The Ultimate Beauty Guide

1. IT ALL STARTS WITH YOUR HAIR CUT

I’ve always known thick, blunt ends won’t hold a curl, and that long layers work best for beach waves, but it wasn’t until I read how to make your curls stay by Hair and Make-up by Steph that I realized the health of your hair plays an important role, too. In fact, the more damaged and split the ends of your hair are, the harder it will be to curl your hair.

2. CUT BACK ON THE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

We all know that unwashed hair holds a style better than freshly washed hair (right?), but did you know that cutting back on the hair conditioner can also help your hair hold a curl better? No? Neither did I! All Woman Stalk tells you all about this, and more, with her tips to help you curl pin straight hair!

3. INVEST IN A GOOD DRY SHAMPOO

On the days when you’re skipping the hair wash, a little dry shampoo will do wonders in adding some volume and getting rid of any excess oil. I prefer Oscar Blandi’s Pronto Invisible Dry Shampoo Spray, but there are heaps of other options. Check out this awesome list of the top 10 dry shampoos by BIRCHBOX to figure out which one is the best for you!

4. ADD SOME TEXTURE TO YOUR HAIR

My hairdresser swears by Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse, but I’ve used lots of other (cheaper!) alternatives from our local drug store, and I’ve never had any issues. Just make sure to read the labels and find something that suits your hair type.

5. PROTECT YOUR LOCKS

Before you bust out the curling iron, make sure to apply a heat protector to your hair so you don’t damage it. I really like Frizz Ease® Heat Defeat® Protecting Spray by John Frieda, but I highly recommend checking out this list of the best heat styling products by totalbeauty.com to find the one that’s perfect for your locks.

6. MAKE SURE YOU’RE USING THE RIGHT CURLING IRON

For years, I always thought the 2″ barrel curling iron was the secret to sexy, curly hair, but after spending some time over on The Beauty Department, I finally know what size curling iron I should use. And guess what? After switching to a 1 1/4″ Curling Iron, my curls look better AND last longer!

7. USE THE RIGHT TECHNIQUE

I don’t know about you, but I need to see something in action if I have any hope in heck of figuring out how to do it. And that’s why I love Beauty High. They compiled this awesome list of the best YouTube curling hair tutorials, which are full of awesome tips and tricks to teach you how to curl your hair and make it last!

8. START FROM THE TOP

I always thought it made sense to clip my hair into different layers, and start curling it from the bottom up. That’s what I do when I straighten my hair, so it just seemed like the natural thing to do. But when I told my hairdresser this, he almost died of laughter before showing me how much easier (and quicker!) it is if you start from the top and work your way down. Live and learn, I say!

9. CRACK OUT THE BOBBY PINS

If I could only give you ONE piece of advice about how to get your curls to last, it’s this: roll each fresh curl around your finger, fasten it to your head with a bobby pin, and then, when all of your hair has been curled and pinned, spray with hair spray, leave for 10 minutes, and remove the curls one by one. It takes me LESS time to curl my hair with this method, and the end result is always bouncier curls that last all day long.

10. NEVER FORGET THE HAIR SPRAY

Always lock in your look with hair spray. I prefer NEXXUS Comb Thru Finishing Mist, but before you grab a bottle, check out this list of the 8 best hair sprays by Real Simple. And don’t forget to grab a small bottle for your purse – you’d be amazed at what a little spray can do to revitalize your curls at the end of the day!