How To Curl Hair Extensions: A Complete Guide

by BRENDA L. / JUN 6, 2022

Reading Time: 7 Minutes

Index

    Curling your hair as it is can sometimes be a real pain - how do these celebrities and Internet stars make it look so easy? - but don’t worry, once you understand the mechanics of it, you’ll be able to get those bouncy, glossy curls - just as seen on TV!

    Can Anyone Curl Their Hair?

    Given that you have enough length to achieve the type of curl you’re looking for, the answer is: yes. Some hair types may need some extra care when wrapping around the curling wand and some others may need to undergo other styling processes before - but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be curling your hair every now and then, if you’d like to try!

    Can Curling Your Hair Damage It?

    Unfortunately, if your hair is not naturally curly and you often resort to heat-based styling techniques, curling your hair can do quite the damage to your locks. Always make sure you apply some heat protectant spray on your strands when working with high-temperature styling tools, such as flat irons and curling wands.

    Can I Curl Short Hair?

    Yes, absolutely. Depending on how short your hair is, you can use different techniques. Keep in mind that using a curling iron or wand on very short hair (such as pixie cuts) is not recommended, but you can play with the frontal length of a bixie cut, and create soft waves and curls on other lengths such as the bob haircut, the lob and so on.

    Can I Curl Hair Extensions?

    Yes, you can. Curling hair extensions works the same way as curling your natural hair. You can style your attached hair with a curling iron, a hair straightener, a waver and more.

    Should I Buy Curly Hair Extensions?

    Buying pre-curled hair extensions is a good decision only if the hair extensions’ texture exactly matches your type of curl - or if you’re planning on adding just a few pre-styled strands to an intricate hairstyle, as it often happens in more sophisticated looks such as wedding hairdos. To identify if curly hair extensions match your hair type, get in touch with our experts!

    How To Curl Hair Extensions

    If you’re familiar with styling your hair, curling hair extensions is just as simple. If you’re wearing clip-in hair extensions, always remember that it’s easier to style them when you’re actually wearing them. Always be gentle when handling your hair, whether it’s your natural tresses or attached human hair strands. Usually the process is pretty simple: grab a small section of hair, wrap it around the curling wand (making sure the hair lays flat against the iron surface), hold for a few seconds (usually around 8 to 10), then let it cool down and - if you’re satisfied with the result - finish with hairspray.

    How To Hold Curls

    If your hair is naturally silky and smooth it may be tricky to make it hold on the curls. Luckily, there’s quite a few options that you can try. The first step is, obviously, hairspray.

    Setting your curls with hairspray will help them hold on to their bouncy shape for longer. Depending on the type of curls that you’re looking for, there may be different products that come in handy when it comes to styling, such as mousse or texturizing sprays.

    Can You Curl Hair Without Heat?

    Absolutely yes! There’s different ways to curl your hair without resorting to heat-based styling tools, and the most popular options are:

    • Wearing braids overnight
    • Using Velcro rollers
    • Using flexi rods

    If you’d like to know more about heatless curling techniques, you can read our blog “Curls For Days: The Ultimate Velcro Rollers Guide”.

    What Kind Of Curls Can I Do On Hair Extensions?

    There are a lot of different hairstyles that you can achieve by curling your hair, and depending on your hair type and hairstyle you can try different ones to spice up your look as needed. To get the best out of your styling tools on hair extensions, always remember to keep the heat setting on low before you wrap your hair around a scorching flat iron or curling wand. Let’s have a look at the different types of curls you can get on your brand new hair extensions!

    Beach Waves

    Also known as mermaid waves, this beachy look is an instant makeover. It works best on longer tresses, hence the “mermaid” name. You can obtain them by using a waver - a specific tool to get loose waves on long hair. The concept is the same of a 90s hair crimper, just larger and rounder. You can follow this lovely tutorial by Pia Muehlenbeck to know the secret to hair that will make Ariel herself jealous!

    Soft Curls

    This type of curls is obtained by using the flat wrap technique on a 1” curling iron. The curl pattern is slightly looser and definitely curvier and more voluptuous than beach waves. It’s an elegant choice that can be applied to your whole head or just to your ends to add a touch of style to a sleek look. Soft curls can also be used on a clip-in ponytail hair extension, to achieve a gently tousled hairstyle - upgrading it to a peppier level.

    Tousled Hair

    Tousled hair works perfectly on short hair as much as on longer locks. Your best friend to achieve this hairstyle would be a sea salt water spray, to help get that beachy, summery look. You can also tie your hair up in braids overnight to get those waves in a heatless, healthy way, kind to your strands. Always remember: the tighter the braid, the tighter the wave.

    Tight Curls

    This look is definitely for those who, at some point, wished they had naturally curly hair. The corkscrew effect can make long, smooth hair look playful, peppy and flirty. It’s the perfect look for a night out and as long as you have enough length - you should absolutely give it a try! You can achieve tight curls with the help of flexi rods. Flexi rods are a “twist and roll” heatless styling accessory to help you get tight, silky curls overnight.

    Hollywood Waves

    Hollywood waves are, as the name might have already given away, a celebrity look that many are looking to recreate. Whether it’s for a wedding or an elegant soiree, this look will always be a showstopper. You will need the help of someone to do your hair in the back - but other than that, all you need is a flat iron and a hair shine spray for a silky, glamorous finish. Read our Hollywood Waves Tutorial or check out the video below.

    Lazy Curls

    This is not exactly a curly hairstyle, but it’s a great way to add some volume and texture to long, flat hair without committing to a full on hairstyle makeover. You can achieve this type of hairstyle with a curling iron on low temperature; then run your fingers through your tresses and voila!

    Big Bouncy Curls

    90s hairstyles are all the rage lately, and the big bouncy blowout is on top of the charts. Inspired by the 90s supermodel hair, this fluffy blow dry has already been seen on many nowadays celebrities and influencers. It looks flawlessly big and classy, but how do you achieve it? The answer is pretty simple: velcro rollers! Velcro rollers are a heatless styling accessory that you can either use a few hours before going out (or even less than that if you’d like to apply some heat to speed up the drying process) or even overnight. Jumbo velcro rollers will give your hair the necessary volume to rock this retro hairstyle.

    Voluminous Curls

    Want to know how to make your curls start from the root? The secret is all in how you section your hair. Sectioning your hair horizontally will help you to style each lock closer to your root, for voluptuous, voluminous curls. Remember to be gentle on your hair and never ever pull it during your styling.

    Loose Curls

    These curls are a lovely love child between the lazy curl and tighter boucles. You can achieve this type of curls with either a thicker curling wand - such as 2” or above - or medium to large velcro rollers for a heatless styling technique. These curls are better held with some hairspray so that they don’t turn floppy towards the end of the day.

    Ribbon Curls

    Ribbon curls are a romantic hairstyle, quite popular for weddings and formal events. They’re usually paired to a half-up, half-down hairstyle but can also be worn on their own on a flowy mane! Ribbon curls are obtained by styling your locks with a heated tool such as hair straightener, wrapping the locks around the iron vertically. Here’s a useful tutorial to get the ultimate romantic look!

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