How to Curl Your Hair Cheaply WITHOUT Heat!

If you're anything like me, you take extremely good care of your hair. You want your hair to soft and frizz free so you stay away from styling tools that use heat like the plague and use conditioning serums every day.

Though this strategy does wonders to keep frizz and damage at bay, sometimes you want defined, sexy curls that last all day. So here's the dilemma - do I use a heated styling tool on my hair and destroy all the careful work I've done over the years for a night of sexy hair? Well, now you don't have to!

There are many styling tools out there that can give you sexy defined curls, but often they're extremely expensive. One example of these are Curlformers. Curlformers work like magic but not everyone can afford these tools.

You can get the same result at home cheaply - or even for free if you have all the necessary tools right on hand!

1.) Comb that allows you to easily section and brush hair. I am using Conair's Wet Hair comb.

2.) Curl Enhancing Mouse: I am using Garnier Frutis Curl Construct

3.) Volumizing Spray: I am using Garnier Frutis Body Boost Root Booster

4.) Strong Fabric or Paper Bags cut into strips approximately an inch wide. Length is dependent on the length of your hair. You want to be able to tie the fabric when you are done with it. I am using an old headband that got too stretched to fit around my head. You can use towels, rags, socks, whatever you have that you don't have a use for anymore. Currently I am tempted to make a "set" of rag curlers from a pair of spandex of mine that just recently ripped. The possibilities are endless.

*** It is important to note however that silk cloth will lessen any chance of hair breakage. If you happen to have silk cloth around that is wonderful, if not, it's not entirely important

1.) Shower/wet hair and allow it to become semi-dry. You want it to still feel wet, but you do not want it to drip.

2.) Comb your hair out thoroughly to avoid any tangles. Separate out a section that equates to the width you want your curls to be. Tighter curls will require smaller sections, loose curls will require wider sections.

3.) Apply the Curl Enhancing Mousse to the section of hair you just separated from the rest of your hair.

4.) Place one your your one inch strips perpendicular to your hair such that the tip of your hair is against the far end of the strip.

5.) Fold the cloth over and begin winding your hair around the cloth, taking care to leave it even with space at the end of the cloth

6.) After you have rolled the cloth all the way to the top of your head, tie the cloth in a knot.

7.) Continue this all the way around your head. For natural looking curls, make sure that you create layers of curls with the different sections of your hair. ( A rag for the top section, one for the middle section, and one for the bottom section of your hair growth ) For less realistic curls, do not create layers.

8.) After you have finished knotting the rags around your head, spray the roots of your hair with the root booster spray. This will ensure a more natural looking fall to your curls as opposed to them lying limp down your face. In addition, you can lightly coat the rag curls with a hairspray to ensure hold, this is optional however, as you already have mousse on.

9.) Sleep! Or entertain yourself for a minimum of four hours. The longer you have the rags in the stronger your curls will be and the longer they'll last. I recommend doing this at night before bed after an evening shower ( You do not want to shower after you have your curls ).

10.) So, you've done something, anything, for a minimum for 4 hours. Time to take out the rags. One by one untie the rags and slowly wind them backwards to release your hair. DO NOT pull the rags out as this may pull your hair straight and cause you to loose your curls.

11.) Here you have the option of wide-tooth combing or running your fingers through your curls. The curls will be very tight and so if you want a looser look, gently combing them out will work. However, if you want to keep the tight curls, gently separate the curls with your finger tips by pulling them apart. This will create the look of more curls and will offer your head and neck more "coverage".

12.) Spray lightly if a hairspray if you choose. I tend to not spray my hair with any hairspray at this point because I feel it weighs my curls down. This step is optional and is in accordance to your hair type.