For me, magic comes in the form of a hair curling wand — plug in, wait to heat, twist, and repeat. But why settle for artificial waves when there are natural ways to curl your hair? No heat, no problem. In the long run, it's healthier for your tresses to go the au naturel route anyway — I mean, unless you like the hair damage package, split ends and all. It's about time you retire your beloved wand and have a hand at no-heat curls instead. Your electric bill (and hair) will thank you.
Whether you're after beachy, mermaid-approved waves or statement curls, don't fret — there's a heat-free hack to everything. Speaking personally, I should probably lay off the hair tools and give my tresses some much needed R&R. This might require me to face my fears and get creative with my braiding skills (or lack thereof) or I may just abandon ship altogether and go the unconventional path with paper towels (no joke).
But you know what? Challenge accepted. You could say I was surprised to discover the sheer amount of ways there is to naturally curl hair, and most require little or no prep time at all. Of course, the downside to no-heat curls is the inevitable waiting game — there won't be piping hot Carrie Bradshaw curls at a moment's notice. Trust me on this though — the 'do of your dreams will be worth the wait.
1. The Paper Towel Method
You thought I was kidding, didn't you? Grab a roll of paper towels and get ready to create the ultimate rag curls.
2. The Sock Method
Don't let the "sock" aspect deter you — this handy tutorial teaches you how to wrap socks for tight, curl wand-worthy spirals.
3. The Overnight Braid Method
A classic and trusted method, the overnight braid requires no bizarre ingredients (read: above) and is relatively easy to execute. Plus, you'll wake up feeling like an instant supermodel/Disney princess — it's a win, win situation.
4. The Hair Roller Method
Throwback to the pre-historic days when our mothers and their mothers would swear by the hair roller method. Granted, this process takes more time, but hey, it's heat-free and won't fry your precious strands. Let us take a moment to appreciate these glorious curls fit for a '80s teen movie. Swoon.
5. The Hair Clip Method
This hack is simple to tackle — you'll just need hairspray, water, and bobby pins or hair pins. The secret is to use your fingers as a curling barrel, then secure with hair clip. Easy does it!
6. The Headband Method
Soft, angelic waves are here, and all it takes is a fabric headband. The final product is essentially a crown braid, and the last step is to unwrap and voila!
Images: Larisa Birta/Unsplash;
