How to use a small barrel curling iron

Table of Contents

Using heat protection

Apply a heat protection to your hair, to keep it in good condition.

The heat from your curling iron can be pretty damaging!! Apply heat protection to keep your hair in it’s optimum condition. Some heat protections have a memory in them. So, not only do you get protected hair, you also have a lasting memory!

Set your temperature right

Different hair requires different heat. Make sure your temperature settings are as low as they can be!

So, again you don’t want to overheat your hair. Keeping a lower temperature will reduce heat damage. Not only that but less damage = less breakage, which means longer growth life of your hair, so let’s avoid going crazy on the heat dial.

Smaller barrel curler = smaller curls

Using a small barrel curler can create some cool effects!

Depending on your width of barrel you can create some serious volume. Some barrel curlers have a clip to help you wind, some are more of a rod barrel. Either tool can create similar looks depending on how you prefer to curl.

Curl in different directions

Do you want voluminous springy curls? Alternating will help!

Alternate the direction you wind the curl. This way you can achieve curls that don’t fold into each other stacking up and giving an effect of fuller curls with your barrel curling iron. Gradually building more width and a fuller curly effect.

Use a wide-toothed comb

If you want a more natural look, a wide-toothed comb is the way.

Rough up your curls by breaking into the hair with a wide toothed comb. It will give a lived-in fluffy effect. When you see naturally curly hair, its fluffy textured. If you get too wild with the look, use a light serum on your hands and pull it through with your palms to calm the curls down.

Use a weave hack to save time.

In the video you will see a cool weave hack I like to use.

Sometimes, using a small barrel curling iron can be quite time consuming because of the width of the barrel. I like to weave the hair with the rod and curl around it with all the sections to speed up curl time. Plus, it makes it easy to alternate directions too. Great for something a bit quicker with more texture to the look.

Create ripple waves with a small barrel

Do you like that glamour ripple wave? We do too! A small barrel curling iron gives us neat dips and bumps.

The way to create the timeless classic look is by winding in the same direction, consistently. Leaving to cool, wrapped in little rolls. Also, brushing and manipulating to create a ripple effect. A bristly brush you pull the curls to merge into one using your hands and the help of hair spray to work it into place. This look is a bit more time consuming – but totally worth the wait.

Wind random kinks in the hair

I Love this technique and it’s really easy to achieve

Hair trends have become more lived in and less perfect-looking… Which is great for those of you that maybe struggle using a barrel curler and just want to create a look that’s easy to wear. If you have natural texture in your hair, you can just leave bits out too giving more random texture to the look. Wrap the hair at different lengths once or twice. It spreads the texture through your length.

When curls are too springy, use a hairdryer.

Using a hair dryer low and slow can really help soften crazy barrel curled looks.

Maybe you got a bit too creative and the curls are mad. Well, use your dryer on a low heat and speed setting. Hold the dryer above the head and blow in a downwards motion. You can also stretch out the curl by gently pulling the ends while using the dryer.

Add different textures

Work with your natural, add springs and kinks.

Take pieces of hair and make a loose wind along the barrel curler, Creating soft bends. Alternate directions. Add random tight springy coils and get really creative. Messy kinks and curls with a small barrel curling iron create a nice beachy hair effect. You can also leave pieces out to create this effect… Brilliant for lazy hair lovers!

Hairspray will help your curls last.

Last thing you want after spending time creating your curly masterpiece is the curls dropping too much.

Find a good flex-hold spray to help hold the style you have created. Hair that isn’t naturally curly will need help holding the look for longer so hairspray will be perfect to give your look the extra help it may require.

Sleep on your curls

Sometimes curls look better on the second day after using a small barrel curling iron.

Yup, some much needed rest maybe all it takes to give your look a more natural curly look. I love second day curls and I just go in and curl random pieces of hair to give it a more polished finish. This one is great if you like a natural looking effect, and feel too-curly when your first curl your hair. Plan to do your hair a day in advance so it’s a bit more worn in when you want to showcase the curls.

Set the curls for hold

Setting curls in rolls will help them last and keep a stronger form.

Once you have wound your curls on the small barrel curling iron, roll them in the direction the have been curled and pin them in place to cool. Once they have cooled, release the curl. This stops the curl shrinking when there cooling and pack some serious power into your hair for ultra-volume.

Backcomb the hair with your fingers

This effect gives a fluffy cloudy soft but voluminous look.

Wind your hair in alternating directions to add volume and use your fingers like a comb and rake through your curls. Then, pinch your ends and loosely backcomb the hair for a gentle backcombed effect. This will bring soft fluffy volume to your look. Instead of harshly smooth wound curls. Do it as little or as much as you like. Remember more= more volume.


most popular curling iron icon Readers' Choice

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