Curling already curly hair with a curling iron aims to enhance your natural curls, defining them or creating a different curl pattern. It's not about creating curls from straight hair.
Enhancing Your Natural Curls
To curl curly hair with a curling iron, focus on techniques that define and reshape your existing curls, rather than creating entirely new ones. The goal is to achieve a smoother, more polished look, or to change the curl pattern slightly.
Choosing the Right Tool and Technique
- Curling Iron Size: Select a curling iron barrel size that complements your natural curl size. Larger barrels will create looser waves, while smaller barrels will produce tighter curls. Experiment to find what works best for you.
- Heat Setting: Use a lower heat setting than you would for straight hair. High heat can damage curly hair, which is generally more fragile.
- Sectioning: Divide your hair into manageable sections before curling. This ensures even heat distribution and prevents overlapping curls.
- The Curling Process: Wrap small sections of hair around the barrel, holding for a few seconds. As demonstrated in the provided video reference, gently pull the curl off the wand, giving it a slight stretch to allow it to cool and set. Avoid pulling too hard, which could cause damage. Let the curl drop naturally to achieve the desired look.
- Product Use: Apply a heat protectant spray before curling to minimize heat damage. A curl-enhancing mousse or cream can further define your curls and add hold.
Examples of Techniques
- For tighter curls: Use a smaller barrel curling iron and wrap the hair tightly around the barrel.
- For looser waves: Use a larger barrel curling iron and wrap the hair loosely.
- To create volume: Curl sections away from your face at the crown for lift.
Remember to allow your curls to cool completely before touching or brushing them, allowing the style to set.
