Learn how to Curl Artificial Hair Like a Celeb Stylist
Hair extensions can do quite a lot of favors in your hair. They can provide you mermaid-esque size, sky-high quantity, and the physique you have all the time dreamed of.
I am about to noticeably date myself, however throughout my training helping different hairstylists, there have been solely two base camps for fake hair: actual and artificial. Actual hair (additionally known as Remy hair) can deal with warmth styling and was way more costly; artificial hair would soften underneath warmth however was extra inexpensive. To govern artificial hair right into a desired form and magnificence with out warmth, I discovered to make use of strategies like pin curling and thoroughly rolled curler units that have been set with a handheld steamer.
After chatting lately with celeb hairstylist and Ulta Magnificence Professional Group member David Lopez, I discovered that artificial hair extensions have come a great distance. Right this moment, loads of producers now make artificial items that may deal with a certain quantity of warmth (although the temperature tolerances might fluctuate). Artificial hair, be it extensions or fake hairpieces, has change into extra versatile than ever. Lopez walked me via a fast step-by-step on the way to finest curl artificial hair. Maintain studying to be taught extra.
What You may Want
- Pin curl clips
- Large-tooth comb
- 1.25″ curling iron (Lopez recommends the Single Cross Curl Skilled Ceramic Curling Iron by T3, $150)
- Styrofoam wig kind
- T-pins
- Wig stand or tripod
- Warmth-resistant artificial hair (Lopez recommends Hairdo’s 8-piece Extension Package, $94)
- Non-compulsory: Dry shampoo (Lopez recommends Kenra Skilled’s Platinum Dry Shampoo, $22)
- Non-compulsory: Hairspray
Set Up
To have most management over your required end result, Lopez recommends utilizing a wig kind and stand as a safe basis in your artificial hair to take a seat on when you fashion. “Use a styrofoam wig block to pin the extensions to,” he tells us. Through the use of t-pins, you may keep away from having the extensions slip or transfer round when you’re working. The tripod or wig stand you employ may even make it easier to discover stability as you fashion.
“And ensure to make use of artificial hair that’s warmth resistant,” he reminds us. As I discussed earlier, heat-resistant artificial hair is newer to the hair scene and never all artificial hair is warmth resistant, so you should definitely pay shut consideration if you’re buying in your hair. Earlier than you get began, “I all the time prefer to spray slightly dry shampoo on artificial extensions,” says Lopez. “This helps take away a few of the shine and can assist it seem barely extra reasonable.”
Curl in Sections
As soon as your hair is primed and safe, it is time to begin curling. Earlier than taking the iron straight to the hair, “make certain to show your iron down beneath 320 levels (or observe the producer’s warmth information),” Lopez warns. Going above the really helpful temperature might soften and spoil your artificial hair. Each artificial hair sort is completely different, so you should definitely take notice earlier than you get began.
“Utilizing a 1.25″ curling iron, curl every part beginning close to the ‘roots’ and feeding the hair in to get even warmth distribution,” says Lopez. When sectioning your artificial hair, attempt to goal for roughly the identical measurement part as your barrel, so on this case, slightly bigger than 1″ (eyeball this—there is not any want for perfection).
When feeding the hair into the iron per Lopez’s instructions, maintain the clamp down and gently faucet it out all the best way all the way down to your ends to keep away from leaving a clamp crease within the hair. When you open up the clamp an excessive amount of, you might let a few of the hair slip via with out getting grazed by the warmth and, as Lopez notes, feeding the hair via the recent barrel is essential to getting that even distribution. If this can be a new approach of curling to you, follow on your self and check out it out a couple of occasions first. You may need your hair to match the extensions anyway, so take the time to search out your consolation with this.
Utilizing dry shampoo on artificial extensions will mattify a few of the shine and assist the hair seem extra reasonable.
Pin Your Curls
If you’ve come to the tip of your part and your artificial hair is wrapped neatly across the iron, use that very same mild tapping of the clamp to slip the iron out from the curl with out releasing the brand new form you have simply created within the hair. “After curling, permit every part to relaxation in your palm earlier than pinning into place,” suggests Lopez. “Don’t permit the hair to unravel.”
In case your curl falls out slightly bit, use your fingers, as Lopez exhibits us right here, and gently wrap that hair up right into a curl once more. At this level, you may need to seize considered one of your pin curl clips to safe the part to its “root” on the base of the extension strip. Do that with each part of hair you curl in order that if you’re completed, your total strip will probably be pinned up like a curler set.
Let it Cool
Cooling the hair is essential in terms of altering the form of your strands with warmth. Much like the cool shot in your blowdryer, permitting the hair to chill goes to provide it a while to lock within the desired fashion you simply created with the assistance of utilized warmth. Your hair will maintain its fashion for for much longer in case you permit it the time to take a seat in its new form. Give it at the least 10 minutes of cooling earlier than you let your artificial hair down.
Comb By way of Curls
“After the hair is totally cooled,” says Lopez, “use a wide-tooth comb to softly comb out your hair.” You might have to do that a couple of occasions relying on how comfortable of a end you’d prefer to see within the hair. Combing via will assist break unfastened these pre-sectioned separations within the hair, drag out the bounce and physique alongside each strand, and usually loosen up the curls you made so you have no Shirley Temple-looking ringlets.
At this level, add the extensions to your pre-styled head of hair and end all of it off with the product of your selecting. You can use texture spray, shine spray, smoothing cream, or hairspray relying on the end you need. Lopez recommends ending with a light-weight maintain hairspray for added definition.
The Closing Product
Voila! Now we notice there are many curling strategies you should utilize in your heat-resistant artificial hair (Hollywood Glam or Beachy Waves, anybody?), so take into account this one an expert-guided jumping-off level. Irrespective of the way you resolve to twist your artificial strands, keep in mind Lopez’s key takeaways:
- Be aware of the particular temperature really helpful for the hair you purchase.
- Use a wig kind and t-pins for max management.
- Give the hair a while to chill and lock in its new form.
