Answer Regarding: Make My Hair Curl, DAMNIT!

Kimberly said...
Sooo, I have a dilemma (though you kind of already covered it for wavy hair..) My hair is pin-straight.. as in you curl it with a curling iron and 1 minute later, it looks like I ran a straightener through my hair. Any suggestions for when I feel like having a wavy or even curly hair day?

Jessica Leigh said...

Kim -

There a various options that all depend on your circumstance.

A) If you have 24 hours notice...

*Sleep with rollers in. Use a nice sponge roller like Conair's Sponge Soft.

These rollers are easy to use, and don't cause tangles or weirdnesses when you wake up. Use a light mousse or curling gel before putting them in damp hair. These little devils are comfortable to sleep in, and come in at a reasonable price of $3.99 at either Walmart or the Conair website.

B) With 10 hours or less notice...

Use a heavier mousse or gel - preferably Graham Webb's Making Waves or Paul Mitchell's Sculpting Foam in damp hair. When hair is approximately 50%-75% dry, wrap sections of hair around your finger and bobby pin against the scalp. This will need to either be slept on, or left to sit for at least two hours, so make sure you have the proper amount of time to accomplish this. If not, continue on.

C) With 2 hours or less notice...

This is gonna cost ya...both in effort and price. For most pin-straight hair (and believe me I know!) you will need a great product and a fantastic iron. Go with either of the products mentioned above, or at the very least a heavy-hold mousse from your local CVS (try Tresemme's Curl Care Bouncy Curls Defining Gel - Extra Hold). Once the hair is dry, pile hair on the top of your head and take no more than 1/4" sections to a CERAMIC, high-heat curling iron (my favorite being the Conair Infiniti Tourmaline -> gets up to over 395 degrees!) After EACH section is curled, spray with a hair spray of your choice - of at least AVERAGE hold. If you're looking for flexibility in this equation - try Finesse and go for the aerosol NOT THE PUMP! One last thing to consider - while the appeal of large, bouncy curl is obvious, the tighter you curl (smaller curling irons, less than 1"), the longer it will hold. Keep in mind, you hair is bound to fall a bit regardless of what you do - it's in the genes - better to look like Shirley Temple for an hour before going out with fabulous hair, than to lose that beautiful look when you walk into the bar.

I hope this helps!
Jessica