5 Techniques To Define Your Curls

These techniques to define your curls will help you find the best way to style your hair if you just started to go natural – or if you would like to try other ways to make your curls look different.

Having curly hair gives you so much flexibility to play around and have different hairstyles for a special occasion or maybe for your daily routine. I do admit, though, that it can be such a struggle sometimes to get your curls on fleek.

The products you use to define your curls depend on your personal preferences and what works better with your hair texture, porosity, length or density. These are five popular techniques that you can try at home to help you define them.

1. Shingling method

The shingling method is one of the techniques to define your curls that will make you fall in love. It’s basically applying leave-in conditioner, gel or whatever product you use to normally define your curls to each strand of hair, individually on freshly washed hair… Yes, I did say “each strand of hair, individually”.

This method not only gives you great curl definition but it also elongates your curls and minimizes frizz. The only downside to it is that it takes a long time (up to an hour) to do all your hair since you’re doing it one by one but it’s totally worth it.

It’s best to go for this method when you actually have enough time to invest in styling your hair. When it comes to how long the definition will last, well this method could give you around 4 days of heavenly looking curls.

2. Finger Coils

This is a great method to define your curls if you are looking for a long lasting hair style. You need to start off of fresh hair, divide it into small sections, then into a 1-inch section, apply gel or your favorite product and start twirling around your finger starting from the scalp and going down until it forms a coil.

This method can take from 1 hour up to 2 hours depending on the length of your hair but the style can last from 1 to 2 weeks. You can either air dry or diffuse your curls.

3. Flexi Rods

This method will define your curls beautifully and add volume without the use of heat! This method is simple but it takes some practice to get it perfected. The results you will get could vary depending on the size of the rods, the product used, how long do you wait to take them down and the amount of hair used for each section.

The trick here is to have damp or moisturized hair before rolling them around the rod ’cause if you don’t you might not get the desired shape. After you got your hair damp and moisturized with your styling product, divide it into small sections and place the rod on the root to start with a “twisting” motion to roll your hair around the rod, lock it by bending both ends of the rod.

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The downside of this method is that you have to sleep with them on or spend a whole day in your house with the tubes on. If you decide to take them down and your hair is not 100% dry then the operation will be a complete failure, my dear.

4. Twist-Out

Looking for a wavy style? Then this is the right method for you! Twist-Outs give you a nice wavy definition by creating less tight and looser curls.

With damp hair, divide it into medium sections and then into two strands, apply a twist out creme or leave in conditioner, and start rolling one strand over the other in the same direction. Once you are done with your whole hair, keep it as long as you can (overnight or even 1 week) to make sure your hair is 100% dry and that the product has been set.

5. Perm Rods

This method is similar to the flexi rods but it gives you much less elongated curls. The result is tight short curls but still with a beautiful definition that will last for up to five days.

Curly hair is very flexible, you can get various hairstyles from tight curls to wavy hair by just changing the defining technique.

Have fun and play around with these 5 techniques to define your curls until you find the one that suits you best. Share these tips with a curl-friend who just started going natural!