We’ve all had those moments where we’ve found the perfect hairstyle for a big event, a "new me" look or a hairstyle trend we’ve just got to copy, and then tried to re-create that look at home only to have it fail spectacularly. While not all of us can be professional hairstylists, mastering curls, waves and salon straight locks can be done at home, all it takes is a little heat styling know-how…
Hair Roller Tricks
Choose the right rollers for you. If you’re good at rolling your hair up and you don't have naturally wavy hair or curly or frizzy locks then give Velcro rollers a try. If your hair tangles easily or you find that no matter how hard you practice, adding self adhering rollers into your hair just ends in knots (and tears) then stick to heated rollers which have a smooth surface.
Start with smooth hair. If your hair isn’t naturally straight then get it smooth with a blow-dryer before adding your rollers. It’ll make setting your hair much easier and your final result more polished looking.
When using any type of hair roller always wrap your hair up smoothly and tightly.
If you’re using hot rollers then always allow them to cool for as long as possible to set and keep your style.
A setting product and heat protection spray should always be added to your hair before your begin setting your rollers. Spritz your locks with the hair styling product of your choice while your rollers are heating up to allow it to settle and absorb into your hair.
The final hot roller tip, no matter your hair type or hair texture, never use a section of hair that is wider than the roller you’re using or so thick that it’ll take forever for your hair to dry and set.
Curling Iron Tips
When curling, always start with clean, dry hair and make sure you’ve added a heat protector first.
To get the right curl you’ll need to style with the right sized barrel. The larger the barrel, the larger the curl and vice versa.
Curl from your roots. If you’ve always curled by wrapping your ends in the curling iron and then rolling the iron up to your roots then it’s time to do the opposite. Wrapping your ends first means that the heat from the curling iron goes straight into your ends (which could damage and singe them) and not into your roots, which is where the heat is needed to create a great curly hairstyle.
Once your curls are set and styled into place, leave them alone and try to avoid touching them again or you’ll risk flattening out your curl or causing hair frizz.
Hair Straightener Hints
Most hair straighteners available today allow you to adjust the heat of your straightener so that you can set the heat to work with your hair type. If your straightener has it, use it! Styling on the highest setting (unless your hair is extremely thick or curly) will only damage your hair. If the aim of straightening your hair is to get sleek, glossy locks, then constantly straightening at a high setting will make that virtually impossible because your hair will be too damaged to shine.
The number one rule when using a hair straightener is to always, always, always separate your hair into sections first. Working in sections is the only way to get a professional looking result and a style that will last.
When working with your hair straightener, always pull the straightener slowly through your section of hair. If you run it through your hair too quickly (for example, in a similar motion to running a hair brush through your hair) then you’ll need to go over the section numerous times to get it straight. By going over it slowly and smoothly only a few times, you’ll get a better result and limit hair damage.
Like any other heat appliance, always use a heat protection product while straightening your locks to protect your strands and help create a nice, smooth finish.
Our final tip for heat styling goes for straighteners, curlers and rollers, and it is to make sure that you don’t use too much hair product before or after styling. Too much product will not only ruin your look, but also waste all the time that you spent styling your hair!
With that tip, and all the other hints in mind, you should be able to use your heat stylers to create a great hairstyle!
To find a hairdo to re-create with your straightener, curling iron or rollers, take a look at our range of hairstyles today, and don't forget to upload your photo to see how the 'do will look on you!
