10 Tips To Make Curls Last Longer And Stay Bouncy

BY LUSETA BEAUTY
posted 06.06.2019

Getting perfect curls often looks easier than it is, and there’s a lot of tricks to help make curls last longer. Salons make the styles look effortless, but the reality is that achieving the perfect curly style takes a bit of skill and understanding in order to achieve. It can be frustrating to spend hours in front of the mirror curling your hair with a curling iron, only to notice that the curls lose their bounce and fall flat as soon as you walk out the door.

On the other hand, those with naturally curly hair know the daily struggle of having to keep your curls at bay. When taken care of (in other words, when you put a lot of work into your hair), naturally curly hair can look beautiful. Usually, though, having curly hair just means that you have very sensitive hair that needs special love and care in order to stay healthy. Below we’ve compiled ten of our best tips on how to make curls last longer and stay bouncy—for both naturally straight and naturally curly hair types.

SKIP THE CONDITIONER

Conditioner may make your hair feel silky and soft, but that may not be the best thing for curls if your hair has trouble holding styles. If you know you’re going to be curling your hair, skip out on the conditioner so your hair has more texture to it, making it better for holding curls made from heat styling tools. Since conditioner makes your hair softer, it will also make it much more slippery against a curling iron. If you notice that your hair tends to not hold a curl when it’s at its softest, this is probably why.

USE CURL ENHANCING SHAMPOO

For natural curls, our Curl Enhancing Collection is made with coconut oil and other nourishing ingredients that will help add shine, bounce, and luster to curly hair. The powerful moisturizing effects of this curl collection will enhance natural curls by providing the nourishment that curly hair needs to avoid issues like frizz and tangles.

USE PRODUCTS THAT WILL ENHANCE CURLS

In the same way that second or third day hair adds texture to your hair through the natural oils in your scalp, the right products will do it too. This trick comes in handy if you absolutely must curl your hair when it’s been freshly washed, or can’t afford to skip out on conditioner because your hair tends to stay on the dryer side. Utilizing curl enhancing products like thickening mousse’s and other gels will add the necessary texture to help your hair hold a curl much better. In particular, look for products with alcohol in them because it will help dry the hair out temporarily, giving it a harsher texture and making it easy to curl. This is one of the few times that alcohol can actually help the hair, otherwise avoid alcohols altogether.

USE THE RIGHT TOOLS

This one may seem obvious, but you would be surprised by how many people are confused when their hair won’t hold a curl only to find out that they’re not using the right tools. Using cheap hair and heat tools will inevitably damage your hair, but more immediately—they may be the reason you think your hair doesn’t work well with heat tools. Opt for a higher end curling iron and we guarantee you’ll notice an immediate difference in the quality of the hairstyles the heat tool produces.

CHECK BARREL SIZE

One of the biggest reasons people think they’re not curling their hair correctly is actually because they’re not using the correct barrel size to get the style they’re looking for. Big, sweeping curls are going to need a wide barrel curling iron. For most styles, aim for an inch or more. For tight, bouncy curls, look for the smallest barrel you can find.

LET THE CURL COOL COMPLETELY

Your hair needed heat in order to create the curl, so letting the curl fall while your hair is still warm will more than likely cause the curl to fall altogether. Let the curl cool completely before letting it fall to help it maintain its shape properly. To do this quickly, use your hair dryers “cool” setting to softly blow the heat in your hair out.

USE A HEAT PROTECTANT

This tip is recommended for all hairstyles that require a heat tool, not just for curls. One of the most common ways people damage their hair permanently is by skipping heat protectant products before styling their hair with heat tools. Adding a heat protectant to your hair before you begin styling it with any heat tool can save you a lot of time and money down the road by preventing things like split ends, burns, and other breakage.

HAIR SPRAY

Using hair spray is one of the simplest and fastest ways to help your hair maintain its curl throughout the day. However, many people skip this step because they think hair spray leaves their hair feeling crunchy and heavy—which isn’t desirable for an effortless, bouncy, curly hairstyle. If this happens, try holding the hairspray farther away from the head when applying and spray it onto the hair in a broad, sweeping motion.

CURL SECOND OR THIRD DAY HAIR

What may work even better for holding curls is to wait until day 2 or 3 before you curl your hair in the first place. Freshly washed hair is, obviously, cleaner. Giving your hair a couple of days to collect the oils from your scalp will make it grittier in texture. This will allow your hair to hold a curl much better than clean hair. It’s always a good idea to wait a couple of days in between washes anyway because your hair won’t dry out as easily when it’s stripped of its natural oils. Eventually, you won’t even notice that it’s been a few days.

LEAVE THE CURLS TIGHT FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE

Just as we said before, letting the curl cool completely before you let it fall will help it maintain its tighter shape. Take this an extra step further by pinning the curl onto your head in its rolled-up shape and let it sit until you need to take it out. This will help the curl keep its shape long-term and prevent it from falling before you’re ready. For special occasions such as a wedding or an event, this will help keep your hair from looking like it was done too early.