How to Get Catwalk Curls

Style perfectly defined curls.

Whether you're walking on the catwalk or simply want to look like you belong on one, you'll need great hair to go along with flawless makeup and unique fashion. Luckily, you can get perfect curls whether you already have curly or wavy hair or if you're working with straight locks. Even the most unruly head of hair can be tamed with the right styling tools and products. From fighting frizz, making your strands shine and forming perfect ringlets, learn the tips and tricks that the pros use.

Things You'll Need

• Hair rollers, varying sizes
• Blow dryer and diffuser attachment
• Flat iron
• Clarifying shampoo
• Deep conditioner
• Shine hair serum
• Curl cream

Instructions

1. Ask your stylist for a haircut that will make your curls bounce instead of fall flat. Naturally curly hair, no matter what length, should have layers cut in. You want to avoid a triangle shape when your hair is dry -- the crown shouldn't be flat, with a lot of weight at the bottom of your hair.

2. Wrap partially dry hair around rollers. The size of the rollers will determine the size of your curls -- use larger rollers for large curls and smaller rollers for tight curls. Don't remove the rollers until your hair is completely dry. It's best to let your hair dry naturally, but if you must speed up the process with a blow dryer, turn it to the lowest setting and use a diffuser.

3. Create curls using a flat iron as an alternative to using rollers. Clamp a small section of hair mid-way down the length of the hair. Holding the flat iron vertically, wrap hair around the iron by turning it away from your face, until all of the hair is wrapped around. Then slide the iron to the end of your hair. Do this slowly enough so that the hair heats up to curl, but don't let the iron sit on your hair for more than a few seconds.

4. Smooth on hair product that's designed for curly hair. If your hair tends to be dry and frizzy, rub a few drops of shine hair serum in the palms of your hands and smooth over your hair from mid-way down to your ends. If you don't have a problem with dryness, using a creamy hair product meant for curls will define your ringlets.

5. Maintain healthy hair, which will give you the best curls possible. Have the ends of your hair trimmed regularly, limit your use of heat tools, and use clarifying shampoo and deep conditioner weekly.

Tips & Warnings

• While perms can make straight hair curly day in and day out, they're not the best option. The type of curls that perms give you are more kinky than ringed, which isn't a popular style anymore. Plus, perms use harsh chemicals, which will damage your hair. Curls won't look beautiful if they're dried out and breaking.

References

• Cosmopolitan: Perfect Curl Tips
• Care Fair: How to Get the Perfect Curls (From Straight to Curly)
• The Knot: Creating Perfect Wedding Hair Curls