Whether you're looking to curl your straight hair or enhance your natural wave, heat damage shouldn't necessarily be an added bonus, as you can get tight, bouncy curls and big, soft waves without a curling iron or flat iron! And it's not just about the damage - most heatless curls are really easy to do and stay on your hair longer.
Do you want to know how to curl your hair without heat? Watch compilation of video tutorials and read step by step instructions.
#1: Easy Heatless Curls With Socks
Wrapping the strands around the sock results in loose curls that are all the rage right now. Plus, a simple trick lets you use the same tool—yes, your sock—to secure the bun, so no pins or hard surfaces will disturb your sleep. Here are the method steps:
- Wet or wash your hair and wait until it is almost completely dry. You can place wet hair on a microfiber towel and shake it back and forth.accelerate drying.
- Tuck the hem of a sock close to a section of your hair and start wrapping it around it, moving towards the toe part.
- Tie the wrapper in a knot and secure with the cuff. Repeat the same process with other sections.
- Wait until the hair is completely dry and remove the socks. Better yet, sleep with the soft buns and get ready to wake up in the morning to beautiful, bouncy curls.
- Put a few drops of oil in your hands and separate larger sections without running your hair over them.
#2: Heatless Spiral Curls Using Curlformers
Lockenwicklerhave become a popular option for curling your hair or playing with your curl pattern, as the tool gives you very even spiral curls. Each set includes rollers (usually two colors with alternating strands wound clockwise and counterclockwise) and a hook. Don't worry, the application process is easier than it looks!
- Start with freshly washed, damp hair. For best results, also apply some curl defining cream to wet hair.
- Push the hook into a hair roller and secure a section of hair close to the scalp.
- Hold the styler close to the scalp and take the hook out of the tube - this will get the strand inside. An important tip is to do small sections; If you feel uncomfortable applying it, you've probably taken too big a section.
- Tousle your hair or wrap it in a scarf and let the curls sculpt overnight.
#3: Heatless Curls with a Robe Tie
TikTok hair trendsmade this method a real success in recent times, and now there is hardly a blogger who has not yet tested its effectiveness. The comfort of sleeping in a robe tie and the wow effect make this method one of our favorites. also if you wantcatch beach waves, this method may be the most suitable. How to do this:
- Lightly dampen your hair or use a styling spray before starting.
- Part your hair down the middle and make sure it is also parted at the back. Then put the tie band on your head (you can secure it with a clip if it slips).
- Work on one side of the head first. Take sections of hair from each side of a tie and wrap them around the tie in opposite directions. Gradually move downward adding lower sections of hair as you go and French braid.
- If your hair has a natural curl, wearing the tie for a while is enough to form beautiful curls. Otherwise, sleep with the tie on and enjoy perfect, heat-free curls in the morning.
#4: Loose curls with a Silk Heatless roller
Roshpomsxevidently took the core idea of the robe tie method and took it to the next level, offering a silk-coated roller that reduces hair damage overnight. if you like the waydigital permsLook, you'll love the method too. See what to do:
- Mist your hair or start with damp, freshly washed curls.
- Place a flexible roller on the head and secure it to prevent slipping. Make sure you keep the same length on both sides.
- Wrap the hair around the roller and away from the face. Start with the top sections and gradually add new hair as you go down.
- Secure the ends with an elastic band (included in the kit) and lie down.
- Let go of the hair and run your fingers through it. A voluminous look with trendy soft waves is ready!
#5: Flexible rods for tight curls overnight
This method gives very lively corkscrew curls; provided, of course, you work in small sections and use small diameter rods (0.3 inch flexible rodsmight work better here). Keep in mind that you will need a lot of rods, so a pack of a few rods of each diameter will not help you here. See what to do next:
- Start twisting small sections of hair around the sticks and secure them close to the scalp, tucking the ends of the sticks. You can dampen your hair for best results. Be sure to wrap the section along the length of the post, not in multiple layers.
- Throw a hat or scarf over it and go to sleep.
- Take the sticks out of your hair and mash them with a little hair oil or a styling cream.
Flexi wands also work great forvery short curly hair. If you want to curl a pixie, comb and curl your hair in the direction you want it to go.
