Sleep is too precious a commodity to waste tossing and turning to accommodate rollers. And days are too busy to spend hours in curlers waiting for them to dry. How, then, can we get healthy, luscious curls - without heat, and without wasting time?
Pretty Clips
The easiest way to curl hair on the go - and look good while doing it - is to use decorative clips. These are available almost everywhere, are inexpensive, and come in all shapes, sizes, styles, and colors. Some clips are decorated with "pearls", some with rhinestones, some are plain. You can get colors to match your hair or your outfit. You can get plain clips and decorate them yourself - with glitter, fabric, small silk flowers.
In purchasing decorative clips, make sure:
1. the clip closes down all the way. Look at it sideways when it's closed - do all the teeth mesh together, from front to back of the clip? This is important, because hair will fall out of the clip if only the tip of the clip closes properly.
2. to choose a variety of sizes. You'll need big clips for soft curls, and smaller clips for tighter curls. Check out the newest rage, the octopus. It's perfect for long, thick hair. Scunci makes them in all sizes.
3. Don't confuse clips with barrettes. Barrettes generally won't hold enough hair to create curls.
To use the decorative clips, wait until hair is 90% dry (this will happen naturally as you put on your makeup and do morning chores). Then roll up hair the way you would if you were pincurling it - but use the clips instead. You'll have to use fewer clips than you would pincurls, for aesthetic reasons. For instance, you might pull your hair up into a roll near the top of your head and secure it a clip. Make a second roll of the remaining hair, and secure it too. A few hours later - at work or when you go out that night - take the clips out, spritz with a light-hold hair spray, and your curls are big and lovely.
Note: If you do find your hair slipping out of a clip or an octopus, use bobby pins discreetly to keep the clip in place.
Braids
A stand-by for many centuries. If you don't like the way braids look on you, pin them up close to the head, and add a store-bought pony tail to create a more updated look.
Pony Tails
When hair is almost dry, make a pony tail and twist the hair around a number of times before securing it at the bottom. Your long hair will come out with pretty, natural-looking bed-head curls.
A pony tail, high on the head, with the bottom ends tucked under and held with bobby pins, will yield a sleeker style. Your hair will be smooth and volumized, with a sophisticated look. To keep from getting a crease where the elastic was, use a scarf or ribbon (secured with bobby pins) to hold the pony tail in place.
A bun...
is a classical style that leaves a curly head of hair when taken down.
A French twist...
will create curly hair, too, but it will be fluffier and less symmetrical than curls from a bun.
Pincurls?
Put hair up in close-to-the-head pincurls and don a pretty, wide-brimmed summer sun hat.
Hand-scrunching
Air dry hair until it's the tiniest bit damp. Then add styling mouse and scrunch with hands until hair is dry. This method works best on short hair. You'll get a casual, tousled look.
Root work
Giving the roots of your hair volume and body can make your whole hairstyle look good.
For short hair - use a strong-hold styling mousse toward the end of the air-dry time, and hold your head upside down, fluffing the hair with your fingers. Stand up and don't comb.
For medium to long hair - use a root hair spray. Spray either of 2 ways:
1. Flip your hair upside down, and gently spray the roots. Wait a few seconds for spray to dry before flipping your head back up.2. Divide hair into sections - perhaps 4 to 6 sections, more or less depending on the length and thickness of your hair. Take one section at a time, hold the hair up, and spray the underside at the roots. Pincurl into place until the spray dries. Continue on to the next section. When letting hair loose, don't comb - just use fingers to put hair in place.
For more ideas on
easy and healthy hair care, check out
www.MyMakeupMirror.com.
Many of us need to ease-up on the heat stylers, and let our hair get healthy again. And these methods are actually quicker and easier than blow drying!
Here's to your hair health - and beauty.
Suzann writes for the beauty and skincare website My Makeup Mirror - a potpourri of articles, product reviews, and how-to's on hair, cosmetics, and well-being.
