How to Curl Hair With A Flat Iron

If you’re fond of curling your hair, but feel like it just may be too formal for the occasion or what you’re wearing — or, if you ever wondered how to get wavy beach curls in 15 min. max — girl, I got you.

I’ll tell you how to be cool and contradict society (wait no, kidding)… By showing you how to curl hair with a flat iron, which, many of you know, is supposed to straighten your hair. Super easy, and quick!

All you’ll need is a hair clip to section your hair and a one-inch wide flat iron. I think this looks the best; it produces very naturally, flowing waves. While the same rule about a curling iron’s barrel size correlating with the size of the result curls (the smaller the barrel, the tighter the curls) applies with using a straightener, I suggest not to go lower than one inch. I tried for my senior prom. Girl, it was a hot mess.

But if you want, you can try. If you aren’t going out that day.

Step One

Turn the straightener on. Start with dry, clean hair. Unwashed hair, even if it’s only been 24 hours, usually holds a lesser curl than clean hair will. It’ll curl, but they’ll likely fall flat much faster. Section off your hair. I like to do it the half-up, half-down style — meaning, you start with your thumbs placed behind either ear, and drag them under your hair to meet in the center. You basically want to draw a horizontal line across the back of your head with your thumbs. Then, lift up and grab; all the hair that’s in your hands, you tie up or secure with a clip. The thin layer left down is the first layer you start with. Do it this way, so you don’t neglect any strands when curling.

Step Two

Grab a small chunk of hair, hold it taught, and clamp your straightener onto it at the point where you want the curls to start. If you want them to start at the top of your head, start at the top, and if in the middle, start in the middle.

Now, still clamped onto your piece of hair, flip the straightener outwards — that is, rotate it outwards — 180 degrees. Then slowly, still clamped on, pull down and out.

You should end up with a cute little pigtail curl! Now, just repeat that all over your head, layer by layer. Vary the thickness of the strands (so long as it’s reasonable — if too think, it might not work as well) so it looks more playful and not so uniform.

I can easily wear it out without feeling too dressy, but you can by all means I’m pretty sure you can wear these curls to a formal event, too. These casual curls can go either way.