoid curling dirty hair because it turns out flat and greasy. I softly comb through my hair with a wide tooth comb to release any tangles. I squirt a little bit of Pantene Pro-V No Crunch Curl Whip in my hand and distribute into the ends of my hair. You’re supposed to put this in damp hair, but I think it works the same in dry. It moisturizes and makes my curls bouncy and soft. Next, I give my hair some volume by teasing the crown and putting in some volumizing spray like Paul Mitchell Volumizing Spray Root Lifter.

Since I don’t have much hair, I only separate my hair into two sections: the top and bottom. I clip the top up and begin curling with my Remington T-Studio Silk Ceramic 1-1/2 in. curling wand. Starting with the left side, I take a section of hair about 1 inch wide, then, turning the barrel of the wand down, wrap the piece of hair around. I like to leave about an inch of my hair unwrapped at the root and the ends. It gives the curl a more relaxed, wavy style. I hold it for about 10 seconds and gently let the curl fall. I continue this all around my head until the bottom section is completely curled. I spray it very lightly with It’s A 10 Miracle Super Hold Finishing Spray. After the curls cool, I get that section out of the way by pulling it into a very loose ponytail. I unclip the top section, brush through it, and curl it the same way.

Once I curled the top section, I take the bottom part out of the pony tail. I shake my head a little to let the curls gather and flow together. To build volume, I put all my hair to one side and tousle it at the roots with my fingers. I repeat that with the other side. Because my hair is frizzy, I spread some John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Finishing Crème through my hair, careful not to flatten the curls. To finish it, I spray my whole head in the same hairspray as before and lightly comb through the curls with my fingers.

My curling ritual takes about 20-30 minutes and lasts the entire day. I recommend all of the products I use because I have been using them for a long time and they have never failed me. That’s how I get my cute, long-lasting curls!