The dream? Weekend-long curls.
To make our long-lasting curl dreams come true, we’re confidently rejecting outdated "old wives' tales" and opting into an intentional styling routine.
Five major factors influence how long your curls last:
- Your shower routine
- How you dry your hair
- Your prep steps
- The styling process
- Sleep and care
Your Shower Routine
When washing your hair, using the right hair products is crucial to creating a strong foundation. If your products are too heavy, they can weigh down your curls and affect how long they last. That's why we recommend using Pregame Shampoo, a lightweight product that cleanses and nourishes your locks without weighing them down.
On days when you're not washing your hair, use an Uplift Band to pull your hair up to the top of your head to prevent your curls from getting wet. You may also want to wear a shower cap if your hair is shorter or if you need help keeping it dry in the shower.
How to Dry Your Hair
To protect your hair, apply a thermal protectant when it is still 50% wet. The protectant will dry into your cuticles, safeguarding your hair for a longer period and helping your styles last longer. Blow-drying is a significant part of hair care, whether you air dry, diffuse, or go for an all-out blowout. Remember that how you blow-dry your hair affects which styles will work best for you until your next wash day. Learn more about your preferred blow-drying method and how it affects your hairstyle here.
Your Prep Steps
#1 Detangle Your Hair
Starting with untangled hair makes parting sections and curling your hair much easier.
#2 Protection
We highly recommend using Limitless Universal Spray as your prep product. However, using a strong thermal protectant will significantly impact how your curls turn out and how long they last.
The Styling Process
The TYME Iron Pro is designed to create a variety of long-lasting curls with ease. Follow these tips for best results:
Work with Small Sections
When curling your hair with the TYME Iron Pro, use small sections of hair that are shorter than the length of the titanium plates. This ensures that the section stays between the plates while curling.
Brush Each Section
Before curling, brush through each section of hair, even if it's already detangled.
Fan Out Your Hair
Flatten and fan out each section of hair like a sheet of paper to ensure even heating. Proper heating and cooling make a big difference in the longevity of your curls.
Mind Your Speed
The speed at which you curl each section of hair with the iron affects the longevity of your curls. If you go too fast, you'll get a looser curl that only holds for a short time and can create frizz. To avoid this, slow down enough to allow the hair to heat and cool evenly.
The Twirl
Once you have curled a section of hair, use a simple motion to twirl it into the perfect position while it cools. Where your hair cools is where it will stay!
Brushing Through
Whether you're finger brushing, using a wide-tooth comb, or a paddle brush, be confident in combing out your curls! They should be able to withstand brushing!
Securing Your Style
Complete your fresh style by applying hairspray! This final step isn't always necessary, but it is a surefire way to keep your curls intact. Our SelfieTYME Hairspray is formulated with memory resins, so you can confidently brush through your hair, knowing it will stay in shape! If your curls look too relaxed after brushing, you can reshape them by re-twirling them in the same direction as you originally curled them.
Sleep + Care
One of the main places where curls fall flat is in the bedroom. Our own body heat and weight of our heads squish and manipulate our curls overnight. Keep your hair safely up and away with these tricks:
- If you have long hair, one way to help your curls last is to pull your hair loosely to the top of your head and secure it lightly with a hair tie.
- For any hair length, split your hair down the middle in the back and fan it up and out to the sides for sleeping. This works best if you're a back-sleeper :)
- A satin pillowcase causes less friction on the hair and keeps it smoother and less ruffled.
On the second or third day, gently brush through your hair with your fingers or a brush and reshape the curls into place. Touch up the curls if necessary, but most of the time, if you let your hair rest, you will be surprised at how it naturally falls back into the style you created the day before!
Long Lasting MYTHS
The advice we've always heard but maybe isn't always true.
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Waiting a day or two to curl your hair:
An old-school way of thinking is to curl on dirty hair to get your curls last longer, which means not curling on hair wash day. If we lived this way, a bride couldn't have fresh hair on her wedding day or a senior on prom night. Your products should perform for you to have fresh hair on your big days.
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Making tighter curls:
With the TYME Iron, you should feel confident in creating the style you are going for without making your curls tighter than you want in fear that your curls won't last long enough. By traveling down the hair strand at a slow, steady pace, you are heating and cooling the curl into place with the curve of the iron, allowing any curl to last for days!
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Increasing your curling iron temperature:
Do you have to increase your curling iron temperature to positively impact how long your curls last? Typically, the hotter the iron, the longer the curls last, but there is no black-and-white answer. Try curling slowly and steadily before you turn up the heat, and see if that works for your hair needs! You can turn up the heat, but in some cases, you risk your hair's integrity or health. If your curls aren't lasting as long as they should, you can try turning up the heat, but know that if your hair doesn't look shiny after you curl, you may have the heat too high.