The secret to your best curls ever
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If you’ve ever visited a hair stylist who specializes in curls—or are a fan of Ouidad products for curls—chances are you’re familiar with the rake and shake. For those who are new to this method, you’re in for a treat because this might just be the trick to your best curls ever.

Ouidad, a brand focused entirely on letting curls do their thing, was founded in 1984 and has since become a go-to source for natural-looking curls. They currently have three flagship salons, including one in Fort Lauderdale, FL; in addition to certified salons throughout the country. One benefit of visiting an Ouidad-certified salon, or any stylist that specializes in curls for that matter, is learning about the proper technique for caring for your curls. One such method that has changed the way we style our curls is the rake and shake.

To give it a try, start with a product lineup specifically designed for your curl type. Ouidad breaks down the ideal formula on their site for loose, classic, tight, or kinky curls.

Working from the nape of the neck upward, divide hair into five sections. Apply a small amount (about a quarter-size depending on the thickness of your hair) of styling product to each section, raking from root to tip. Raking through the curls with your fingertips will help to detangle and smooth, section by section.

As your fingertips near the end of each section as you’re raking, shake your hand to loosen-up strands. The shake is what will help your curls form in their most natural way. Remember when we used to scrunch? This is the new and improved version that actually promotes your curls doing their thing all on their own.

Diffuse to dry, with your tool set on a low, warm setting—just be sure you don’t touch your hair with your fingers as you dry. Messing with your curls will promote frizz. Finally, once your strands are dry, top it off with your favorite finishing product for curls that will last all day.
 
This article first appeared on Southern Living

When it comes to curling your hair there are many tools, techniques and types of curls to explore – curling irons for defined curls, hair rollers for voluminous hair and hair wands for undone waves and curls. While most mane-obsessed people have their favorite go-to curling iron and are also familiar with using hair rollers, hair wands can seem a bit intimidating and confusing to use. To help you master the hair wand, we enlisted David Lopez, lead stylist of T3 and hair stylist to celebs like Ashley Graham, Hailey Baldwin and Chrissy Teigen, to break down the most important things to know when using a hair wand.

So for those who can’t seem to use a curling iron without getting their hair stuck in the iron’s clamp and want to achieve the loose, undone waves that only a wand can deliver, keep reading for Lopez’s six key hair wand tips.

1. Choose the Best Barrel For Your Hair Type

T3’s Whirl Convertible specifically has 4 different interchangeable barrels for your desired wave or curl: Undone Waves 1″ straight barrel, Loose Waves 1.5″ straight barrel, Tousled Waves 1.25 – .75″ tapered barrel and Cascading Waves .75 – 1.25″ reversed tapered barrel. Those with shorter hair should stick to smaller barrels and people with longer hair can vary in size and sections depending on their desired result. According to Lopez, “texture from a wand looks great on every hair length as long as each section is able to get a full rotation around the barrel”

2. Always Start at the Root of the Hair

No matter the look that you’re going for, start with the wand at the root of the hair and wrap towards the end of the wand, holding the hair into place using the hand that is wearing the glove.

3. Hold the Wand With the Barrel Facing Downward

Holding the wand upside down while curling the hair is the most effective way to use the wand. Holding the wand in the direction that your hair flows and simply wrapping the section of hair from the base of the wand to the end will give you the best results for each section.

4. Pick Your Desired Curl

Both your hair texture and your desired curl are factors to consider when choosing which type of barrel to use.

•     For uniformed, spiral waves: choose a smaller, straight wand and curl all sections in the same direction.
•     For looser, voluminous waves: choose a larger, straight wand and curl all sections in the same direction.
•     For tousled waves: use a tapered wand and alternate the direction in which you curl each section.
•     Finally, for lived-in, voluminous waves: use a reversed tapered wand and alternate the direction in which you curl each section.

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Pro Tip: “I like to curl the hair away from the face except for the hair right in front of the ear and below the temple. This creates the illusion of fullness and texture without looking too messy. Great for fine hair!” Says Lopez.

5. Larger Section of Hair = Soft Curls, Smaller Section = Tight Curls

“A very basic rule of thumb is to remember that the larger section of hair that you wrap around the wand, the softer and more subtle the wave is. The smaller the section that you wrap around the barrel, the tighter and more dramatic the final wave and curl” says Lopez. Larger sections will result in looser, old hollywood glam vibes while smaller sections will result in tighter, more defined curls.

6. Take Care of Your Wand

To keep your wand in tiptop shape and protect the wand against buildup from hairsprays and styling products, wipe the wand clean once a week when it is turned off.

For hold and texture, Lopez notes that he first uses Kenra’s Whip Grip Mousse prior before styling and after styling, he mixes Kevin Murphy’s Young Again Oil with Kenra’s Volume Spray 25 in his hands and then runs through the lengths of the hair to give shine and hold all in one.

 
This article first appeared on Mane Addicts