It takes effort to curl your hair, and it can be disappointing when your curls fall sooner than you would’ve liked. Well, you’re not alone in that experience – so to help, the hair experts here at Shark are here to help you learn how to make your curls last longer.
There are a variety of reasons your curls aren’t holding. It could be your haircare, your styling routine, your hair length, or even the surrounding environment.
Curling your hair is all about focusing on what’s in your control. With a well-thought-out styling process and quality styling tools, you’ll be able to create long lasting curls. Now, read on to learn how to curl hair for different hair lengths – and dive into our five-step guide for making your curls hold.
What if your hair won’t curl?
Before diving into our curling steps– there are a few things you can do to fortify your hair. The main issue here would be hair damage, and this is something to get ahead of before placing any hot tools on your hair. To make sure your curls hold, the team at Shark have some haircare tips for you to tackle.
Nourish your hair: When it comes to styling hair, remember that healthy hair is more likely to curl. So, to impart more nutrients into your hair routine, always use a high-quality shampoo, and apply a hair mask or hair treatment for extra support.
Regularly trim your hair: Trimming your hair removes split ends, reduces frizziness, and prevents knots. If you’re growing your hair out, don’t worry – you only need to make small trims to maintain healthy growth.
Untangle your hair: Make sure your hair is fully detangled before styling. The best time to do this is while your hair is damp after a shower. Gently run a wide-toothed comb through your hair and take time to unpick any stubborn knots with your hands.
How to make your curls last longer in 5 simple steps
If you want your curls to stay put, your styling routine needs to be intentional – and Shark’s variety of haircare tools help you do just that. To find out how to use these tools to make your curls last longer, read on for our five-step guide to long lasting curls.
1. Only use shampoo
Conditioner hydrates and removes impurities from your hair. However, it does leave your hair slippery and soft, which is counterintuitive for curling. When searching for that secret to how to make curls last, sticking to shampoo alone creates a better foundation for curling – especially if you look for shampoos that hydrate, nourish, and reduce frizz.
2. Use a heat-safe styler
A heat-safe styler has two key benefits – it keeps your hair safe and it’s more convenient (opposed to using a hair dryer and curling iron). By keeping your hair damage-free, you can create long lasting curls with more volume and texture. The Shark FlexStyle is an all-in-one drying, curling and styling tool and, thanks to its pair of auto-wrap curlers, allows you to easily curl the hair on both sides of your head.
3. Choose the right heat setting
Drying your hair with the right heat is a fundamental part of knowing how to make curls last longer. Your hair is vulnerable when wet, and by applying a suitable temperature, you maintain your hair’s definition and shine. As a general rule, use a lower heat if you have thin hair, and a higher heat for thicker hair. Of course, you’ll need to understand your hair texture and type first – with this, our guide will help.
4. Create tight curls
Tight curls are long lasting curls. The key to creating tight curls is to separate your hair into multiple sections – this will ensure your curls are small and compact. When styling, make sure that your hair is evenly wrapped around your Shark FlexStyle barrel from the root to the ends. This will maximise tightness and increase the number of curls you form.
5. Secure curls in clips
It might come as no surprise that knowing how to make curls last involves (literally) holding them in place. Ahead, we’ll guide you through how to clip your curls.
- After styling a curl, wrap the curl around your finger, then remove your finger and gently pin it down with a clip.
- Repeat this throughout each section of your hair.
- Leave the clips in for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the clips and gently shape your hair with your hands.
Does hair length matter when curling?
Curls look great on all hair lengths, but styling each is slightly different. To learn how to make curls last, you need to know how to style your hair at its current length. Below, we’ll guide you through curling both long and short hair.
Short hair
Short hair at most reaches your shoulders and has the advantage of being quicker to style. With less hair to work through, you can create gorgeous long-lasting curls in just a few twists. To curl short hair:
- Wash your hair in the shower.
- Apply your preferred pre-styling mousse, spray, gel or oil to your hair.
- Dry your hair with the Shark FlexStyle – it should still be partially damp prior to styling. Using a dryer that has multiple airflow settings will allow you to apply heat at the optimal temperature.
- Select the section of hair you wish to curl and let your hair wrap around your FlexStyle, making sure your hair firmly wraps around the barrel. Hold the FlexStyle in place until the section is dry.
- Turn off your styling tool and pull downwards, releasing your new curls.
- Repeat steps four and five for each section of your hair.
Long hair
If your locks have some length, you’ve got more hair to practise with as you learn how to make curls last longer. The main difference with longer hair is that more sectioning is required and longer time blow drying. Follow the steps below to curl long hair:
- Start by washing your hair in the shower.
- Spread your preferred pre-styling product throughout your hair, distributing evenly with a comb.
- Dry your hair with the Shark FlexStyle or Shark SpeedStyle, leaving some dampness to be removed when curling. If you’d like more concentrated drying, attach the styling concentrator.
- Use clips to section your hair. Depending on the density of your hair, this may be four sections. Use your natural hair parting as a guide when you split your sections.
- Move through each section, curling individual pieces of hair in different directions for a voluminous, natural look.
- Allow each piece of hair to attach and wrap evenly around the barrel of your FlexStyle. Hold the tool in place until the section is fully dry.
- Turn off the tool and pull downwards to create a curl.
- Repeat steps five and six throughout your hair.
Learning how to make curls last longer may require a few tweaks to your haircare routine, but it’s undoubtedly worth it. For more in styling, discover how to style fine and thin hair types.
