How to Curl Hair Without a Hair Curler

Last Updated: February 22, 2022 References

Soft, bouncy curls are a pretty look for any occasion. But sometimes you want curly hair and don't have any curlers on hand -- or you don't want to run the risk of heat damage. Fortunately, there are several ways to curl your hair that don't require heat or any special accessories.The next time you want to curl your hair and don't have a curler in sight, you can do it with items you already have around the house.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Braids or Buns to Curl

1
Wet your hair. When you’re curling with braids or buns, it’s best to start with wet hair. Wash your hair as you normally would, and then towel dry it slightly so it’s not dripping. If you don’t want to wash your hair, use a spray bottle with water to get your locks fairly damp before you start the curling process.^{[1]
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- If your hair doesn’t hold curls well, you may want to spray a texturizing spray on your wet hair before moving on. That added texture in your hair can help it curl more easily.
2
Braid your hair or create buns. Braids and buns are quick, easy hairstyles, but the way that they twist your hair also means that they can add curls and waves to your locks. For looser waves, pull your hair back into a single braid or tie it up in a single bun. However, if you want tighter, more defined curls, divide your hair into sections and create several braids or buns all over your head.^{[2]
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- You can curl your hair with traditional, French, or fishtail braids. Use whatever style is your favorite or the easiest for you to do.
- If you want the simplest style to create curls, divide your hair into two sections on either side of your head. Create one bun on each side and secure them in place with elastics for a Princess Leia-inspired look. You’ll get loose, natural curls all over your hair without much effort.
- If you want an even easier way to create some curls or waves in your hair, gather it up as you would for a ponytail, twist it tightly, and use a shark clip to pin it to the back of your head. You’ll get looser, less defined curls, but your hair will still have some texture when it dries.
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3
Allow your hair to dry completely. In order for the curls to take hold, your hair must dry completely. That’s why you may prefer to braid your hair or put it in buns at night, so you can leave them in place overnight to ensure that they’re totally dry.^{[3]
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- You don’t necessarily have to start the process at night. Because braids and buns are hairstyles that you would wear out of the house, you can also go out while you’re waiting for your hair dry and curl.
- If you need your curls in a hurry, you can help the drying process along by using a blowdryer on your hair.
4
Style with your fingers. Once you’re sure that your hair has dried completely, being taking out the braids or buns. Your curls will be somewhat fragile, so don’t use a brush to help them in place. Instead, use your fingers to gently separate the curls and style them.^{[4]
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- While using braids or buns to curl your hair is usually used to get a natural look, you may want to spray your locks with some hairspray to help them stay in place all day.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Curling Your Hair with Socks or Rags

1
Brush and section off your hair. Start the curling process by brushing your hair to remove any knots or tangles. Next, divide your hair into sections.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.} Take the top section near the crown of your head first, and leave the hair at the nape of your neck and sides of your head for later.^{[6]
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- It’s best to use a natural bristle brush when you’re brushing your hair because it will reduce the amount of static and frizz.
- It may help to use clips or hair elastics to section off your hair, so you don’t get confused about what you’re working with.
- You can divide your hair into more sections if you prefer. The smaller the sections of hair that you use, the tighter your curls will be.
2
Dampen your hair. When you’re using socks or rags to curl your hair, it’s best not to start with completely wet hair because your locks can become frizzier that way. Instead, just dampen the sections of hair as necessary. Use a spray bottle filled with water to mist the section of hair that you’re working with, so it will hold the curl more easily.^{[7]
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- Instead of using plain water to dampen your hair, you may prefer to dampen with a texturizing or curl enhancing spray to help give your curls more texture.
3
Roll your hair around a sock or rag. When your section of hair is damp, take a clean sock or strip of fabric and roll your hair around it, starting approximately 1-inch from the end. Continue rolling the hair and sock all the way up to the crown of your head.^{[8]
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Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.} At the top, tie the sock or rag into a knot to secure it in place.^{[9]
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- Make sure to keep the hair as neat as possible as you roll it toward the top of your head, so you don’t wind up with any kinks or bends in your hair when you’re done.
- You shouldn’t tie the knots too tightly when you’re securing the hair in place or you may have trouble removing the socks or rags later.^{[10]
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  Sarah Kosakowski
  Professional Hair Stylist
  Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.}
- If you’re using rags to curl your hair, you should cut strips of fabric that are approximately 2-inches wide and 8- to 10-inches in length.^{[11]
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4
Repeat the process for your entire head. Take another clean sock or rag, and repeat the process on your next section of hair. Continue all around your head until all of your hair has been curled and secured in place.^{[12]
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- It can take anywhere from four to eight socks to curl all of your hair. If you’re using rags, you’ll probably need between 10 and 20 strips of fabric for your whole head.
5
Allow your hair to sit. In order for the curls in your hair to take hold, you have to allow the socks or rags to stay in place for a while. It’s best to sleep on with the fabric in your hair, so you’ll usually get the nicest looking curls if you leave them in place overnight.^{[13]
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- If you don’t have time to wait overnight for curls, leave the socks or rags in place for at least four to five hours. Keep them in as long as you can for the best results.
6
Remove the socks or rags and comb with fingers. When you wake up the next morning, untie the socks or rags in your hair and remove them. Use your fingers to gently comb through the curls to loosen them as desired.^{[14]
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- If you use a brush on your curls, you’ll wind up removing most of them and creating a wavy look instead.
- You may also want to add an anti-frizz product to your hair too. Use your fingers to smooth it through your hair so you don’t disrupt the curls.
7
Spray your curls with hairspray. Now that you’ve got some beautiful curls, you want to make sure that they last as long as possible. Spritz them with a flexible hold hairspray to help lock them in place without making your hair feel too crunchy.^{[15]
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- If you don’t like the feel of hairspray, you don’t have to use it. Just be aware that your curls may start to fall by the end of the day.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Creating Curls with Bobby Pins

