How to Get Curly Hair Without a Curling Iron

Last Updated: January 31, 2022 References

The blow dryer and the curling iron are two awesome styling tools that make your hair look great. However, the constant heat exposure is very damaging to your hair.^{[1]
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Research source} Are you noticing more breakage and dry ends? It’s time to give your hair a break. Read on to learn more about ways to add curls and volume to your hair without heat.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Curling Your Hair With Retro Rollers

1
Shampoo your hair at night. Retro rollers will add old school, bouncy curls to your hair while you sleep. Start by shampooing your hair at night.
2
Remove any tangles. You’ll want to use a brush or comb. This will make your hair easier to work with.

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3
Run mousse through your hair. Your hair should be damp. Make sure to apply from your roots to your ends.^{[2]
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4
Choose the size of your curls. For Victoria’s Secret inspired hair, you’ll want to use velcro or foam rollers with a 2” diameter. The smaller the diameter of the rollers, the tighter your curls will be.^{[3]
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5
Divide your hair into 2” sections. Your hair should be slightly damp by now. If not, re-wet it with a spray bottle filled with water.
6
Wrap each section of your hair around a roller. You’ll always want to roll your hair starting from the ends and rolling inwards towards the roots.^{[4]
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7
Secure the roller with a bobby pin or a styling clip. You should keep wrapping, rolling, and securing until all of your hair is in rollers.^{[5]
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8
Get some rest. Your hair will set while you sleep.
9
Take out the rollers when you wake up. Don’t unroll them. You’ll want to pull them from the roots to brush your hair hair at the same time as taking them out.^{[6]
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10
Run your fingers through your hair. This will loosen the curls a bit for a more natural look.^{[7]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Curling Your Hair With Fabric

1
Find an old shirt. You’ll want to choose one you won’t mind cutting up into pieces.
2
Cut fabric into 1” wide sections that are a few inches long. Cut the fabric into 1" wide and 8" to 10" long pieces.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.} You may need a dozen or more sections.^{[9]
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3
Clean your hair. It’s better to do this at night so you can let your hair set while you sleep.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.} You’ll wake up to soft curls!
4
Detangle your hair. A brush or comb is recommended.
5
Apply mousse to your hair. You’ll want to run the mousse from the roots to the ends of your hair with your fingers while your hair is still damp.^{[11]
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6
Select the type of curl. One-inch sections of hair form tighter curls.^{[12]
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Research source} Larger sections of hair form looser curls.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.}
7
Split your hair into sections. If your hair is not slightly damp, mist it with water from a spray bottle.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.}
8
Wrap one section of your hair around one piece of the fabric you cut in the last step. Always start rolling your hair from the ends and roll inwards towards your scalp.^{[15]
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9
Tie the ends of the fabric into a knot. This will secure each section of hair.^{[16]
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Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.} You should continue to wrap, roll, and secure until all of your hair is placed in fabric knots.
10
Go to sleep. The curls will set while you dream of sweet nothings.
11
Untie all the fabric knots when you wake up. You’ll want to unroll your hair at the same time.^{[17]
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12
Separate each coil with your fingers. This will loosen your hair and add volume.^{[18]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Curling Your Hair With Braids

1
Wash your hair in the evening. Braiding your hair creates waves in your hair overnight. Begin with washing your hair.
2
Brush or comb your hair. You’ll want to remove any tangles to make braiding your hair easier.
3
Add mousse throughout your hair. You’ll want to make sure you coat your hair from your roots to ends.^{[19]
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4
Decide how tight or loose you want your curls to be. 1” sections of hair form tighter curls. If you want looser curls, form larger sections.^{[20]
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5
Separate your hair into sections. At least 2 to 4 sections are recommended.^{[21]
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6
Braid your hair. You’ll want to use elastic hair ties at the ends of your braids to prevent your braids from becoming undone.^{[22]
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7
Go to sleep. Your hair will dry overnight, setting the curls.
8
Remove the elastic hair ties when you wake up. Elastic ties are easy to lose! Try keeping them in one spot for future use.^{[23]
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9
Undo the braids. For a more natural look, fluff your hair with your fingers.^{[24]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Curling Your Hair With Bobby Pins

1
Dampen your hair with water from a spray bottle. It’s not necessary to fully wet your hair. Using bobby pins will create a spiral curl look.
2
Comb or brush your hair until it’s tangle-free. Having smooth hair makes it easy to manipulate with your fingers.
3
Section your hair. You’ll want to have a top half and a bottom half. You’ll work with the lower half first, so clip the upper half on top of your head.
4
Wrap a small section from the ends of your hair. Keep wrapping your hair around your finger until you get to your scalp.The wider the section, the looser the curl.
5
Place a bobby pin through the section of hair wrapped around your finger. You’ll want to make sure that the section of hair is properly secured.
6
Continue to wrap your hair in sections. You are done when all of your hair is pinned to your head.
7
Let your hair dry. For best results, wait at least one hour.
8
Remove all the bobby pins. It’s easy to misplace bobby pins. Try to keep them together so you can re-use them.
9
Use your fingers to loosen the sections. The more loose your spiral curls are, the more natural your hairstyle will look.
10
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

What could I use instead of mousse?

Community Answer

You could use hair gel instead. If your hair isn't staying in place well, you could also use a little hairspray.
Question

How can I keep my hair curled?

Community Answer

The best option is to use hairspray, but you can also just spritz it with water.
Question

Once my hair is brushed, how do I curl it without heat?

SwirlingStars

Community Answer

You could try wrapping your hair around something straight and spraying water on it, and when it dries, it will be curly. It works best if you only spray a little bit on your hair, not too much.