Curly Hair Tips and Tricks

Curly hair towards the end of the hair gives that “I’m laidback and not trying hard to attract attention” effect while curl from the roots says “I’m confident and I don’t even care if you give me attention, I just wanna have fun” effect. Use a hair mask and serum to protect your hair from these processes.

Perming

If you want permanent curls, go with perming, but be careful what you wish for. The art of hair perming is a skill that a hairdresser has to master, as it is not easy to create beautiful curls without damaging the hair. In fact, all chemicals will damage your hair to a certain extent, but more reliable salons can minimise the damage. Always pick a salon you can trust, or one that you have heard good things about. Bring a picture of the end result you are hoping for to avoid miscommunication. Remember that even after perming, you will still have to style your hair every morning with wax, mousse or spray to keep the curls in shape.

Curling iron

It’s easy. It’s long-lasting. It’s also very damaging to the hair. Curling irons, as well as any other hairstyling tool, apply high levels of heat directly to the hair, damaging the cuticle layer. Heat also reduces the water content of hair and weakens the shaft. If you want to curl your locks daily, it might be less damaging to have your hair permed. One-time exposure to perming chemicals is better than daily exposure to high heat. Don’t forget to use a heat protector before you apply heat to your hair.

Curling sponges/plastic rollers

They are available in many shapes, from tennis balls to strawberries. These sponge curlers are something you can sleep with and will not later regret, as you will wake up with beautiful curls that last for hours (or throughout the day, with hairspray or mousse). Simply curl your strands using these sponges when your hair is almost dry – too dry and the curls won’t stay, too damp and you will end up damaging your hair, as sleeping with damp hair is the biggest must-not for hair care.

Paper bag or paper strips

Michelle Phan, make-up teacher and spokesperson for Lancome, has demonstrated how to make beautiful no-heat-involved curls using brown paper bags. Start with damp, detangled hair and tie paper strips to each strand. Search YouTube for her video “Paper Bag Curls Tutorial”.

Clip-on curls

Save time and avoid all types of hair damage using clip-on curls, available at accessories sections of most department stores at about 900 baht. Tie your hair in a ponytail, clip on the fake curls and voila! Make sure you buy a matching colour for a more convincing look.

• Taylor Swift has signature blonde curls that spell soft and feminine. PHOTO: ANTHONY JOSEPH BAKER
• You can recycle paper bags and get beautiful hair. Brown paper bags, when torn into strips, can be used to make beautiful curls.
• Clip-on curls can look just like the real thing if you choose the colour that matches your hair.
• Go to sleep with curling sponges and plastic rollers and you will wake up with bouncy curls without tormenting your hair with heat.
• A curling iron is the easiest way to temporarily curl your hair, but make sure you protect your hair from the excessive heat.

Bounce booster

Bring back the just-out-of-the-salon bouncy curls by washing your permed hair with Korean Bounce Therapy Intensive nourishment from Keratinology by Sunsilk. The specially formulated shampoo, conditioner and hair mask will help prolong the beauty of salon curls. Lock your style and put the bounce back into your curls for a salon-like finish every day.