Curling Hacks that TikTok has Taught Us
If like us, you spend the majority of your time falling down the TikTok rabbit hole and scrolling through endless videos then you’re bound to have learnt a thing or two. Once you get through the dance routines and viral challenges, there’s a ton of helpful beauty tricks and hair hacks that, frankly, will change your life. Flawless curls in minutes? Foolproof styling techniques? Yes, please!
To help you get truly gorgeous curls, we’ve rounded up the best hair hacks TikTok has blessed us with to help you stay curl-savvy in 2021. While some are a bit of a joke, many are surprisingly brilliant and all delivered in under a minute of screen time. Who knew a pair of socks could seriously up your hair game?!
How to ‘plop’ hair
Hair plopping is a technique to help boost natural waves without the need for heat. This low-fuss hack requires an old t-shirt, freshly washed hair and your favourite curl-holding serum. The result? Defined curls without the frizz.
So, how do you do it? First, wash your hair then scrunch through your usual leave-in conditioner or curl serum but don’t attempt to towel dry your hair. The less you touch it the better. Then, take a large cotton t-shirt and lay it out in front of you, ideally on the bed, with the bottom of the shirt closest to you. Bend over and ‘plop’ your hair on to the middle of the shirt and wrap the bottom over the nape of your neck. Grab the collar end and bring it up over the back of your head and tie the sleeves together in a knot at the front, just above your forehead. Watch how it’s done here. Now leave the shirt on for an hour or better yet overnight and you’ll have beautiful bouncy curls by morning!
How to diffuse curly hair
One TikTok tutorial that went viral last year thanks to its creator @moothless was for achieving flawless, ultra-glossy diffuser curls full of bounce without the frizz. This hair hack requires a hairdryer with diffuser attachment like the Nourishology 2200 Dryer plus your favourite leave-in conditioner and styling product.
To get started, first, wash your hair then brush the conditioner through while still wet. Next, scrunch through your chosen styling serum, a masterful technique coined by @moothless as the ‘clump’. Finally, take your diffuser and start working some magic by hovering it around your head on medium heat without touching your hair. Once the serum has set, start massaging your roots with the diffuser before moving it to the ends of your hair and pointing up, letting the curls fall into the attachment as you scoop them up, being careful not to tilt the diffuser towards your scalp. If you're a beginner and don't know where to start, You can watch this tutorial here to help embrace your beautiful, natural curls.
How to curl hair with a straightener
Perfecting salon-worthy, natural-looking curls at home is something most women want but, let’s face it, we all struggle with! Even the best hair tutorials can fail us. But now, thanks to social media sensation TikTok and a long year of lockdowns and COVID-related boredom, we’ve finally been given some no muss tricks that actually work - using a hair straightener of all things!
A slimline tool like our Straight & Curl Brilliance is ideal for getting started. Working with dry hair, all you do is open up the straighteners then wrap your hair around them fully while they’re still open before looping the bottom of your hair strand around the lower plate. Then clamp down and straighten as usual, moving the straightener down your locks and releasing at the end. In just a few seconds you’ll have smooth, dreamy curls with minimal effort!
How to curl hair with socks
This whacky yet effective hair hack will leave you with envy-inducing curls using just a couple of pairs of socks. It sounds like lockdown-induced madness, but we promise this latest tool-free styling craze actually works!
First, grab a few pairs of long socks then section your hair into four or five equal sections. Start by placing one sock at the top of your head and secure it in place with a couple of bobby pins. Separate the hair underneath into two strands and cross them over the top of the sock, then cross underneath. Continue to work in this way going over and under the sock with both strands simultaneously until you reach the end of your hair. Tie it off with a hairband and move on to the next section. Finally, head to bed. The following morning all you’ll need to do is remove the socks for instant glam curls without the need for heat or tools!
You might have also seen a similar heatless hack known as #bathrobecurls popping up on your feed. This game-changing hair trick involves using the sash of a robe to wrap strands of hair in an over-under motion similar to the socks technique but in more of a French braid style, collecting news strands of hair with each twist around the sash. You’ll end up with two ‘plaits’ on either side of your head that, by morning, will release tight ringlets. With a little taming, you’ll have stunning, voluptuous curls to start the day. Watch an easy tutorial here.
The ultimate curling technique for short hair
Creating beachy waves or beautiful bouncy curls isn’t just reserved for those with long locks. With the right tools and TikTok tips, you can create curls on almost every hair texture, type and length. In fact, they’re pretty easy!
A short hair curling tutorial that went viral just a couple of weeks ago taught us how to master gorgeous curls, texture and volume on short hair using two heat tools: a crimper and a curler. To achieve this Hollywood look, section your hair leaving just the bottom layer. Crimp this entire section then release more hair. Curl the second layer, alternating between crimping and curling each layer as you let more hair down, finishing with curls on top. Run your fingers through to loosen the hair then give your new style a once over with hairspray to help it hold.
So there you have it, five of the biggest curling hacks to come out of TikTok over the last 12 months. Enjoy!
Love your style, from the VS Sassoon team. xo
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