- Men and women have been styling their hair since the beginnings of civilization. While early in history this styling was largely utilitarian and designed to keep hair out of the way, designing elaborate and innovative styles quickly became popular, particularly among the elite members of society. The ancient Greeks and Romans used hot tongs straight from the fire to tame their hair into ringlets, and this practice continued largely unchanged until the advent of electricity thousands of years later. Now, electric curling irons make a wide variety of looks and styles an option for everyone.
- Hairstyles using a curling iron can serve several purposes. Curls can hide the mechanics of an updo by masking pins and hair bands. They can also add volume to loose, flowing hair, while ringlets create an exotic, pampered look. You can even use a curling iron to eliminate frizz or straighten hair and make it appear smoother and silkier.
- If you are planning to use a curling iron for a hairstyle, you should add at least 20 minutes to your styling time frame. This is because you will need to do all of the styling that you normally would do, plus you will need to set the curls in place. For example, if you want to make a classic ponytail really bounce with added curls, you will need perhaps 5 minutes to get the ponytail in place, then another 15 to 20 to get the curls looking the way that you want.
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Simple ponytail dressed up with curls.Curling irons can be used for all types of styles. Updos look great when accented with a few ringlets around the face, or you can create a "crown" of tight curls that fall across the top and back of your head. Long, flowing looks look even better when you frame your face with strands of hair that curl gently around your chin and soften your bangs with a large-barrel curl. You can remove kinks and waves in your otherwise hair that may be a result of uneven drying or just natural anomalies by running a curling iron over them gently and without curling the hair around the barrel. - Time is not the only thing you will need to factor in when styling with a curling iron. Depending on your personal hair, you may find that you need a variety of products to help your hair hold its curl or maintain its heat-induced straightness. Popular products include hairspray, mousse and hair gel.
- While styling with a curling iron is fun and easy, be careful not to overdo it. Excessive heat styling can dry out hair and cause it to break easily. You can also permanently damage ends and even alter color over time. Be sure that you are caring for your hair in a way that will preserve its health even when you style with a curling iron.
