Shop for curling irons online or at beauty supply or department stores. A larger 1. 25 in (3. 2 cm) thick iron is best to use on hair that’s past shoulder-length. Using a thinner iron may not curl all of your strand each time you roll it up.
If your hair is fine to medium thickness, or is color-treated, set your iron to 200 °F (93 °C) or below. For thick hair, you can set the temperature to 200–300 °F (93–149 °C).
If you have an iron with a clip, you’ll probably want to wrap your hair from the bottom, making sure to clip the very end of your strand in the same direction as you are wrapping the strand up. If you have a wand iron, you can start either at the top or bottom of your hair. For looser waves, start toward the top wherever you want the waves to start and wrap your hair around the wand, leaving a bit of hair out at the ends. For tighter curls with a wand iron, start winding at the bottom and use the upper parts of your hair to cover the ends and keep them close to the iron.
For looser curls with less volume, wrap each strand of hair in your iron vertically, and hold the iron in a vertical position.
You can always go back and redo a curl if you find that it’s not holding well. Try applying more mousse or hairspray to that strand before re-curling it.
You can leave your curls pinned up as you finish curling the rest of your hair with your iron to save time and keep those finished curls out of your way.
If you have very fine hair, be sure to get just a thin layer of spray on your curls. Your hair won’t need much spray to hold it, and too much spray can actually weigh fine curls down and make them come out. Try an anti-humidity hairspray if you live in a warm, humid climate to keep your curls in when you go outside.
Release your hair from the sock-bun in the morning and spray it with hairspray to get your curls to hold. You can purchase sock-buns at beauty supply stores or online, or make your own by cutting the toe out of a sock and rolling the sock up into a thick circle. Keep in mind that a sock bun works best with long hair.
In the morning, undo your braids and comb your fingers through your hair. Apply volumizing hairspray to get the curls to stay. For tight waves, divide your hair into many sections and make 6 to 10 small, tight braids when you braid your hair at night. For loose waves, braid your hair into 1 or 2 braids to sleep in.
Some rollers come with securing clips, which are often easier to use than bobby pins or other hairclips overnight. Others are bendable and you can simply bend them to keep them in place. Unroll your hair from the rollers in the morning and spray your hair with hairspray for curls that last all day.
Remove the buns in the morning and watch your curls unfold. Spray them with hairspray to make them last for the day. You can make the buns as big or small as you like; use more hair in each twist for bigger buns and looser curls, and less hair in each twist for small buns and tighter curls.
Some stylists will not apply perms to hair that has been colored or chemically treated at all. Call ahead to find out the perm policies at your salon. Perms can sometimes cause your hair to look lighter in color. Talk to your stylist about whether or not this is a possibility on your hair type. Remember that perms last about 6 months, depending on your hair length and texture. They don’t really fade out, they have to start to grow out.
Browse pictures in style magazines or online to get more ideas for the types of curls you’d like. It’s even better if you can bring a picture in to the salon with you. Your stylist will be able to tell you how your hair type will hold different types of perms.
Digital perms only work on thick hair. They produce looser wave-like curls and not ringlets. The overall process of a digital perm takes about 3-4 hours and is more expensive than cold perms. Digital perms potentially cause less damage to your hair than cold perms, and you need less styling products to help keep the curls in place.
While cold perms are less natural-looking at first, they do relax a bit eventually. You have to use curl-enhancing products more frequently on a cold perm, but the overall process is shorter and more affordable.
Use curl-enhancing shampoos, conditioners, and styling products on your permed hair. Use a conditioner containing protein to help your hair recover nutrients lost during the perm process.
If you got a cold perm, apply curl-enhancing cream or solution to your hair while it’s still damp and allow it to air dry. Avoid heat drying or straightening your hair with a flat-iron when it’s permed. Too much heat can damage permed hair.
If you’re a swimmer, wear a swim cap to protect your perm from chlorine until the perm eventually grows and falls out.
If your hair grows fast, the top will probably begin to straighten and the bottom curls will look looser over time. Most perms last about 6 months before they begin to fall out completely.
