The ghd curl took me ages to get the hang of too, even after much hand-holding and head-shaking from very patient hairstylists. I’ve almost got it now though.
So what you need to do first of all is thoroughly brush each section of hair, so you’re totally knot-free – this means the iron will glide through hair super-easily.
Next, take one section and place the ghd vertically, with plates at the top, a few inches out from the roots. I like to have one hand holding each end, so I can better control the movement. As for that movement: how you get the curl is to twirl the ghd around a few times as you pull it through to the ends of hair – the ghd folk say it’s like a ribbon-curling motion. Make sure not to hold the plates together too tightly, as this will hinder the flow. And try to keep the rotating action smooth, to avoid creating kinks.
Experiment with both clockwise and counter-clockwise curling for different effects – or alternate for a tousled and haphazard effect. When working on the front sections of hair, however, it’s usually better to curl away from the face.
My final tip: don’t look in the mirror too much! You actually get a better result when working intuitively and not actually thinking about the technique too much.
I haven’t been able to achieve nice curls with my hair straightener as yet. I guess practice makes perfect!
Comment by Mel — October 27, 2008 @ 8:14 am
Unfortuantely I mastered this technique a while ago and got so hooked on it that my hair is totally wrecked! (even after regular trims, treatments and heat protectant)
A good piece of advice: Once you get it down pat, try not to be doing it EVERY day like I did!
Comment by Haylz — October 27, 2008 @ 10:49 am
I’ve tried this quite a few times already, but I was wondering whether using a straightening iron would give you longer lasting hold or if you used a curling tong instead? Which is best?
Comment by Anniex — October 27, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
Hi Annie - They both should give you a good long-lasting look, but it’s more about the style of curl you want. A ghd gives a kinky look, a tong (depending on size) can give more of a soft ripply wave. K x
Comment by Kat — October 28, 2008 @ 6:43 am
Thanks a lot! xx
Comment by Anniex — October 28, 2008 @ 7:13 pm