Since ancient times curly hair has been something that despite the years has never gone out of fashion. From ancient Rome to 2021, it is arguably a timeless trend, so it is no wonder that there are so many different ways to keep your hair this way. The fusion of cultures that has been going on in the world for many years has been the driving force behind the different trends in history, so it is difficult to know exactly where the inclination to wear hair in waves originates, but it is known that there are many devices for this purpose from ancient times that are still used today in more modern ways, these vary depending on the need and style, as well as the length of the hair and its method of care.
No-heat curling irons
Heatless curling irons offer a less aggressive alternative for hair care and have always been a practical and relatively quick way to get that wild mane style you love so much. They consist of elongated tubes about 10 cm long, made of plastic, their shape depends on the brand manufacturer but they all have the same purpose.
This model is used by taking strands of hair whose thickness depends on the size of the wave you want to achieve; the thicker the strand the more spaced and longer the wave and the smaller the tighter the loops, these locks are carried around the roll and held with pizzas or hair clips for at least half an hour to maintain the effect it is recommended to apply hairspray after removing them.
Within this same category also enters curling iron shaped like a headband, its design consists of a tube or roller 39 cm long and 1 cm thick or more, covered with silk to prevent abuse. It is placed during the night so that the hair is rolled around it, then it is fastened with two integrated ponytails, when removing it you can apply fixative if you prefer. It is a good method to get waves if you don’t have much time in the morning.
On the other hand, there are fabric and foam curlers, which are ideal for thick and unruly hair. They consist of a small foam tube wrapped in fabric, about 7cm long. Easy to use, they can be used by taking strands of hair, of the thickness you prefer, to wrap them around or take them in circles to the base of the hair and hold them with the ends of fabric, does not require the heat of any kind and is comfortable to use. It should be noted that the plastic and elastic hair tie versions are a slight variation of this model and their mode of use is the same.
Soft foam curling irons also provide excellent results when it comes to creating a good hairstyle with waves. These are flexible rollers 2 cm wide and 7 cm or more long, which are wrapped around the hair and held in place by bending the tube upwards, obtaining a firm but soft hold.
Plastic curling irons are the most common items used in the beauty field and their use has taken root in our society due to their ease of use and low level of abuse to the hair fibers, their low cost compared to electric curling irons is also an advantage. Many also consider it an appropriate way to start in the world of hair beauty, as they are simple to use, do not carry risks, are ideal for young and inexperienced people, and are highly recommended for those who have some fragility in the hair but that does not stop them to show off a good hairstyle.
● Thermal Curlers
Interchangeable Cylinder Wands
However, if you want to achieve a more professional look the best option is electric curling wands. One of the favorite curling wands are the curling wands, some premium models provide an integrated wand version that comes with a complete kit, which according to its brand, has several interchangeable cylinders or brushes that adjust to the user’s needs, providing customized curls.
Unlike the simple wands, these allow for different types of waves and more styling possibilities. It is ideal to achieve professional results from the comfort of your home without the need to go to the salon. From loose waves to tight curls in a matter of minutes, the different cylinders provide the ease of achieving the desired waves.
It is used by taking small portions of the hair and wrapping it around the cylinder, lightly pulling the strands so that it is tight to the cylinder while holding the end of the hair for a few seconds. These particular curling wand models include some cylinders with an integrated clamp that does not require holding the hair, just rolling it. It is advisable to use a protective cloth glove to avoid burning your fingers, although some brands come with it included, it is also possible to purchase them separately.
The advantage of these products is that it is easy to achieve a lot of volume and body in hairstyles, its versatility and easy handling, which although it must be careful due to the risk of burns, is very useful and the results are ideal.
