Curlers - what am I doing wrong?!

[amygeorgina]

Hello,

I'm having a bit of a hair conundrum and figured some of you ladies must be able to give me some advice. Sorry if something like has already been answered!

I've been trying to curl my hair in different ways lately. My hair is naturally poker straight, and quite thick and heavy. At the minute it reaches my 'chest'.

I used Babyliss Hot Sticks which worked quite well but they dropped pretty quickly, within a few hours.

I then bought some curlers that you have to push the little pin through. I used these with some setting lotion, and it worked okay, but again, it dropped pretty quickly. Plus the setting lotion, well, set, and just left my hair feeling a bit plasticky and rigid, and not in a good way (am I just being thick, is that the whole point?!)

Then this weekend I bought some foam curlers, used some curling mousse to rough dry my hair and slept in them overnight. Wow! Lots of curls, but not in a uniform fashion. They just went a bit frizzy and uncontrolable, not all beatifully solid and shiny and lush as I've seen some of you achieve. They lasted all day, and were still there yesterday when I got up, but because they just went bulky and frizzy I kept it pinned back which a scarf round my head!! My other half agreed that they were too tight, I looked a bit too Shirley Temple for my liking.

So, my question really is, what am I doing wrong? Do I need to use bigger rollers? And what do I do with it once it's curly, that's my main problem!! What does everyone else do with theirs when they curl it? Am hopeless at Victory Rolls, can just about manage a faux bang, but does a faux bang work with curly hair? Should I just get it cut shorter to make it work a bit better?!

Sorry, to be a complete novice and for writing such a long post, I'm just a bit lost!

Thank you for any advice!!

Amy

 

[KittyT]

I've been trying to curl my hair in different ways lately.

The only way to figure out what works for you!

I used Babyliss Hot Sticks which worked quite well but they dropped pretty quickly, within a few hours.

I then bought some curlers that you have to push the little pin through. I used these with some setting lotion, and it worked okay, but again, it dropped pretty quickly.

If your curls are dropping quickly, I'd suggest cutting in some layers. This will make your hair less heavy and less likely to pull out thecurls with its weight.

Plus the setting lotion, well, set, and just left my hair feeling a bit plasticky and rigid, and not in a good way (am I just being thick, is that the whole point?!)

This may mean you're using too much. I get crunch curls from setting lotion as well, but that goes away when I comb them out.

Then this weekend I bought some foam curlers, used some curling mousse to rough dry my hair and slept in them overnight. Wow! Lots of curls, but not in a uniform fashion.

Make sure your curl size is uniform.

They just went a bit frizzy and uncontrolable, not all beatifully solid and shiny and lush as I've seen some of you achieve. They lasted all day, and were still there yesterday when I got up, but because they just went bulky and frizzy I kept it pinned back which a scarf round my head!! My other half agreed that they were too tight, I looked a bit too Shirley Temple for my liking.

You may want to try using bigger rollers. You may also want to examine your brush out technique. What kind of brush are you using? For some gals, a natural bristle brush works. I find that makes my hair frizzy. Some gals use their fingers. I find that a very wide tooth comb works for brushing them out and loosening them up. I never use a brush when I set my hair, only the comb. You'll have to experiment with different brush out techniques to find out what works for you, but really the key to good curls is in your brush out.

 

[bellabella327]

With the foam rollers, it may be the way you are brushing them out. LisaFreemontStreet has some fab tutorials on brushing out pin curls:
http://www.youtube.com/user/LisaFreemontStreet#p/c/3C3D2490BB7FAB9F/3/dUgj-BmActE

You may also want to try giving pin curls a try!

 

[amygeorgina]

Thank you ladies! Pin curls were next on my list!! Thats just where to wind it into a flat curl and pin it in place, yes?! (told you I was a novice!)

As for my brush out, I think this is what made it frizzy, you're definitely right! I used my fingers, as per an article I'd seen, then used a tail comb with very fine spaces so I reckon that must have been the problem. I have a wide tooth comb (it's a 'shower comb') so I'll try that. I also have a Mason Pearson bristle and nylon brush, I was just worried that was going to brush them out completely!!

I think it probably was too much setting lotion, I was just so determined for the curls to hold that I thought more setting lotion = longer lasting curls!

Will try again and report back!!

 

[amygeorgina]

With the foam rollers, it may be the way you are brushing them out. LisaFreemontStreet has some fab tutorials on brushing out pin curls:
http://www.youtube.com/user/LisaFreemontStreet#p/c/3C3D2490BB7FAB9F/3/dUgj-BmActE

Oh and her tutorials are amazing, had missed this one, but her curls are what I aspire to, and I am so envious of how easy she makes victory rolls look!!