#6: Soft curls with great curling irons
If youchemically straighten hair, it's never a good idea to use heat to add a different curl pattern. Heatless curls save the day. If you want soft, flowing curls, use a pair of large curling irons (like the 0.7- or 0.78-inch-wide wands that come inthis package) will be a great option:
- Divide the hair into four to five sections and wrap each section around the stick and secure them close to the scalp by tucking the ends of the stick.
- Put a hat or scarf on top and go to sleep.
- Take the chopsticks out of your hair and separate the strands of curls by running your fingers through your hair. Apply some light oil or cream to smooth flyaways and add shine to your tresses.
#7: Braid Wet Hair Overnight for Heatless Curls
Braiding your hair to bed makes it wavy in the morning, nothing new around here. If you want a really impressive result that lasts all day, here's the recipe:
- To start with hair that is very damp but not dripping wet, wash your hair and remove excess moisture.
- applymonth air drying creamorDo not screw it upby Bumble and Bumble for perfect air drying without bubbling.
- Make two Dutch braids and go to bed to let your hair dry overnight.
- Defined curls in 5 to 6 hours, so one night's sleep is enough to see some stunning, bouncy curls in the morning. You might give in to the temptation to wear sassy Dutch braids for one more day before switching to curls.
#8: Wrap your hair with toilet paper rolls
We know it sounds a little weird, but toilet paper rolls can give you beautiful, voluminous curls without heat in an hour or less. You have to see it to believe it! Here is the guide:
- Start with freshly washed, towel-dried hair and add your favorite styling cream.
- Take some toilet paper rolls, wrap strands of hair tightly around each roll and secure with a safety pin or barrette.
- Let the hair dry naturally and remove the clips with the rollers. Spray your locks if you want better hold, or simply apply a few drops of hair oil to the ends.
If your hair islow porosityand it takes forever to dry naturally, let it dry naturally while you do your chores, then use a hair dryer to dry it completely. Finally, the medium heat of a hair dryer is not as harmful as using a curling iron and applying heat directly to your hair.
#9: Rope Twist in a Bun Method
The rope twist method is possibly the easiest way to curl your hair overnight. This is where you twist the hair around itself (no robe or no heat curlers) so the curls are tighter. Also, the ends are tightly curled, which looks very cute. Here's what you need to do:
- Start with slightly damp hair and preferably a curly product in it.
- Part your hair down the middle and start tossing your hair back on one side. Grab one bottom section at a time and release the section you grabbed earlier to add more hair underneath and bring it back to the bobbin.
- When you reach the nape of your neck, divide your hair into two sections and wrap them around each other. Then twist it into a knot and secure with an elastic band.
- Do the same twist on the opposite side and fall asleep. In the morning, simply twist your hair up and scrunch it with a little water or oil.
#10: Curls overnight with a headband
Another useful way to curl your hair overnight is to wear a headband:
- Start with slightly damp hair. If your hair becomes frizzy when drying naturally, apply a mild air-drying product.
- Put on a headband (if you look like a hippie, you're right).
- Grab a section at the front, then place your thumb and forefinger under the band to secure the section and pull it under the band.
- Take the same section and a little more hair and repeat the process. Continue twisting the hair around the headband, moving towards the back of the head.
- If you have long hair, wrap it around the band several times until there is no hair left, secure the ends with barrettes and go to sleep.
- In the morning, loosen the locks and comb through to create loose, flowing waves like the ones below.
#11: Finger coils with straws overnight
Okay, we can achieve both loose and tight curls using a variety of heatless methods. But what about finger coils? This is also possible thanks to an unexpected tool - a plastic straw! Here is a step by step guide you can follow:
- Start with semi-dry hair and spritz it with water every now and then to keep it damp.
- Wrap a small section of hair around a straw as if using a wand. When you're done, fold the straw and secure it with a rubber band or bobby pin. Repeat the process, alternating winding direction, until there are no more sections.
- Leave the straws on until your hair is 100% dry. It's perfectly fine to sleep through straws, but wrap your hair in a scarf first.
- Remove the straws and separate the hair. You will be shocked to see perfectly bouncy spiral curls!
#12: Bantu knot for heatless curls
Another way to curl your hair without heat is to sleep in Bantu knots – a very protective hairstyle for natural hair.
- Start by parting the hair and twisting each section back on itself until it forms a tight bun at the section. Secure the bun with an elastic or bobby pin.
