How to Curl Your Hair Without Heat (& Make It Last)

Written by: Nancy Pinder

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Time to read 8 min

Heatless curls have been big for a while now, and they're a big yes from us. Healthy extensions and healthier natural hair are what we should all be aiming for, so here is our full guide on how to curl your hair without heat.


Why compromise gorgeous bouncy curls for healthy hair when you don't have to? We also know how frustrating it is when curls don't last, so we'll help you with that, too!


Personally, our fave way to do overnight curls is with heatless curlers, so we’ll be focusing on these steps. But we do have a few alternatives later on, too.

Essential Style Tools to Curl Your Hair Without Heat

So, there are endless ways to get curly or wavy hair without the use of heat, but first, you need the tools. Depending on the method you use to get your curls, you'll need a selection of different tools, but we'll get into the details later.


Here is a list of basics that you might need:

  • Claw clip : This will be needed to hold your hair in place.

  • Silk hair ties or scrunchies : These are kinder on your hair than regular hairbands.

  • Bobby pins : You might need to secure some bits of hair.

  • Silk bonnet : These are great hair protectors at any time, but they also work well to keep your hair in place overnight as you sleep.

How to Do Overnight Heatless Curls Using Heatless Curlers

If you haven't seen the recent boom of heatless curls on TikTok , then please, where have you been? Because they've been all over our FYPs (if you're following us, they should be all over yours, too).


Our girls love our heatless curls, and we know you will, too.


Here's our step-by-step guide to heatless curls overnight with RiRi's Heatless Curler , or any other heatless curlers you have on hand:

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Step 1) Wash Your Hair & Towel-Dry

Wash your hair the way you normally would. Remember to cleanse, condition, and add any oils if that's your normal go-to. If it's not hair wash day, just spritz your dry hair with some water.


Don't blow dry (remember, we're keeping it heatless). Dry with a towel until your hair is just damp, and brush it through with a wide tooth comb or hair brush.

Step 2) Section & Wrap Your Hair

Now that your hair is prepped, you can begin the curling process. 

  • Start splitting your hair into two sections down the middle of your head.

  • Now, place the rod over the top of your head so there are strings down both sides. Keep it in place at the top with a claw clip.

  • Take a section from the front of your hair. The amount of hair you take depends on the size of the curls you want. Take a bigger section for large curls and a small section for smaller ones.

  • Wrap that piece of sectioned hair around the rod once.

  • On your second wrap, pick up another piece of hair and repeat the process until one side of your hair is fully wrapped around the rod.

Step 3) Tie With Scrunchies

Make sure your hair is nice and tight, and tie the end with a silk scrunchie or hair tie. Repeat this process with the other side of your hair.


Tie together both ends of the rod at the back of your head. Now that your curls are in place, you can secure them with bobby pins or sleep in a silk bonnet if that's more comfortable.

Step 4) The Next Day…

The next day, take out your now dry curls and see the gorgeous results! Always remember to brush through your curls, girls. Add any products you feel you need to enhance the look, whether mousse, hairspray , or hair oil.

No Heat Curls: Alternative Techniques

People really get creative when it comes to heatless curl methods.


If you can't get your hands on a RiRi heatless curler soon enough, a few of these easy ways might come in handy:

  • Dressing gown tie curls : Same method as the heatless curler, but you might find you get a looser, more limp curl .

  • Sock curls : Yeah, we know. But people will use anything for a bouncy blowout ! Section your hair and wrap each one around a sock until you can't possibly fit any more socks on your head.

  • Rollers : Everybody knows about rollers, but we thought we'd just remind you. Although you won't get the most obvious curl with just rollers (you'd usually use them after using a wand to pin curls or at least blow dry them slightly), they can still provide some wave . They just won't be the comfiest to sleep in.

  • Plaits : Taking you back to your schoolgirl days with this one, but the method still stands. If you're looking for a  beachy wave  /slightly crimped look , sleeping in braids is a fool-proof method everyone knows and loves.

How to Make Heatless Curls Last

If you're going to all this effort to get your curly princess head of dreams , you at least want it to last all day.