Thermal rollers
These are a variant of the traditional plastic rollers and are used in the same way, taking medium sized strands and bringing them to the root of the hair to later secure them with tongs or the integrated clip, however these rolls come in a special thermal kit and must be previously heated and then placed. This model has the advantage of allowing mobility while the heat is applied, it saves time because you can do something else while your hair is getting ready to shine. However, it must be taken into account that these curling irons provide a specific type of wave and its variations in terms of hairstyles are more limited than with other electric models. On the other hand it is advisable to apply moisturizers to prevent the ends of the hair from being affected by the intermittent heat.
Automatic styler
This is a model, mostly rounded in which the hair is introduced and this is stretched, heated and rolled automatically, these curling irons have a sensor that emits a sound when the lock is finished, so its use is limited to introduce the hair into the object and wait for it to finish. Some of these tools also come in the form of a cylinder that reminds the common thermal wands but with the difference that they have small clips around where the hair is held and rotates around the thermal.
These models are recommended for people with straight or semi wavy hair mostly because wavy hair is very difficult to achieve a good result contrary to the natural, should also be used in long hair because you can run the risk of burns both the scalp and hands.
Pearl Styler
This simple but practical design consists of a curling wand with an elongated, irregular cylinder with a continuous circular design, resembling a string of pearls. This curling wand is intended for voluminous mane looks with wide curls, ideal for thick hair and semi-wavy or straight hair. Its use does not vary much from conventional wands, but the objective is to tighten the hair around the spheres to achieve wide curls or between the spheres to achieve spaced waves. Its two modes of use allow for a variety of styles since you don’t need to resort to other curling irons or methods to achieve more volume and just like a conventional wand you can achieve simple waves or semi-waves in an easy and practical way.
Curling tongs
They can be used for both short and long hair, ideal and practical if you constantly change hairstyles and you like to experiment, it is used in a simple way as any curling iron, it differs for being smaller and portable; it is recommended to have at hand thermal gloves to avoid burns. It is very convenient for short hair as its size facilitates the work and you can curl scalp wax without fear because of its compact shape and narrow cylinder.
Steam curling iron
It is a relatively modern item, which leaves good results, mostly positive for the hair. It consists of a cylinder inside a small cabin designed to emit steam, the hair must be rolled in the cylinder carefully and then wait for the device to do the rest, results are achieved quickly and easily. This model, unlike other heaters, avoids severe damage and helps to avoid frizz. It is recommended for long and semi-long hair because it is difficult to use with short hair. On the other hand, it is ideal for straight and wavy hair, but not so recommended for curlier hair because it tends to damage it.
Triple cylinder curling iron
It is a wand model that consists of three cylinders parallel to each other, it is considered a professional instrument and is a little difficult to use but provides more than satisfactory results in a short period of time because it reduces the waiting time. Due to its shape, more hair can be processed at the same time to achieve a fast look.
This machine is more specific for mostly tight and spaced beach wave style loops. Its three barrels are made of ceramic and tourmaline, some brands include keratin to avoid severe damage to the hair fiber, so you don’t have to fear for the integrity of the hair.
Curling Wand
This version is composed of a curl shaped embossed cylinder in which the hair is wrapped for more defined waves, its use is extremely simple and like the pearl molding cylinder has two modalities, the hair is taken between the curl shaped spaces to achieve an accentuated curly effect with tight waves, or it can be used so that the hair is rolled around the curly defined surface to achieve waves with volume, thick and well formed waves.
This curling iron provides versatility when creating eye-catching hairstyles, it is recommended for use on long hair because the barrel is usually wide and elongated, so using it on short hair can be detrimental. On the other hand, it is advisable to use thermal gloves as this curling iron does not come with an integrated clamp and there is a risk of burns.
Contrary to the belief that electric curling irons damage the hair, the current production of these items suggests that they care a lot about the user, since most of the wands are made of ceramic, and sometimes ceramic with tourmaline or other elements that favor hair care. However, this does not mean that frequent use of these devices will not cause long-term damage because heat is still being applied. The best way to prolong these fabulous curls is to use fixatives to maintain the effect of the curling irons without having to use them several times a day.
