How to Crimp Hair Without Heat

The quickest and most common way to crimp hair is to use a crimping iron. Unfortunately, heat styling can be very damaging to hair, even with a heat protecting spray. Fortunately, there are several ways to crimp your hair without using any heat. It will take longer than with heat styling, but the results are safe and worth it.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Braiding Hair for a Tight Crimp

  1. Image titled Grow Long Hair if You Are a Black Female Step 1
    1
    Start with clean, damp, tangle-free hair. If you have not already, shampoo and condition your hair. Let it air dry partway before continuing; it will be easier to braid. Make sure that your hair is completely tangle-free. Run a wide-toothed comb through it, if necessary.
  2. Image titled Balayage Step 8
    2
    Pull your hair up into a bun, with the bottom layer loose. This will make it easier to work with. For a tighter crimp, pull the top three-quarters of your hair into the bun and leave the bottom fourth loose. For a looser crimp, pull only half of your hair up into the bun, and leave the bottom half loose. This will be the first layer you will be working with.
    Advertisement
  3. Image titled Use Hair Rollers Step 2
    3
    Consider massaging some light-hold styling mousse into the bottom layer. This will help your hair hold the crimp better, especially if your hair is very straight or does not hold a curl well. If you do this, you will need to do it for each layer of hair that you work with.
  4. Image titled Braid African American Hair Step 12
    4
    Take a ½ to 1 inch (1.27 to 2.54 centimeters) wide section of your hair and braid it. Take a section of hair closest to your face. Try to keep the braid tight. The smaller section of hair you braid with, the tighter crimp you will get.
  5. Image titled Braid a Horse's Mane Step 16
    5
    Tie the braid off with a mini hair elastic and tuck the end unto the elastic. When you get to the very end of your hair, tie a mini hair elastic around the braid ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) from the bottom. Loop the tail end of the braid into the hair elastic.[2] This will help keep the ends looking crimped and prevent them from appearing too straight.[3]
  6. Image titled Braid African American Hair Step 20
    6
    Keep braiding in ½ to 1 inch (1.27 to 2.54 centimeters) wide sections until you reach the other side of your head. Try to keep the braids as even as possible.[4]
  7. Image titled Do Box Braids Step 5
    7
    Let down the next layer of hair. Once you finish the row, undo the bun at the top of your head, and let down another layer of hair. If you are working with more than two layers for a tighter crimp, pull the rest of your hair up into the bun.
    • If you applied mousse into the bottom layer earlier, be sure to apply more mousse to this new layer.
  8. Image titled Do Box Braids Step 10
    8
    Keep braiding and letting down layers until you have no more hair left to braid. When you finish the end of a row, let down some hair. You want to end up with four rows of braids for a tight crimp, and two rows for a loose crimp.
  9. Image titled Care for Sisterlocks Step 6
    9
    Consider adding a light mist of hair spray. This will help give your hair some extra holding power.[5]
  10. Image titled Do Box Braids Step 11
    10
    Let your hair dry. This can take anywhere between two to four hours. If you are going to sleep with the braids in, then consider wrapping your hair with a head scarf or sleeping on a satin pillowcase. This will help reduce friction and prevent frizz.
  11. Image titled Do Box Braids Step 15.jpeg
    11
    Remove the braids when your hair is completely dry. Start with the bottom layer first, then work your way to the top. If you aren't certain whether or not your hair is dry, press your fingers into one of the braids. If the hair inside the braid feels dry, the braids are safe to undo. If the hair inside the braid feels damp, let your hair dry longer.[6]
  12. Image titled Do Box Braids Step 16
    12
    Style your hair as desired, but do not brush it. Brushing crimped hair will make it turn frizzy. You can leave your hair loose, or you can part it off to one side. You can even wrap a headband around your head or pull your hair up into a high ponytail.
    • If the crimps aren't fluffy enough, you can soften them by gently running your fingers through your hair.
    13. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Braiding Hair for a Loose Crimp