- If you don't start with damp hair, spray the knotted buns liberally when you're done.
- A normal next step is to put on a hat or scarf and go to sleep. However, as it's not the most comfortable way to sleep, it's best to let your hair dry in bantu knots during the day if you don't need to go outside.
- Roll the strands and separate them with your fingers and a few drops of hair oil.
As you can see, there are so many cute ways to play around with heatless curls. From flexible sticks to straws and Bantu knots, the possibilities are endless. Take a break from the heat and try one of these tutorials for happier, healthier, curlier curls.
Featured image aboveInstagram
FAQs
How do I force my hair to curl? ›
Air dry or diffuse wet hair. Encourage your locks to develop a natural wave by air drying about 90% of the way, then blow-drying with a diffuser on the lowest setting while cupping sections of hair in the palm of your hand and scrunching upwards. Use a curling iron on stubbornly straight strands.
What is the sock curl hack? ›...
Let's get curling!
- Make sure your hair is clean and damp. ...
- Brush your hair through. ...
- Divide your hair. ...
- Secure the socks. ...
- Weave each section of hair around the socks. ...
- Tie it off. ...
- Repeat for every section of hair. ...
- Leave to dry completely.
Puberty, menopause and pregnancy all cause hormonal shifts that can make your tresses go from straight to curly hair. In fact, 40-50% of women experience major changes in their hair while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Can I train my hair to be curly? ›There are two ways to train your curls: finger coiling or twisting strands of hair together. This is a personal preference; experiment and do what works best for you! I usually leave the deep conditioner in my hair for 45-60 minutes. I found that it is best for me to use a protein treatment.
Why is it impossible to curl my hair? ›“If there is still moisture in the hair when you use a curling iron, it will not curl as well, and the curls will eventually drop out,” says Huffnagle. To make sure your hair is fully dry before you curl it, blast it with cool air from your blow-dryer, then run your fingers through.
Why can't I make my hair curly? ›Your hair is too clean
Clean hair just doesn't have the grit and hold as hair with a little oil in it. Curls work best on second or even third-day hair. If you need to be clean, you can add dry shampoo to your hair before you curl to give it some texture and volume.
They wash their hair with shampoo and conditioner, apply leave-in conditioner and curl cream, and brush through. They then dunk the front of their hair into a bowl of water, lift their head up, and squeeze the product back into a bowl. They repeat this process over and over on both sides.
How do I get the prettiest curls? ›- Always comb your hair from the bottom up. ...
- Get regular trims to avoid split ends. ...
- Use product "cocktailing" to define and hydrate curls. ...
- Or opt for a one-step hair hydrator. ...
- Don't weigh curls down with too much (or too heavy) product.
- Reduce Hair Washing. ...
- Use a Wide-Toothed Comb (instead of a brush) ...
- Let Your Hair Dry Naturally. ...
- Try sea salt spray. ...
- Avoid anti-frizz products. ...
- Use Curl Enhancing Products. ...
- Try Hairspray. ...
- Condition your hair (here comes the co-wash)
- Dry your hair upside down. This technique adds volume to your locks, which is needed to attain a fluffy “do”. ...
- Try hot rollers. ...
- Wash your hair with a volumising shampoo. ...
- Use dry shampoo. ...
- Tease your hair. ...
- Hair diffusers are great! ...
- Invest in styling products that work.
How do you make a curl activator at home? ›
- 1 cup of hot water.
- 1/2 teaspoon of gelatin.
- 1 tablespoon of 100 percent Aloe Vera gel.
- 8-10 drops of geranium oil.
That's right, the plastic utensils that are stocked in your kitchen, can be used as curly hair-styling tools. Straws are a great alternative to hot curling wands that often don't create super-tight ringlets, if that's what you're going for.
Can you curl your hair with paper straws? ›Working in small sections, gently wrap your hair around a straw. Using a bobby pin, clasp both ends of the straw together to secure the curls. Let your hair set anywhere from two to 24 hours. Finally, you're ready to take out the straws and unveil the perfect ringlet curls!
How can I curl my hair without heat all day? ›When using heatless hair curlers, we recommend leaving the curler in your hair for at least 6 hours or 7 - 9 hours overnight. When hair is left in a curling position for a prolonged amount of time, the curls are more likely to last and stay.