Curls for DAYS!

It feels like FOREVER that Sis and I have been growing out our hair together.  Remember a couple years ago when she decided to get a super cute pixie cut?  Yeah.  Since just a few months after that.  FOREVER! It's been a good long while since I had short-short hair like that -- mine has been somewhere between my chin and shoulders for years.  Secretly I've always wanted it long.  I've been tortured every time I go on Pinterest and see all the gorgeous long hair with perfectly beautiful, effortless curls.  Even if I could get my hair to grow past my shoulders, I knew it would never look like that.  First of all, I don't have a good hour a day to spend on  my hair {like I did in high school}.  Not gonna' happen.  Secondly, my hair won't hold curl anymore, so even IF I DO spend an hour curling it, it will be flat and stringy looking by mid morning.

Sis's hair is the same way.  We've tried everything under the sun to create lovely curly locks with very little success.  Heatless methods tend to be unpredictable -- what works one time can turn out awful the next and then you're stuck with this ugly hair all day because you put all your eggs in the sock-bun-basket, so to speak.  Plus, our hair is super thick so it doesn't always dry overnight when it's all wound up.  Hot rollers were a no-go.  I could never get the hang of flat-iron curls so they just looked frizzy and fell out quickly.  Then, one day on a whim, I picked up a cheap little ¾-inch barrel  Conair curling iron at the grocery store -- the grocery store of all places! -- and started playing around with it.  Wouldn't you know, I figured out a way to curl my hair in about 20 minutes that lasts, I kid you not, THREE DAYS!

I'm sure this isn't anything new, but I had never curled my hair this way before and I have certainly never gotten this kind of results so I am hooked!  You won't believe just how easy it is.  Sis is being my model for this post and showing you how it's done:

Divide your hair into two layers, parting it just above your ears, and clip the top section up out of the way.  If your hair is thin you may not have to do this.

You actually make the curl just like a flat iron curl, but using a curling iron instead.  Take a small section of hair and clamp the curling iron on in about the middle of the length of it. {I like to curl my hair in about 1-inch sections.  If you go smaller your curls will be a little tighter and if you take a bigger section, they'll be a little looser.}  There will be a "tail" of hair sticking out the end.  With the hair clamped inside, turn the curling iron one full rotation {as shown in the photo}. 

Hold the curling iron with one hand and grab the tail of the piece of hair with the other hand.  Pulling the tail taut, slide the curling iron UP the length of hair until it is close to the scalp.  Then, keep holding the tail of hair as you SLOWLY and gently pull the curling iron toward the end of the hair, until the whole piece has been around the barrel and is curled. Use your thumb to control how tightly the clip is holding the hair.  Depending on how long your hair is, it should take 20-30 seconds to run the barrel of the curling iron down each length of hair.   

You'll end up with a ringlet that is curled from root-to-tip.  {Sorry! This picture isn't very good.  I don't think the curling iron was hot enough yet.  You get the idea though, right?  Long ringlet.  OK.}

Continue taking sections and curling until all your hair is finished.  Once you finish the bottom section, just take out the clip and work on the top section.  Spray it lightly with hairspray and allow all the curls to cool completely.  Comb through it with your fingers to break up the ringlets and you're all set.  I usually back comb the roots a little bit for some volume, but the less you do to it, the better.  On the second and third day, the curls loosen up {which I like better} and I just spray the roots with my favorite dry shampoo.  If I have any sections that are too straight, I just touch them up with the curling iron and it looks brand new.  

I am loving wearing my hair curly, but I love even more that I don't have to blow dry.  That was the thing I always dreaded the most about getting ready for the day.  I wash my hair at night now and put a little heat-protectant cream in it while it's wet then let it air dry throughout the evening and while I sleep.  In the morning I curl it, which only takes about 20 minutes, which is a lot faster than my old blow dry and flat iron routine.  On days two and three, I put it up in a bun or shower cap while I shower to keep it dry.  

You just have to look at my pretty daughter one more time:

I mean, the hair is cute, too, right?  Do you have a favorite go-to hairstyle?  Share your tips in the comments!

Have a great day, friends!

amy