Create Bouncy Curls With Your Flat Iron in Five Steps

Curling your hair with a flat iron is a beauty oxymoron that we’re all aware of but few have mastered the technique. A curling iron and a straightener create completely different types of curls; while curling wands create bouncy, neat ringlets, a flat iron provides that purposefully messy, #IWokeUpLikeThis look. Learning to curl your hair with a straightener can be tricky, which is why we’ve broken down the process in five, easy steps. Browse through our favorite straighteners in the gallery below and start curling.

FIVE STEPS TO CURLING YOUR HAIR:

Step 1: Wash

Curls look best on clean, healthy hair. Keeping in mind that straighteners and other hot tools cause a lot of damage to our hair—split ends, hair thinning, and breakage, to name just a few—use a shampoo and conditioner that strengthen your locks while preventing heat damage and hair loss. We recommend the Syoss Anti-Hair Fall Fiber Resist 95 shampoo (US $5; AED/SAR 19) and conditioner (US $5; AED/SAR 19).

Step 2: Dry

Use a blow dryer on your hair once it is 70% dry as this ensures minimal damage to your strands. Never use a hot styling tool on wet hair. Make sure to apply a heat protectant prior to blow-drying. The Alterna Haircare Bamboo Smooth Anti-Breakage Thermal Protectant Spray (US $25; AED/SAR 92) provides heat protection up to 428 degrees. Apply a dime-sized drop of the Moroccan Oil Treatment Original  (US $43; AED/SAR 158) throughout the hair, as curls hold on to a bit of oil.