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11 Tips to All Day Curls Without Damaging Your Hair

If you long for big bouncy curls that last all day, you’ve come to the right place!  We know how frustrating it is, to have your curls drop the minute you step out of the house.  Today we’re going to share with you 11 of our top tips and tricks to get your straight or wavy hair, hold a curl for longer!

Healthy Hair = Happy Hair

You don’t have to damage your hair to create beautiful long-lasting curls. What many women don’t realise is that the moment you damage your hair cuticle, it is very difficult to revert it back to its original natural state.  Here at Cordina Hair, we are always encouraging healthier, hair styling options to avoid unnecessary damage and breakage.

Understanding your Hair Structure and Why Curls Drop

If you have straight or wavy hair, the natural structure of your hair is meant to be straight or wavy and not curly.  When your hair is temporarily curled, it can only last so long, this is because your hair wants to revert back to its natural state ASAP! That being said, there are certainly some techniques that you can use, that will help slow down this reverting process.  So, let’s begin!

#1: When's best to Curl your Hair?

It doesn’t matter WHEN you curl your hair, but HOW you curl it!  Many hair gurus recommend waiting 2-3 days after washing your hair, as ‘’dirty hair’’ tends to hold curls better.  We feel that curling hair should be more spontaneous, and we don’t think it’s necessary to allocate a time.  From our experience, we feel that the tips mentioned below are sufficient enough to hold a curl for longer.

#2: To Skip or Not to Skip Conditioner?

We’re not sure about you, but we prefer soft, healthy looking curls rather than dry ones! We don’t believe in skipping conditioner either. Shampoo is excellent at removing grease, dirt and natural oils, which can leave your hair feeling dry and coarse. Healthy moisturised hair is easier to manage and you don’t have to put your hair under stress to enjoy a long lasting curl.  We also recommend applying hair oil to your strands after hair washing, to keep your hair nicely moisturised and to form a protective layer around each hair strand, which will in turn help prevent hair breakage. 

#3: Use Heatless Hair Styling Options over Curling Wands

Leaving your hair to curl overnight will not only encourage longer lasting curls, but you are also avoiding all the heat damage from using heated hair curling tools.  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.  So, if you have pin straight hair or wavy hair that struggles to hold a curl, a heatless hair curling option will certainly be more suited for you. 

 

In this hair curling tutorial, we are using the Flower Curl overnight hair curler, which is not only quick to set but it is also comfortable enough to sleep in every night if you wanted to. 

Flower Curl by Cordina Hair

#4: Do Not Curl Hair When Wet or Damp

Curling damp hair should never be attempted and is never a good idea.  It certainly won’t encourage longer lasting curls and you’re more likely to end up with frizzy hair, a bunch of split ends and broken ends!  Whether you are using curling wands or heatless hair curlers, curling your hair when damp, can really damage the structure of the cuticle, leaving your hair looking brittle, coarse and broken.  

 

If you’re using heatless curlers, we recommend to start off the process with completely dry hair to help avoid unnecessary breakage.  Wet/Damp hair may also not dry properly when curled overnight.  

#5: Lightly spritz a Little bit of Water to Completely Dry Hair

Important: You only need a little bit of water, so your hair should not feel wet or too damp! 

 

This tip is highly effective if you’re after all day curls.  The heatless curls will also come out more defined and bouncier looking, which will take longer to drop, allowing you to enjoy the curls for longer!

When to spritz: We recommend to lightly spritz a bit water to the length of your hair before using a heatless hair curling method.  Then leave the curler in for a few hours or overnight. 

#6: Use the Right Hair Spray

Hair Sprays exist for a very good reason - to hold hairstyles!  With so many hair sprays available on the market, it can be very difficult to determine which one to go for. We have tested numerous hair sprays and found that strong hold sprays work best when it comes to holding the curls for longer. A little bit of hair spray is all you need; you don’t want your curls to feel crispy and heavy. Use a strong hold hair spray on tight curls and let it sit for a few minutes before opening the curls / styling them.

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#7: Pin up the Curls

After spraying some hair spray on the tight curls, pin the curls back up for a few minutes or until the hair spray is set. The curls are still tight and pretty bouncy at this stage, so pinning them up, will really help to encourage a longer lasting bounce!

#8: Don’t Brush out Your Curls

Instead of reaching for the brush, open the curls with your fingers. You might want to do this by having your hair tossed forward. Gently break up the curls by running your fingers through them and scrunching them up as you go along. Your curls may appear tighter and bouncier than desired at first, but this technique will help the curls to drop at a much slower rate, which means you get to enjoy the curls for longer!

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#9: Do Not Apply Too Much Product

Adding too much hair spray, mousses and creams can really weigh your curls down and instead of having long lasting curls, you’ll end up with crispy weighed down curls. We recommend keeping it simple and not applying too much product to your hair.  Your hair should feel light and bouncy and you should be able to run your fingers through your hair without having your fingers stuck in the curls!  Many setting hair products include alcohol which can be very drying and damaging to your hair, use these with care and do not over-do it. 

#10:  Put in the Effort for Best Results

Whether you’re choosing a heatless hair curler or a curling iron, a quick job with no real effort put in, will only give you half of the results you’re after. If you’re curling your hair with heat, the faster you go, the looser the curl.  If you choose heatless hair curling options, following the instructions and dedicating some time to the task, will ensure you end up with a nice hair curling result.  If time is an issue for you, make sure you check out the Flower Curl overnight curler, as it only takes a few minutes to set and is an excellent choice for busy women!

#11:  Don't Play with Your Curls!

Now that you've got your curls all set, you can't seem to stop running your fingers through them! Over touching your hair can make your scalp feel oily and your ends dry.  Fiddling with your curls will make them drop faster, so it's best to keep your hands away from your hair.  Put your hair up in an easy half up half down hairstyle to encourage longer lasting curls. All you need is a pretty hair clip to show off those gorgeous curls!

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