  1. Image titled Do Box Braids Step 1.jpeg
    1
    Start with clean, damp, tangle-free hair. If you have not already, shampoo and condition your hair. Let it air dry partway before continuing; it will be easier to braid. Make sure that your hair is completely tangle-free. Run a wide-toothed comb through it, if necessary.[7]
  2. Image titled Scrunch African American Hair Step 6
    2
    Consider massaging some light-hold styling mousse into the bottom layer. This will help your hair hold the crimp better, especially if your hair is very straight or does not hold a curl well. If you do this, you will need to do it for each layer of hair that you work with.
  3. Image titled Bleach Your Hair With Hydrogen Peroxide Step 5
    3
    Divide your hair into sections. The more sections you have, the tighter crimp you will get. If you want, you can keep these sections separated temporarily with a hairclip, a claw clip, or even some hair ties. Be sure to take these out before you are braiding that section.
    • For thinner hair, try 3 to 5 sections.
    • For thicker hair, try 3 to 10 sections.
  4. Image titled Do Box Braids Step 9
    4
    Braid or French braid your hair. Try to keep the braids as tight as possible. A regular braid will result in straighter hair at top, and crimped hair at the bottom. A French braid will result in an all-over crimp.[8]
    • Be sure to braid your hair all the way to the ends. Tie the braid off with a hair tie about ½ to 1 inch (1.27 to 2.54 centimeters) from the ends. Loop the tail end of the braid into the hair elastic. This will help create that all-over crimped look, and prevent any straight ends.
  5. Image titled Make Frizzy or Curly Hair Into Straight Hair Step 3
    5
    Add a light mist of hairspray if your hair has troubles holding curls. The hairspray will help your hair keep the crimp longer.
  6. Image titled Protect Your Hair in the Winter (African American Hair Types) Step 2
    6
    Wait for you hair to dry. This can take up to four hours, or even longer, depending on the thickness of your hair. If you are going to sleep with the braids in, try wrapping your hair with a head scarf or sleeping on a satin pillowcase. This will help prevent friction and frizz.
  7. Image titled Do Box Braids Step 8
    7
    Take the braids out when your hair is dry. If you can't tell if your hair is dry, press your fingers into one of the braids. If the hair inside the braid feels dry, then you can undo the braids. If the hair feels damp, let your hair dry longer.[9]
  8. Image titled Choose the Best Products for African American Hair Step 6
    8
    Style your hair, but do not brush it. Brushing crimped hair will make it turn poofy. If the crimps aren't fluffy enough for you, soften them up by gently running your fingers through them.
    9. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using Straws

  1. Image titled Care for Black Hair Step 4
    1
    Start with clean, damp, tangle-free hair. If you have not already, wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner. Run a wide-toothed comb through your hair to undo any tangles, if necessary. Allow your hair to hair dry partway before continuing.
  2. Image titled Blow Dry Hair Straight Step 8
    2
    Pull your hair up into a bun at the top of your head, leaving the bottom layer undone. Plan on having the top three-quarters up in the bun, and the bottom forth loose. You will be winding this hair around the straws first.
  3. Image titled Make Thin Hair Look Thicker Step 11
    3
    Consider adding some light-hold styling mousse for extra holding powder.[10] This is especially helpful for those with very straight hair, or whose hair can't hold a curl. Just remember, each time you let down another layer of hair, you will need to apply more mousse to that layer.
  4. Image titled Untangle Severely Matted Hair Step 8
    4
    Take a 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) wide section of hair from the bottom layer. Choose a section closest to your face. Smooth out any flyaways using your fingers or a comb.
  5. Image titled Make an Afro Using Drinking Straws Step 2
    5
    Bend a straw in half. If the straw has a bendy tip, you might want to cut that part off. You will be weaving the hair section around the straw.
  6. Image titled Wrap Your Hair Step 19
    6
    Begin wrapping the hair around the straw in figure-eights. Sandwich the hair between the two sides of the straw. Bring the straw as close to your roots as possible. Weave the hair around the two sides of the straw in figure-eights. Try to keep the hair as tight as possible.
  7. Image titled Make an Afro Using Drinking Straws Step 7
    7
    Tie a mini hair elastic around the ends of the straw when you reach the end of your hair. When you have no hair left to weave, pinch the two ends of the straw together. Wrap a mini hair elastic around the two ends of the straw, pinning the hair shut between them.
  8. Image titled Start a African American Hair Growth Regimen Step 4
    8
    Repeat the process for the rest of the hair in the bottom layer. When you reach the other side of your hair, undo the bun and let down the next layer of hair. Half of your hair should now be loose. Pull the top half of your hair up into a bun. If you applied styling mousse to your hair before, apply it to this new layer now.
  9. Image titled Wrap Your Hair While Wet and Still Have It Come out Nice and Straight (for African American Hair) Step 4
    9
    Keep winding your hair around straws in one inch sections until you reach the top of your head. You should have four rows of hair-wrapped straws.
  10. Image titled Sharpen Hair Clippers Step 3
    10
    Consider giving your hair a light mist of hairspray.[11] This will help your hair hold its crimped shape better when you take the straws out.
  11. Image titled Remove Henna from Hair Step 3
    11
    Let the hair dry. This can take several hours. If you are going to sleep with the straws in your hair, you might want to tie a head scarf around your hair, or sleep on a satin pillowcase. This will help reduce friction and frizz.
  12. Image titled Make an Afro Using Drinking Straws Step 9
    12
    Remove the straws the next day. Start with the bottom-most layer. Take a straw closest to your face, and pull the hair elastic off. Grip the straw by the folded end, and carefully slide it out of your hair. Finish pulling the straws out of the bottom-most row before you move onto the next.
  13. Image titled Comb Long Hair Step 4
    13
    Style your hair, if desired, but avoid brushing it. If you brush your hair, it will turn frizzy. If the crimps are too tight for your liking, you can fluff them out a little with your fingers.
  14. Image titled Blowout and Straighten Kinky Curly Natural Hair Step 6
    14
    Finished.
    15. Advertisement