Temperature for styling hair
The temperature at which we curl our hair is important when it comes to using this type of product, as not all hair types are the same and therefore have different needs and different reactions to the heat of the straighteners. An example of this is that type A hair will need less heat to be styled than type C hair. Because they are different types of hair strands. This is not about speed, but about taking care of our hair from temperatures that it is not suitable to receive, avoiding accidents such as unnecessary burning or hair loss due to dryness. In any case, we recommend that you use a hair protector even when you are using low temperatures, as it avoids all these kinds of problems.
The material of the barrel
This is important because of the type of temperatures our hair can withstand. Besides all this influences the cost and quality of the product. Among the types of curling barrel we can see:
● Ceramic:
It is one of the most common to use when we talk about heat tools, even in irons. They are excellent for distributing heat evenly and quickly, so we do not need to wait for it to heat up. They also have the characteristic that they provide negative ions, so the hair will be protected from frizz or unnecessary burning.
● Titanium:
It is a high conductor of heat so it stabilizes it in a better way, it also gives negative ions and its duration is quite long because it is a quite hard material to work with. Its surface is smooth and also avoids problems such as frizz and frizz. It is highly recommended for curly or afro hair, since they have a better heat conduction.
Most of the curling irons that we can easily find in the market have a barrel made of metal or easy to find materials such as aluminum. And an outer layer, which is coated with the materials described above. The economy is based on the inner barrel, so make sure that the curling iron you are going to buy is made of the material you wanted.
The price also affects the quality of the product, and one made of metal or aluminum may be cheaper but will last much less time than one made of titanium. Plus it will create uncomfortable pulls that can even cause headaches and is not anti-frizz.
Choosing the barrel shape
We also need to take into account the shape of the barrel we are going to use, as they can show different types of waves in the hair (Although it also influences the type of hair we are going to curl) If we want to have a specific curly style, we need to have this type of barrels in mind:
Cone-shaped barrel.
It is one of the best as the curls are exact, perfect and with a similar structure each one. It makes big and wide curls, although this depends on how you place your hair in it. It is able to reach very close to the scalp without burning our heads so the curls will look as if you have this type of hair naturally!
Straight barrel
This is the basic curling iron that we get everywhere. It is usually made of metal materials and helps the hair to maintain uniform curls at the bottom of the hair, making quite nice curls. It is very different from the round barrel, which makes less exact and more natural waves.
Natural remedies for curling hair:
Pineapple mask
Ingredients:
- Boiled water
- Freshly chopped pineapple peels
- Vanilla essence or vanilla sticks
Step by step:
We need to bring the pineapple peels to a boil in a wavy pot, with enough water to barely cover them. We are going to put it there over medium heat for about half an hour until the water turns a yellowish color. Then we will let it cool naturally and strain out the pineapple residue. If we have a spray bottle at home, we will put the liquid there and spray it on our hair, from the roots to the ends. We will leave it there for about half an hour and then remove it.
Although we can also use it as a fixing gel, so if you need to keep it wavy you can leave it in your hair and with your fingers from each curl independently. This way you will achieve defined curls with a pleasant smell.
Cucumber and egg mask
Ingredients:
- Eggs
- Coconut oil
- Cucumber
● Step by step
We will take a container and place two egg yolks and one egg white. We are going to get enough foam out of it manually with a whisk, and then we will apply that foam in a blender along with the cucumber and some coconut oil, as much as you prefer.
After blending it well and having a heavy mixture, we are going to wet our hair completely and we are going to place our result of the blender in the middle of our hair, up to the ends.
Contrary to the belief that electric curling irons damage the hair, the current production of these items suggests that they care a lot about the user, since most of the wands are made of ceramic, and sometimes ceramic with tourmaline or other elements that favor hair care. However, this does not mean that frequent use of these devices will not cause long-term damage because heat is still being applied. The best way to prolong these fabulous curls is to use fixatives to maintain the effect of the curling irons without having to use them several times a day.
