Heatless curls: My journey from frizz to effortless waves

When I was younger, the only thing I wanted was to have hair like my mum and sister.

Their thick, wavy locks made me despise my straight, thin hair, so much to the point where I wanted to do something about it.

My mum suggested braiding, so I started doing so every other day before bed to see if I liked the results. I would pull my hair with rollers and hair brushes until my eyes watered, as I was adamant to get the same volume in my hair as my family.

Sometimes I would have to get my sister to help and I would sit in the living room on a stool, with her behind me, hair rollers scattered all over the table and a hairbrush balanced on my knee, as we tried our best to place them in.

It was a lot of trial and error. Some days I would wake up and have beautiful, bouncy curls, and others I would look in the mirror in horror at what I had created and run to the bathroom to brush my hair out with water.

Now in my twenties, I have learned the ‘do’s and don'ts’ with heatless curling methods, and still use them on most nights. Not because I am the same insecure girl I was at school, but because I actually love the volume and wave these techniques add to my hair.

DIY curling methods have been popularised due to apps such as TikTok, and rightly so, as they have many benefits. Unlike using a curling wand, they are low maintenance and do not cause as much damage as heat.

So from my experience, I have come up with a list of different DIY curling methods that rank from worst to best:

5. The Dressing Gown method

This may come as a shock, especially if you have seen it all over TikTok, but this one just does not work well with me. I know a lot of people have had great experiences with it, however, I think it is too fiddly. I find that the front parts of my hair wrap around the dressing rope easily, whereas the bottom section just ends up unravelling, leaving my hair half curly and half limp.

So if you have patience, and don’t have a short fuse like me, then this one's for you. If not then keep reading.

4. Next up are rollers

These take me back to the countless nights I had when I could not sleep, because I had them jabbing me in the back of my head. Not only are they uncomfortable, they have left me looking like a poodle at school, so it is with no regret that I have left them in the past.

3. Normal braids

These are mediocre. There is nothing wrong with them; they work and are low maintenance. However, the finished product can make my hair look like it has been crimped. I don’t love them, and I don’t hate them, but they are not my go to.

2. Twists are my runner-up

I use this technique every other night, and they never fail. If you want a more soft curl then just do one twist at the back of your head. But, if you are looking for more prominent curls then try three or four, and trust me you won’t be disappointed. Make sure you wet your hair before you try these. I have found that wetting my hair before makes the curls the next day a lot more defined, whilst on dry hair the curls lose their shape within an hour.

1. Lastly, my all time favourite DIY curls are French braids!

I take into account that these may take a while to master, but when you do, they produce some of the best curls. Because they start from the top of your head, I have found it gives you more natural-looking curls, and adds so much volume to your hair. Every time I do this before bed, I know the next day I will feel so confident, and I get so many compliments and questions on how I get my hair like that.

So if you are looking to ditch the curling wand and try something healthier for your hair, try one of these hacks and see which one suits you best.

Edited by Olivia Warburton