Model with long curly hairCurly hairstyles will always be in fashion and can give you some very feminine looks that are suitable from everything to a party hairstyle, a fun and flirty weekend look and even a wedding hairstyle or a beautiful hairdo for your prom.

The trouble with curls, however, is that more often than not they tend to drop and fall flat after a few hours. Even those with naturally curly hair can have trouble keeping their ringlets in shape and their look frizz free. But there are ways that you can ensure that your curly look lasts. Just use these curl keeping hair secrets!

If you’re creating your curls using hair rollers or a curling iron then make sure your hair has not been freshly washed. Curls will form and hold better in day old hair as your hair will not be soft and slippery.

If you have washed your locks, or you know that you’ll need extra grip to get your curls to stay, spray some dry shampoo through your hair strands for texture.

For curled locks with staying power, always curl your hair in sections and apply a setting lotion or your preferred hair styling product to each section just before wrapping your locks around your curling tong.

Model with curly updp After curling a section of your hair, wrap the curl back up and pin it against your head using hair pins and then continue to curl the rest of your hair. This will give your curls the chance to cool down while still in a curled shaped. Once you have curled and pinned your hair, leave your hair to cool for as long as possible to increase the chances of your finished result being a defined shape that will last.

Avoid drenching any finished curls with too much hairspray. Just a light spritz of a strong hold product is enough to keep your curls in place without making them crunchy or so overloaded with product that they lose their shape.

If you have to wash your hair before curling, or if your hair has a natural curl that you want to enhance, then wash your hair with a shampoo that is made especially for curly hair and use a spray in conditioner instead of a wash out conditioner to avoid making your hair too soft to curl.

Model with blonde curls If you need your curls for a big event then use a good hairstyling mousse or cream that you have used before and that you know works well with your hair. There’s nothing worse than trying a new product right before you need a great looking style and having that product ruin your curls.

Always make sure you’ve removed any excess water from your hair and never try to curl hair that is wet. Your hair needs to be dry to get the best finished result, and any moisture left in your hair will cause your hair to frizz and your curls to drop.

Add a travel size bottle of hairspray to your handbag so that you can touch up your curls and keep your style looking great when out of the house.

Curls that have been created with a large curling iron in large sections of hair tend to drop much more quickly than tighter, smaller curls. So if you want a curly look that lasts, separate your hair into small sections and create tighter, smaller curls.

Avoid touching, combing or brushing your curls once you’re happy with the way they look and your hairstyle is in place. Excessive fiddling with your curls will cause them to drop faster.

Model with braided curly hair Adding mousse and then plaiting or braiding naturally curly hair and leaving it overnight is one of the easiest ways to create a no-fuss curly hairstyle. And the best thing about this type of style is that the end result is supposed to be loose and carefree, so even if your curls drop over the course of the day, just a hint of curl still keeps your look on trend.

With these curl keeping hair secrets you should be able to create and keep any curly hairstyle. Our final secret is to style your curls into a half up half down hairstyle, updo or a side-style so that if your curls do fall flat, your hair will still look great!

To see how you'd look with any of the salon hairstyles pictured in this hairstyle article, click on each image to try the virtual hairstyle with your own photo!