How I curl my hair! (with a video tutorial!)

Learn how to curl your hair with a curling iron in 10 minutes. This video tutorial shows you how + what products to use so your curls last all day (or multiple days)! A curling iron is easier than a flat iron and you don’t have to spend a ton of money to find a good one! 

I’ve attempted to curl my hair with a flat iron and it’s just a total disaster. But, I find it super easy to use a curling iron so I stick with that method. Plus, it gives a more polished look vs. beach waves, which I generally prefer.

There are two videos – one with shorter hair and one with longer hair. I use the same method no matter how long my hair is – the only thing that changes is the size of the curling iron.

For longer hair, I use a 1.25″ barrel. For shoulder length or shorter, I use a 1″ barrel. It really makes a difference!

How to curl your hair with a curling iron in 10 minutes!

You can see my IGTV video with a sped-up tutorial here.

My hair products

I show in the video a few products I use, and I also linked them below. Some of the hair products that I use have changed since I filmed the first video when my hair is shorter so the below list is the most current that I use (and what is shown in the first video).

They’re listed in the order that I apply them.

• Beautycounter Shampoo & Conditioner.  I use a tiny amount (dime sized for shampoo, nickel sized for conditioner) so my hair isn’t weighed down with too much product.

• Beautycounter Volumizing Mist – I apply to damp hair, including at roots

• RUSK wired flexible styling cream – This is also applied to damp hair, just on the lower half of hair — not at root. Tip: use just a small amount – a little goes a long way. Too much will make your hair greasy.

Then I blow dry my hair and curl it. After I curl and let the curls curl for a few minutes, I apply the following.

• kerastase volume in powder spray – applied at roots and then use fingers to massage into hair to help lift at the roots

• Kendra Slickening Gloss  – just on the lower half of hair to smooth it out and add shine

• Davines “This is a Dry Texturizer” – adds a little bit of hold and separation to the curls

Both the blowdryer and curling iron were recommended by my hair stylist, and I love them. And especially I love the price point on both since I didn’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars on either one!

• Blowdryer

• Curling iron 

• Alligator clips. I’ve since ordered these since filming to help pin up my hair as I do the layers and they’re great. I don’t always use these.

A few pointers when curling your hair

I prefer curled hair loose ends and curls not too close to the root, which is why I clasp it with the curling iron near the root and never curl from the bottom.

You’ll notice how the ends of my hair stick out just a little after I wrap it around the barrel. That gives it a little more natural look by not tucking the ends into the iron.

Always turn the barrel away from your face so it curls away, which helps open up the hair for a fresher look. When you’re curling the back, curl a few pieces in the alternate direction so they don’t all clump together.

I grab somewhat large sections of hair to make it go quickly and so it’s not overly curled. Then, I go back and get pieces that are too straight and curl them separately. That also helps keep it natural-looking so all the curls aren’t exactly the same size and/or perfectly curled.

Here are a few pics of how it looks finished!

My skincare and makeup routine are both listed in detail here.

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