If you have always dreamed of having bouncy curls but were born with straight hair, you can easily get the look you want with a curling iron. Here are some instructions to help you get beautiful curls.
Your hair should be completely dry before you curl it. Using a curling iron on damp hair can create steam that can scald your hair.
Let the curling iron heat up before you use it. Start out at a low temperature setting and experiment to find the temperature that works best for your hair.
While the iron is heating up, brush your hair to remove any tangles. This will help you prevent damage.
Spray your hair with a heat protectant spray before you curl it. This will keep your hair from becoming dry and frizzy.
You will get better results if you separate your hair into sections. Use pins or a clip to hold up the top section of your hair. Release the upper section after you have finished curling the bottom. Using larger sections of hair will give you bigger and looser curls. Curling smaller sections will give you tighter curls.
Wrap a small section of hair around the curling iron. If there is a clamp near the handle, open it and put your hair at the lower end of the barrel near the handle and close the clamp, then wrap the entire section around the iron and stop rolling an inch from your roots so you do not burn your scalp.
If your curling iron is a wand without a clamp, start near the top of your hair and wrap your hair around the iron with your hand. Hold the end of your hair in place as it curls.
Hold the curling iron in place for about 10 seconds to allow the hair to heat up. The exact amount of time needed will depend on the curling iron and the temperature. Let go of the hair to release the curl. Repeat with the rest of your hair.
If you want soft, loose curls, you can run your fingers through your hair or turn your head upside down and fluff the curls. If you brush your hair, the curls will turn to waves. Apply hairspray if you want to make your curls last longer. Do this after you have curled your hair to avoid damaging it.