How to Curl Stick Straight Hair

I've been getting requests for how I curl my hair for a long time now, and it seems I've finally acquiesced to your request. I have super straight, hard-to-curl hair so it really gets some effort to get curls to stay. I shared some tips for curling stick-straight hair a couple of years ago, but I used to use a curling iron and had to pin up my curls while they cooled to get any sort of staying power. Now I've upgraded to a curling wand I can skip that step. I don't know what's so different about a curling wand, but they just work so much better for me! I use the T3 Whirl and I love it, it's super expensive but it actually works. They sell it at Sephora, so I was able to pick it up at a discount during the last VIB sale - score!

I apologize in advance for how long this thing turned out - it turns out I have a lot of thoughts about hair ;) If you don't feel like watching the whole video, just know that my top tips are to use a curling wand like the T3, and to use way more products than you feel comfortable admitting. Here are all of the products I used in the video:

Redken Guts 10 Volume Spray Foam

Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Primer

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo 

Kenra Thermal Styling Spray 19

Kenra Volume Spray 25

Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast Spray

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Top 5 Hair Products

With my hair, my goal is usually one of two things - to either add more moisture or more volume. It's naturally straight, but since I dye it it's usually a little dry. According to my hair dresser, I also have "a lot of thin hair," so if I don't apply the right products it can fall flat. My hair is also so straight that I need a little help in the curling department. Here are five of my favorite hair products:

Ojon Volume Advance Thickening Spray - This thickening spray was one of the first things I ever got in my Birchbox. This product does just what the name suggests, and makes my hair look a whole lot thicker. I spray a few pumps in my hair while it's still wet and comb it through to distribute it evenly and then blow dry normally.

Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge - I actually got a free sample of this moisturizing treatment in the mail and have been buying it in bulk from Amazon ever since (I can never find it in stores). It's somehow a super moisturizing treatment that leaves my hair feeling light and silky rather than weighed down. You can use it in place of a regular conditioner, but I usually add it after rinsing out my usual conditioner for extra silk and shine.

Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle - 3 minute miracle indeed. I can usually find this in drugstores for under three dollars and it works better than most of the high end deep conditioners I've tried. Not to mention that it smells great too!

Kenra Thermal Styling Spray - I tried this the first time because a travel size came attached to my giant bottle of Kenra Volume 25 and it is freaking amazing. Before I started using this product I could never get my curls to last longer than an hour or two, even if I wrapped them up and let them sit to fully cool. I don't know how this stuff works, but seriously, whoever created it is a miracle worker.

Kerastase Elixir Ultime - My hair stylist originally recommended this to me, and she pointed out that it's pretty expensive but would last me a long time. She was so right, I've used my bottle almost daily for the past two years and it's only halfway gone! The elixir is a hair oil that can be used on wet or dry hair. I usually run one pump of oil from the point where I can gather my hair into a ponytail through to my ends. I also occasionally put a little on my ends to add some shine to my second-day hair.


What are some of your favorite products?

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Top Posts of 2012

It's crazy to think that I've been rocking this blog for six months now.  I was looking through some of my early posts and if feels like they were so long ago.  As 2012 winds down, I wanted to share my top 5 posts of the year:

1. Easy Costume: Wendy from Peter Pan
How to turn a nightgown from Sears and some ribbon into a quick Wendy costume

2. Giving Cash as a Gift

An amusing way to gussy up cash monies 

3. 5 Tips for Curling Stubbornly Straight Hair
How I get my crazy straight hair to stay curled, as well as a gift for my almost sister-in-law

4. Mini Meatloaf Bites

The recipe for my favorite appetizer, Mini Meatloaf Bites

5. Sisterface Wedding Extravaganza

A look back at my little sister's wedding as well as a double-denim outfit

Thank you to everyone who has read and supported my little blog over the past few months!  For 2013 expect a lot more how-to posts as well as a (hopeful) improvement on my photography skills.  Can't wait to see you then!