Curling Short Hair || How I do it & What Products I Use

As someone with naturally straight hair, I've always wanted lovely wavey/curly hair. When my hair was longer, I would curl it and they just wouldn't hold. It'd look lovely for the first half an hour and then after that, they'd slip out and my lovely straight, limp hair would return. However, when I cut it all off, everything changed. So I thought I would share how I curl my short hair and what products I use - as I know it's something that can be a bit of a pain to nail. 

VO5 Heat Protect Styling Spray 

I've been using heat protectant spray for a long time now, my hair is rather fine so putting heat on it can cause quite a bit of damage if I'm not careful. I always make sure to spray this onto my hair before using any kind of heat, it has heat defence up to 230 C and leaves your hair feeling soft and with a lovely shine to it. Plus it's budget-friendly and lasts ages! What more could you want? 

I do have to have my straighteners rather hot when curling my hair, so I try not to do it too often. But knowing that this VO5 spray is giving my hair some kind of protection, makes me feel a bit better about it. I also make sure to use hair masks often, your hair can dry out quickly making it more fragile, so don't forget to look after it. 

The Remington S3500 Straighteners 

I watched so many YouTube tutorials on curling your hair with straighteners and they all made it look so easy, yet when I tried it, the curls just wouldn't come out. I always ended up with just a weird kink in my hair. That was until I got some new straighteners, turns out my old ones weren't hot enough. I know GHD's are supposed to be amazing, but honestly, I don't have the kinda money to spend that much on a pair of straighteners. Especially when there are other ones out there that do the job for half the price. 

I've been using these Remington ones since my mum got them for Christmas and I "borrowed" them and they've been doing an excellent job. They have an adjustable heat thing on them too, so when I want to straighten my hair I just turn it down as my hair doesn't need much heat for that. If you're struggling to curl your hair with your straighteners, you might want to see if getting a new pair helps. 

I split my hair into three layers and curl each one separately, I've found that doing this gives my hair more volume rather. If you want more defined curls, I'd suggest getting smaller chunks of hair when curling. The larger each curl, the less defined they are - at least they are for me anyway. 

Wella Shockwaves Ultra Strong Power Hold Hairspray

After I've curled a layer, I apply a generous amount of the Wella Shockwaves hairspray to keep my curls in place. This is a really strong hairspray, so I don't tend to use it if my hair is straight as it makes it rather stiff - Which is great for the curls and when my hair is up. 

Once I've finished curling all of my hair, I run my fingers through it, sort any wild curls out and then apply a bit more hairspray. It holds them in place all day and can easily be brushed out if you want. 

Wella Shockwaves Sea Salt Texture Gel Spray 

I don't know where salt spray has been all my life but I LOVE it. Oh the difference this would've made when I was a teenager and wanted Joan Jett style hair but my straight and flat hair refused to play ball. This styling spray is perfect for adding a bit of volume for to your hair and it also contains UV protection, which is perfect in the warmer months. 

I mainly use it when I curl my hair to give my curls a messy effect and add some volume. However, it's also perfect for just spritzing on your hair when it's straight to give it a beachy effect and add some life to your hair. I do find that I have to be careful with how much I apply of this though, one spray too many can leave my hair feeling rather mucky and itchy. 

It doesn't take me long to curl my hair now I've got the hang of it and I can make it last two days if I whack my hair into some french plaits before bed. In the morning I let it down, fluff it up a bit, curl any odd strand that needs it and I'm done. A lot of the time I can't get both sides to look the same, so I just clip one side back to make it look like it's intentional. 

I hope this post helped you if you're trying to curl your hair, I feel your pain. It took me years to actually nail it and it also took my cutting all my hair off - But it was worth it.