Here are a few tips and tricks we recommend to help you keep the look all day:

  • We said this before, but start with damp hair . That way, your curls will dry around your curling tool, helping them hold their structure longer .

  • The natural oils from your scalp can give it more texture for a better hold. I'm sure you've heard that curls hold better in dirty hair . Take advantage of your natural oils, they can also minimise frizz.

  • Using a hair mousse can help get your curls to hold. Apply it before you start the curling process.

  • Hairspray your curls whilst they're still in their heatless curling tool and again when they're out. Make sure you use a water-based hairspray to minimise damage to your hair.

  • Of course, sleeping with your tools in overnight will increase the length of time your hair spends tied up, which will allow your curls to hold longer .

Benefits of Minimising Heat on Your Natural Hair

Come on, girlies. We know you know that heat isn't the greatest thing for your locks.


But, if you're not quite ready to put down the curling wand, let's have a reminder on why minimising heat is always the answer:

  • Natural texture : If you're all too familiar with your hair feeling like straw, this is your sign to stop the heat.

  • Less breakage : Heat can seriously damage your hair if you use it a lot. Even if you reduce the amount you're using it, that would be a start.

  • Colour lasts longer : Not a natural platinum or honey brown ? Heat could be fading your expensive colour .

  • Less split ends : Heat can make your split ends 10x worse . Minimising that heat will have a serious impact on the health of your ends.

  • Hair looks shinier : Heat can deplete natural oils from your hair without you even realising it. Cut out the heat to bring back the shine!

Final Thoughts: Heatless Waves for the Win

So there you go! We hope we've convinced you to try heatless curls because, trust us, they hit every single time.


We actually happen to believe heatless curls look and feel so much nicer compared to what you can achieve from a curling wand. Controversial, we know.


There are so many effortless ways to achieve heatless beautiful curls, so you don't have an excuse! Try them out today and see how you feel – we can always strive for healthier hair.


If you want even more length and volume for your curls, try out our curly hair extensions! From natural curls to trendy blowouts, you can take your curl-game to a whole new level.

Don’t follow our TikTok? You’re missing out on our fun lives and exclusive deals!

faqs

How Do I Curl My Hair Naturally?

There are many ways to curl your hair naturally, without the use of heat. Whether you're looking for waves, voluminous blow dry curls, or ringlets, there are techniques to use that we have outlined above that will get you your desired look. This can include a heatless curler, plaits, and more.


If you like the look of curls daily, our curly hair extensions come pre-styled , so you don't have to worry about styling your hair every day!

How Do I Make Heatless Curls Last?

Making heatless curls last isn't as tricky as you might think. Techniques include starting off with damp hair, using natural oils, sleeping with tools in overnight, and applying mousse or hairspray.

Can You Make Curly Hair Straight Without Heat?

Yes, but the outcome will depend on your hair type. It's going to be more difficult to make your hair straight if it's type 3B, for example. Here are some techniques for making your curly hair straight (these work best for people with fine hair):


  • Wrap technique : Use a paddle brush to wrap your wet hair around your head as tight as possible. Secure with bobby pins and place a silk bonnet over the top. Sleep with your hair secured, and you should wake up with straighter hair.

  • Hair care products : You can use smoothing products to achieve straighter hair.

  • Rollers : Apply a detangling product to damp hair and loosely roll it into rollers. Sleep with them, and your hair will have volume but not look curled.

If you want straight hair all the time, we have pre-styled straight extensions too!

How Do You Curl Hair With a Sock?

Section out your hair and wrap each section around a sock. Secure the ends with a silk scrunchie or tie. This works best on wet hair. Once your hair is full of socks (it's not the prettiest), you can cover it with a silk bonnet to sleep in.

Nancy Pinder

Nancy is our resident hair and beauty specialist at RiRi Hair Extensions. She advises customers daily in our Lakeside and Bluewater stores, helping them find the perfect look, length, and shade of hair extensions. 


Nancy also presents our TikTok live to thousands of viewers across the world. You can catch her on our TikTok every week!

Find Nancy on TikTok!