Community Q&A

  • Question
    How do you crimp your hair without braids?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    With a crimping machine, but this would be using heat.
  • Question
    How long will my hair stay crimped?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    If you wrap your hair in a head scarf, it should stay for about 3-4 weeks.
Advertisement

Warnings

  • Your hair must be completely dry before you take the braids or straws out. If you hair is even a little damp, your hair will not be crimped.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽


Advertisement

Things You'll Need

Braiding Hair for a Tight Crimp

  • Lots of mini hair elastics
  • Head scarf or satin pillowcase (optional but recommended)
  • Hair mousse (optional)
  • Hair spray (optional)

Braiding Hair for a Loose Crimp

  • Lots of hair elastics
  • Head scarf or satin pillowcase (optional but recommended)
  • Hair mousse (optional)
  • Hair spray (optional)

Using Straws[12]

  • Lots of straws
  • Lots of mini hair elastics
  • Head scarf or satin pillowcase (optional but recommended)
  • Hair mousse (optional)
  • Hair spray (optional)


You Might Also Like

How to
Crimp Your Hair With a Straightener
How to
Curl Hair with Braids
How to
Accentuate Wavy Hair
Care for Wavy Hair
How to
Care for Wavy Hair
How to
Make Straight Hair Wavy
Get Rid of Bushy, Wavy Hair
How to
Get Rid of Bushy, Wavy Hair
How to
Use Sea Salt Spray
Is Wavy Hair Attractive on GuysIs Wavy Hair Attractive on Guys?
Care for Naturally Curly or Wavy Thick Hair
How to
Care for Naturally Curly or Wavy Thick Hair
Get Beachy Waves Using Sea Salt
How to
Get Beachy Waves Using Sea Salt
How to
Style Wavy Hair
Blow Dry Hair With Natural Waves
How to
Blow Dry Hair With Natural Waves
How to
Use a Hair Crimper
How to
Get Beach Wavy Hair Without Heat
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ Michelle Bebbington. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 3 August 2021.
  2. ↑ Michelle Bebbington. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 3 August 2021.
  3. ↑ Bustle, I Crimped My Hair Without Heat And It Turned Out Way Cuter Than I Thought It Would
  4. ↑ Michelle Bebbington. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 3 August 2021.
  5. ↑ Bustle, I Crimped My Hair Without Heat And It Turned Out Way Cuter Than I Thought It Would
  6. ↑ Michelle Bebbington. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 3 August 2021.
  7. ↑ Michelle Bebbington. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 3 August 2021.
  8. ↑ Michelle Bebbington. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 3 August 2021.
  9. ↑ Michelle Bebbington. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 3 August 2021.
  1. ↑ The Beauty Department, Halloween Hair Tutorial 2
  2. ↑ The Beauty Department, Halloween Hair Tutorial 2
  3. ↑ Cute Girls Hairstyles, Get Merida’s Fiery and Curly Red Hair

About This Article

Michelle Bebbington
Co-authored by:
Michelle Bebbington
Professional Hair Stylist
This article was co-authored by Michelle Bebbington. ​​Michelle Bebbington is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of The Living Room Hair and Skin based in Great Falls, Montana. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in hair education, coloring, and styling. This article has been viewed 65,259 times.
8 votes - 62%
Co-authors: 29
Updated: August 12, 2021
Views: 65,259
Categories: Wavy Hair
Advertisement