How to Create Long-Lasting Curls on Straight Hair

Curly hair: if you have it, you likely love to straighten it, and if you don’t have, you likely wish to achieve it. Unfortunately, if you have straight hair, simply dreaming you had gorgeous spirals isn’t quite going to cut it. In fact, not even wrapping it around a curling iron will. Instead, it’s all about the hairstyle products and techniques you can use to create long-lasting curls on short hair, medium-length hair, or long hair. Since we know just how many of us dream of natural-looking curls, we’re here to spread a little curly girl awareness, sharing the step-by-step process to help you learn how to style hair for that long-lasting look you’re wishing for.  

Products You Need to Create Long-Lasting Curls

Before you reach for your curling iron, make sure your vanity is stocked with all the best hairstyle products.

What you’ll need:

L’Oréal Paris EverPure Moisture Shampoo

L’Oréal Paris EverPure Moisture Conditioner

L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle BOOST IT High Lift Creation Spray

Round boar bristle brush

Blow-dryer

L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle BOOST IT Air-Blown Texture Mist

Lobster clips

Curling iron or wand

L’Oréal Paris Elnett Precious Oil Satin Hairspray

How to Create Long-Lasting Curls on Straight Hair

Ready to get started? Follow our tutorial for curling straight hair below.

Step 1: Start in the Shower

When the goal is to create gorgeous, long-lasting waves or curls, you should always start in the shower with shampoo and conditioner. By beginning with clean hair, you’ll be working with a clean state that’ll make it easier to work with. Reach for a moisturizing system of shampoo and conditioner. Once you’ve rinsed all the hair care products out of your mane, hop out of the shower and towel dry your hair.

Step 2: Spritz Damp Strands

Before applying any heat to your hair, get hands on a spray that offers heat protection as well as volume. It’s important to use a heat protectant anytime you’re going to heat style your hair. And curls pair beautifully with volume, so finding a heat protectant that also creates a voluminous look is key.

Step 3: Blow-dry Your Hair

Now that you’ve applied heat protectant, turn your blow-dryer on and use your round boar bristle brush to blowout your hair. By using a hair brush when drying you’ll be able to create a smooth canvas for your curls so that they won’t be prone to frizz. Once your hair is about 75 percent dry, give your roots a spritz of texturizing spray, which can help lift your roots and add the slightest lived-in look. Finish with a cool shot to seal in the shine and remove any remaining moisture from your hair and you’re ready to move on to the next step.

Step 4: Section Your Hair 

To achieve your prettiest, longest-lasting curls possible, it’s best to work in sections. Start by parting your hair down the middle and then use lobster clips to section the top layers on each side out of the way.

Step 5: Curl Your Hair

Unsure how to curl your hair with a curling iron or wand? Starting on the bottom sections of your hair, hold your curling wand upside down with the handle in the air and the point angled downwards and wrap your hair starting at the fatter base and working towards the narrow point angled towards the floor. It may seem difficult to visualize when reading, but once you get hands-on, it will all make sense. Once you’ve finished the bottom layers, you can move straight to the full top sections or you can split the top sections again so that in total you have three sections per side. Keep in mind that the curlier you want your hair to look, the more sections you want to have so that you are able to create even more cascading spirals.

Step 6: Flip Your Hair

Once you’ve finished curling your hair, toss it back and forth to loosen up your curls a bit for a more lived-in, naturally-occurring look.

Step 7: Finish with Hair Spray

There’s no denying that curls look especially pretty when they’re shiny, so top your look off with an allover spritz of a shine-enhancing hair spray. This will also help set your look.

Now that you know how to create long-lasting curls on straight hair, learn How to Curl Your Hair with a Flat Iron.