How to curl your hair with straighteners is one of those curious beauty questions that gets asked again and again. Why? Because if you can get the technique right, you can transform your hair straighteners into curling tongs without having to splash out on another hair tool. Genius, right?
We promise, once you’ve got the simple technique down it’ll be the easiest way to add everything from luscious ringlets to cool girl waves to your hair without reaching for the curlers.
In the meantime, while we’re still students, we called upon the expertise of pro hairstylist and Creative Director at John Frieda, Zoe Irwin, to teach us how to get the perfect curls with a pair of hair straighteners (without looking like a throwback bridesmaid). The queen of understated but innovative hair, as well as holding the title of ghd UK Brand Ambassador, Irwin knows a thing or two about making your hair straighteners work harder.
Read on for all the pro tips and tricks for how to curl your hair with straighteners and make one hair tool a 2-in-1 situation…
How To Curl Your Hair With Straighteners
- Take a piece of hair and hold the straightener at a diagonal angle in the hair.
- Rotate the straightener 180 degrees whilst running down the length of the hair and then rotate again, running the straighteners down to the end of your hair.
- Lightly pull the end of the curl down to get a looser finish.
- Repeat!
What are the pros of curling hair with straighteners instead of tongs?
Sure, we’re big fans of our hair straighteners but why not just use a curling tong to get the job done? ‘Because the hair passes through both plates of the straighteners (there is a plate either side) hair is left smoother and with more shine,’ says Irwin. ‘I feel that because of this the curl lasts really well,’ she continues.
How can you use straighteners to get different types of curl?
The genius bit about curling your hair with straighteners? You can create endless amounts of different looks. Whether you’re going for a loosey goosey cool girl wave or a DIY take on a modern perm, your trusty straighteners can achieve a multitude of looks. The key is in the technique.
If you do the same motion as before but whilst lifting the hair up, you’ll get a tighter curl,’ explains Irwin. ‘If you do it running down the hair, you’ll get a looser curl. Two types of curl with one pair of hair straighteners. Now that’s what we call multi-tasking tools.
Is curling your hair with straighteners bad for your hair?
Luckily for curl lovers everywhere, the answer is no. ‘In actual fact it has been proven that because the straightener closes the cuticle, it actually can prevent wind damage and further broken ends,’ says Irwin.
‘So if you use a heat protect cream or lotion and don’t curl your hair more than once a day, it’s completely fine for the strength of your hair. I use GHD Heat Protect Spray or Color Wow Kale Cocktail which will give a bit of a shine and strengthen hair whilst protecting it from the heat.’
