How to curl your hair with a straightener

A straightener might not seem like the obvious choice for curling hair, but celebrity hairstylists frequently opt for this styler to achieve a range of long-lasting shapes.

25 July 2022

Dyson’s Global Style Ambassadors and celebrity stylists Jen Atkin, Larry King, and Kellon Deryck create natural, textured and statement looks all with a straightener. You don’t need to be a master stylist either – creating loose curls or beach waves with straightener stylers requires just a few expert tips and techniques.

To show you how to curl your hair with a straightener, our style ambassadors demonstrate step-by-step methods using the Dyson Corrale™ cordless hair straightener.

Guide on how to curl your hair with a straightener

High performance straighteners can deliver a diverse range of looks without causing damage to hair from extreme heat. With a little practice, the techniques for standout locks or loose curls can be quick to achieve.

Part of flawless hair is healthy strands. Conventional styling tools rely on heat to conform the shape of hair, which can result in dehydrated and dulled locks. The Corrale™ is the only straightener to use flexing copper plates, allowing precise gathering without the need to clamp as you move. For how to curl hair with straightener tools without damage¹, we’ve compiled a four-step hair curling tutorial below.

1. Prepare Hair

Just with skin, the care you give to hair before a styling routine determines how beautiful the results will be. “To truly lock in a great style, it’s important to invest in your prep. Lasting style is all about what you do before”, says TT Hart, Lead Stylist at Dyson GB.

To gain beach waves with straightener, some level of heat will need to be applied. Unlike conventional straighteners, Dyson Corrale™ cordless hair straightener doesn’t only rely on extreme levels of heat. Flexing copper plates and intelligent heat control deliver precision styling without causing damage from high heat.

To keep curls from dropping, a volumising mousse or spray should be applied to hair before drying. Then, blow-dry hair gently to protect shine and manageability. Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer comes with a Gentle attachment to be kind to strands while still drying fast.

2. Set temperature control

Heat is integral to shaping hair – but different hair types respond better to different levels of heat. As celebrity stylist Larry King explains, “as stylists, we work with lots of different clients with many different hair types, and the temperature of the plates is really important to create that perfect style.”

Dyson engineers researched hair science to determine the ideal temperatures for fine, thick and coarse hair types. The Dyson Corrale™ is engineered with different levels for optimal styling, whatever your hair type. For thick or coarse hair, set the temperature to 210°C. to curl fine hair into loose curls or beach waves, opt for the lower temperature of 185°C.

3. Work in sections

A general guiding rule with sections is that the smaller they are, the more definition you’ll achieve. Smaller sections can also improve styling precision and manageability. As Dyson Global Styling Ambassador Guo Zijing reveals, “Many are guilty of not sectioning the hair before styling in an effort to save time. However, this can be inefficient and also compromise the end style”.

When demonstrating how to curl hair with straightener stylers, hair styling guides will always suggest using sections to attain the best results. Apart from manageability, sections create layered texture. Larry King suggests alternating the directions of curls to create natural looking loose curls or blow waves. For thick and coarse hair, smaller sections are recommended. Finer hair types can work in larger sections.

4. The technique

To create beach waves with straightener tools, begin by sectioning hair into 2-3 sections. “Gather the hair at the top and then turn inwards, pull down and turn outwards, then pull down before releasing it. Continue with slow, even passes repeating throughout the hair”, explains Jen.

For glamorous curls, begin at the roots and rotate the Corrale™ 360° as you glide through the section. When achieving this style, Larry King uses the Dyson logo as a guide for each 360° turn. To increase each curl, “just twist it with your finger” at end.

When following a hair curling tutorial with Dyson’s hair care technology, you don’t need to apply pressure or take multiple passes through each section. “Instead of going through multiple passes on the same section of hair, just go through once in a slow and steady pace,” advises Kellon.