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When you want Goldilocks-style curls, skip the curling iron or hot rollers in favor of your flat iron. Flat-iron curls look fresh and relaxed, whether you have long locks or a chin-length bob. Not every flat iron can give you bouncy waves and curls. The best straighteners to curl your tresses are designed as multitasking tools with the shape and heat you need.
Hair How To
Curling your hair with a straightener isn't quite like curling it with a typical round-barreled iron. Spray your hair with a thermal protectant spray and brush out any tangles. Separate a small section of your locks, no more than 2 inches wide by 1 inch deep. Clamp the iron near your roots and twist the flat iron. Pull the iron through your hair from roots to ends, turning it as you move down the strand. Allow the curl to cool completely before you handle it.
Basics of the Best
The best straighteners for curling your tresses are narrow with curved sides and ceramic plates. Your curling straightener should be between 3/4 inch and 1 1/4 inch wide for ravishing ringlets. Some flat irons have a slight curve to the plates to make curling and waving your tresses easier, but this isn't essential to get curly tresses without a curling iron.
Curvy Curling
If you curl your hair with a flat iron frequently, investing in an iron designed to curl or straighten your tresses is a smart solution. Winner of the 2009 and 2011 "Allure" magazine Best of Beauty award, the T3 SinglePass Professional Straightening and Styling Iron has curved plates and sides to give you sleek locks or bouncy curls. While this iron heats quickly and has adjustable heat, the controls are on the inside of the iron making burns a very real possibility.
Flat and Fabulous
Girls who wear curls as a change of pace rather than an everyday look should choose an iron with flat plates and curved sides. Try the "InStyle" magazine favorite FHI Heat Runway Ceramic Iron for curls or straight locks. This iron was an "InStyle" pick from 2008 to 2010 for its smooth plates and high heat. Tourmaline-infused plates protect your delicate tresses, but this high-heat iron may be too much for super fine, damaged locks.