 

[bellabella327]

I agree. I LOVE her tutorials! I have really fine hair like hers, so I adore trying her tutorials

Good luck with the pincurls. I am still working with them. Some days I get a great set and others make me want to cry

 

[Miss Scarlet]

I'm just going to say, oh my god you live in worcestor park!!! I live in stoneleigh, literally just round the corner! How bizarre!

 

[MarieAnne]

Then this weekend I bought some foam curlers, used some curling mousse to rough dry my hair and slept in them overnight. Wow! Lots of curls, but not in a uniform fashion. They just went a bit frizzy and uncontrolable, not all beatifully solid and shiny and lush as I've seen some of you achieve. They lasted all day, and were still there yesterday when I got up, but because they just went bulky and frizzy I kept it pinned back which a scarf round my head!! My other half agreed that they were too tight, I looked a bit too Shirley Temple for my liking.

Sounds like you figured out how to put a curl in your hair. Now it's time to experiment with different roller placement/setting patterns. I think there is a thread of setting patterns. Be careful with how you roll the hair onto the roller; you may want to try end papers. I would also recommend a net to hold and support your rollers while you sleep, and a satin cap to prevent frizz. Have fun!

 

[buddy5909]

Any ideas?

OK, so my problem is a bit different. After I brush my cruls out it looks great. Then about an hour later all the curls go back to kinda how they looked before I brushed them out. Does that make sense? Like they go back to single curls and not the nice wave I brushed them to. Any ideas? [huh]

 

[bellabella327]

OK, so my problem is a bit different. After I brush my cruls out it looks great. Then about an hour later all the curls go back to kinda how they looked before I brushed them out. Does that make sense? Like they go back to single curls and not the nice wave I brushed them to. Any ideas? [huh]

Sometimes I get that problem too especially when I use Hot Sticks...once in awhile when I use pincurls too, but never when I sleep in foam rollers or perm rods.

 

[MarieAnne]

OK, so my problem is a bit different. After I brush my cruls out it looks great. Then about an hour later all the curls go back to kinda how they looked before I brushed them out. Does that make sense? Like they go back to single curls and not the nice wave I brushed them to. Any ideas? [huh]

That happens to me all the time. Especially if I'm outside and it's a bit windy. I just keep a little pocket brush with me when I go out.

 

[amygeorgina]

Hey, I had a hair net on, much to the amusement of my totally non vintage partner! He said I looked like his mum, charming!

Will have a search for the setting patterns thread, thanks for the tip! I'm going to attempt it again, I think, am going to Vintage at Goodwood on Friday so want to at least try and look the part!

Also, not heard of end papers, will go and google now! I think the problem is, my hair is so long, that I just have to wrap it round before I can start actually rolling it up, which I think is messing it all up a bit too! I did read that you need to get the ends properly tucked in, with a tail comb, but my arms just aren't bloomin long enough, so I think I'm kind of always destined to fail a bit with the ends!

And hey Miss Scarlet, yes indeedy, Worcester Park, I pass near Stoneleigh on my way to and from work in Kingston!

Thanks for the advice ladies, really do appreciate it!

 

[KittyT]

Also, not heard of end papers, will go and google now! I think the problem is, my hair is so long, that I just have to wrap it round before I can start actually rolling it up, which I think is messing it all up a bit too! I did read that you need to get the ends properly tucked in, with a tail comb, but my arms just aren't bloomin long enough, so I think I'm kind of always destined to fail a bit with the ends!

Have you ever had your hair permed? End papers are those little papers they tend to use for perms. They're small bits of mesh of plain paper that you fold over the ends of your hair before rolling it. The paper hangs down a bit past the ends, so when you start rolling, a bit of paper gets rolled before your hair. This way, your ends get tucked in nice and flat inside your curl, does that make sense?

Because your hair is longer, you might have to let your hair go slack while you're doing the ends, of pull it forward while you start the curl. I know it's a pain - I have this issue even though my hair is just past my shoulders!


And hey Miss Scarlet, yes indeedy, Worcester Park, I pass near Stoneleigh on my way to and from work in Kingston!

Thanks for the advice ladies, really do appreciate it![/QUOTE]

 

[Miss Scarlet]

I definately recommend putting layers in your hair. I too have just about chest length hair all one length and the curls drop out and lose shape so easily. Yesterday I cut layers in the back and front of my hair and I have finally obtained an accurate Rita Hayworth look all thanks to the layering. Yay! If the curls round the front stay in with shorter layers, but the back is still straightish it doesn't matter too much as I've seen loads of 40s stars with hair like that.