How to Curl Hair With Toilet Paper

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 8, 2021

Curling your hair with a curling iron can be time consuming and damaging, as the heat of the curling iron can be harsh on your hair. You can avoid heat damage and save time by using toilet paper to curl your hair. This method will allow you to put the toilet paper in your hair and leave it in overnight, creating beautiful, full curls in the morning. You will need to first gather the necessary materials and then take the proper steps to curl your hair with this easy, full proof method.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Gathering the Necessary Materials

1
Get a roll of toilet paper. You will need a standard roll of toilet paper, preferably toilet paper that is thick and durable. A thicker, more durable toilet paper will make it easier to curl and tie the toilet paper into your hair without the risk of tearing or ripping of the toilet paper.^{[1]
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- You can also use paper towels or napkins. Tear them into strips as wide as a piece of toilet paper.
2
Have a comb handy. You should also have a comb with a long handle close by, as you can use the comb to help you part and separate your hair into sections. Parting your hair into even sections will make it easier to curl and tie your hair with the toilet paper.^{[2]
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- If you don't have a comb with a long thin handle, you can use a chopstick or the tip side of a paintbrush to part and section off your hair.
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3
Prepare a spray bottle of water. You should have a spray bottle of water prepared so you can dampen your hair before you curl it with the toilet paper. Having hair that is damp, but not soaking wet, will allow your hair to hold the curls more effectively.^{[3]
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- If you don't have a spray bottle, you can just start with damp (but not soaking wet) hair.
4
Get hairspray. You may also want to have hairspray close by so you can apply it once you have curled your hair with the toilet paper. This will help to keep the curls in place and ensure they look good for a day or several days.^{[4]
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- Use hairspray that has good holding power.
- You may want to test the hairspray on a piece of hair to ensure it does not get crunchy or greasy when it dries.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Curling Your Hair

1
Tear the toilet paper into strips. Start by holding three squares of toilet paper and tearing them off the roll. Tear off as many strips of toilet paper, three squares each, as you need to curl your entire head. You may decide to tear the strips off as you go so you have enough toilet paper to curl all of your hair.^{[5]
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- If you're using a paper towel, tear it into 2-4 equal strips that are about 2 inches wide. Then, repeat that until you have a stack of strips to curl all of your hair with.
2
Fold the toilet paper. Once you have the strips of toilet paper, you should fold them once length wise. This will create curls that are of an average size. This will also make the toilet paper stay in your hair more effectively and prevent you from tearing the toilet paper too much when you put it in your hair.^{[7]
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- To create wider curls, fold the strips in half lengthwise twice. This will create strips that are a little thicker, leading to thicker curls.
3
Take a section of hair. You may want to gather most of your hair, except for the bottom layer, and clip it to the side so you can focus on one section at a time. Then, use the comb or chopstick to separate a 1-2 inch section of hair.^{[9]
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- If your hair is thick, you may use 1 inch sections so the toilet paper stays in place more effectively.
- Once you have a section of hair, spritz it with water using the spray bottle. You just want it to be a little damp so it will hold the curl.
4
Wrap the hair around the toilet paper. Starting at the bottom of your hair, place the toilet paper strip on your hair and slowly roll your hair over the toilet paper. Continue wrapping your hair around the toilet paper strip until you reach your scalp.^{[11]
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- If you only want curls at the bottom of your hair, stop wrapping your hair midway up the strands.
- If you want full curls from the top to bottom of your hair, roll the toilet paper all the way up to your scalp.
5
Tie the toilet paper so it is loose, but secure. Once you have rolled your hair around the toilet paper, you will need to tie the toilet paper so your hair is secure. Take either ends of the toilet paper strip and loop them together so they form a loose knot. Try not to tie the strip too tight around your hair as this may cause the strip to tear or rip.^{[13]
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- Tie the toilet paper more than once if you have enough paper to do so, but make sure the knot is still a little loose.
- Your hair should hang down in a loose but secure roll.
6
Repeat these steps for the other sections of your hair. You can then repeat these same steps for the remaining sections of your hair, wrapping and tying the toilet paper strips into your hair in 1-2 inch sections. Make sure you tie the toilet paper strips so they are secure but not too tight.^{[15]
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- If a strip tears while you are tying it, re-roll your hair with a new strip.
- Try not to tug or pull too hard on the toilet paper as this could cause it to rip or tear.
7
Leave the toilet paper in overnight. You should let your curled hair stay in overnight so the curls can set. You may need to sleep on your back so the side sections of your hair do not get messed up. You can also try sleeping on one side, carefully pushing the toilet paper rolls away from your face.^{[17]
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- If you are in a rush, blow dry the curls for 10-20 minutes to set them.
8
Remove the toilet paper in the morning and apply hairspray. In the morning, you can remove the toilet paper by gently untying them or by ripping them out with a few gentle tears. You should then have large curls that you can separate carefully with your fingers. Try not to touch your curls too much as this can create frizz.^{[19]
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- You can set your curls by spritzing them with hairspray.
- You can also add hair accessories, like decorative bobby pins, paper flowers, or a headband.

Community Q&A

Question

Is there a reason this didn't work for me?

Community Answer

This technique may not suit your hair type. Or it could be that your hair doesn't hold curls.
Question

Does this actually work?

Chartje

Community Answer

I tried it a couple of times and it worked half the time. If you have to, clip the toilet paper rolls in place when you go to bed to prevent them from falling out. Of course, you can use your curling iron in the morning if you don't get the effect you want.
Question

Will paper towels work instead?

Community Answer

Yes, that should work the same as toilet paper.