1
Apply a curl enhancing product. Start with clean, dry hair before you begin curling. Make sure that it is free of knots and tangles too. Next, apply a curl enhancing product to your locks to ensure that they will hold the curls.^{[16]
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- Curl enhancers come in a variety of formulas, but when you’re doing pin curls, it’s best to use a spray product.
2
Divide your hair. To make it easier to curl and pin your hair, it helps to divide it. Depending on how thick and long your hair is, you may just want to separate it into two sections, one on either side of your head. If you have a lot of hair, though, you may find it easier to work with three or more sections^{[17]
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- Use hair elastics or clips to separate each section. That way, the other sections won’t get in your way when you start to curl.
3
Grab a section of hair at the top. To start your first curl, take a piece of hair from the top of the section you’re working with. Keep in mind that the size of the section you take will determine what your final curls look like. A small section, approximately 1-inch or so, will result in tight curls. If you use larger sections, you’ll wind up with looser curls.^{[18]
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- When you take hold of the section you’re going to curl, brush it out to ensure that it’s smooth, and spray it with some more of your curl enhancing product.
4
Twist the hair back on itself to form a loop. Starting approximately 1-inch from the end of the section, begin rolling the hair back on itself to create a loop. It helps to use your finger to twist the hair back over to hold the curl shape in place as you work. Roll the section of hair all the way back toward your head, placing it flat against the scalp.^{[19]
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- Make sure to tuck the end of the hair into the loop to ensure that it’s curled as well.
5
Pin the curl in place. With the section of looped hair pressed to your scalp, use a bobby pin to secure the curl in place. Depending on how thick your hair is, you may need another bobby pin to keep the hair in place.^{[20]
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- Be sure to have plenty of bobby pins on hand. You don’t want to have to go hunting for pins when you’re trying to hold a curl in place.
6
Repeat the process for your entire head. Once your first curl is pinned, you can move onto the rest of your hair. Complete the process for the first section of hair that you’re working with, and then move on to the next section until your entire head is done. Make sure that you curl every piece of hair, so there are no random straight pieces when you’re done.^{[21]
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- Be sure to do the top of each section first. It’s more difficult to do the lower pieces if the top layer is in the way.
7
Spritz curls with hairspray. When all of your hair is pinned, it’s time to ensure that your curls will last all day once you take them done. Use a firm hold hairspray to mist your entire head. Ensure that you apply the spray evenly to every pinned curl so they’ll all stay in place.^{[22]
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- Don’t hold the hairspray too close to your hair when you’re spraying or your hair may wind up feeling really hard and crunchy. Hold the bottle approximately 8-inches from your head while you’re spritzing.
8
Leave them in for several hours. To ensure that you get the best curls possible, you need to leave the pins in for at least several hours. Three or four hours can often be enough, but you’ll get the best results if you leave the curls in place overnight. Because they’re pinned flat against your head, pin curls are usually comfortable to sleep with.^{[23]
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- If you want to go out while you’re waiting for your curls to set or keep the curls undisturbed while you sleep, fold a large scarf or bandana into a triangle and wrap it over your hair.
9
Brush them out. When you think your curls have had time to properly set, being removing the pins and uncurling your hair. They’ll be fairly tight when you first unroll them, so use your fingers to gently comb through and style them.^{[24]
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- If your curls are too tight, use a brush instead of your fingers to work through your hair. That will help smooth them so they have more of a wavy appearance.

Expert Q&A

Question

What household items can I use to curl my hair?

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist
Sarah Kosakowski is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Alba Salon and Spa based in Cincinnati, Ohio. With a decade of experience, she specializes in bridal and formal hair, blondes, fine hair, and men’s cuts. Sarah received her training at The Aveda Frederic’s Institute and is proud to be a Kevin Murphy Session stylist amongst other accomplishments.

Sarah Kosakowski

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Spare fabric can work really well! Just cut it into 1 by 8-10 in (2.54 by 20.32-25.4 cm) strips, which you can use as fabric curlers.
Question

Is it bad to sleep with fabric curlers in?

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist
Sarah Kosakowski is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Alba Salon and Spa based in Cincinnati, Ohio. With a decade of experience, she specializes in bridal and formal hair, blondes, fine hair, and men’s cuts. Sarah received her training at The Aveda Frederic’s Institute and is proud to be a Kevin Murphy Session stylist amongst other accomplishments.

Sarah Kosakowski

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Not at all! Sleeping with fabric curlers is a great way to get curls without having to use a curling iron. Just make sure that the fabric is tied loosely enough to pull out in the morning.
Question

How do you curl really thick hair without a curling iron?

Community Answer

You can use any of the methods above if you have thick hair. However, you may need to use more socks/rags, create more braids/buns, or roll more pin curls than those people who have fine or thin hair. Work with smaller sections -- think about 1-inch -- to ensure that the curls hold.