Ready to try a different type of curl in your hair? With so many options for curling and waving your hair, the choices can feel overwhelming, but ribbon curls are easy to do, gorgeous, and only take a little bit of prep and styling. Want to learn how to get ribbon curls in your hair? Check out these tips and hacks!
What Are Ribbon Curls?
Ribbon curls offer a different look compared to traditional barrel curls. The ribbon curl technique creates a more relaxed curl that’s not too coiffed. The goal is to stretch the hair with heat, and when the hair is removed, it bounces back and is curled. Think about the ribbons on gifts that are stretched with scissors and bounce back into a curl when released. Ribbon curls are bouncy and voluminous with soft expansion. They last for days and turn into a beachy wave type curl as the days go on.
How to Get Gorgeous Ribbon Curls in Your Hair
1. Prep Your Hair
Always start with clean, dry hair for ribbon curls. You’ll want to apply a heat protectant spray to minimize damage from the flat iron. The Bondi Boost Heat Protectant Spray is a lightweight mist formulated with potent actives that help improve the look of existing damage while improving future hot tool-induced breakage. It conditions while it protects your hair thanks to powerful ingredients including aloe, jojoba, tea tree oil, nettle, and rosemary leaf.
2. Section Your Hair
Divide your hair into manageable sections. The size of the sections will depend on the thickness and length of your hair, as well as the size of the curl you want. The larger the section, the softer the curl. The smaller the section, the more defined the curl. For example, a ¼” section would give you a tight curl, whereas a 1 and 1/2” section would give you a more relaxed, looser curl.
3. Ribbon Curl Technique
Take your desired section of hair and place your flat iron diagonally into the section. Hold the section in one hand and your flat iron in the other with your palm facing your head. As you pinch the iron closed, you’ll slowly rotate half a turn and slide the flat iron down the section of the hair. The half turn and tension is what creates the ribbon curl. Slowly slide the flat iron down to the end of the hair shaft and release hair to allow it to spring into a ribbon curl.
4. Work Around Your Head
Continue curling sections of your hair until you’ve achieved the desired amount of curls. It’s generally easiest to work around the head in two layers- the top and the bottom half of the head. Clipping the top of your hair up with a claw clip or alligator clip and working on the bottom half first will help ensure you don’t skip any sections of hair.
5. How to Curl Hair with Straighteners! Lazy Girl Hair Tutorial! | Stephanie Toms
This tutorial gives you a good visual step-by-step of the ribbon curl technique. She also gives you advice on how to prep your hair as well as how to style it once you’re done curling. She uses products like a Tangle Teezer Hairbrush, the got2b Guardian Angel Heat Protectant, the ghd Platinum Hair Styler, and a hair polish to help keep flyaways under control. If you’re confused about how to do ribbon curls, watching this video is sure to help!
6. Post-Curl Styling Tips
Use your hands to shake the curls out and finish with a flexible hairspray like the Aussie Mega Hairspray Flexible Hold to keep the curls in place. Use a styling brush to comb through your hair to the ends, holding your hair at the bottom for a few seconds to relax the waves. Release each section and your waves will appear, giving you a gorgeous relaxed look.
7. Finish the Look
Once you’re done styling, apply a light oil serum to help tame any frizz and give your hair some shine. The Ouai Hair Oil smooths split ends and is made with African galanga, ama, and Asian borage oils to protect and smooth your hair like you’ve never seen before. It will give you a high gloss sleek look and offers protection from heat damage up to 450°F.
Ribbon curls are super gorgeous. Use these tips and products to rock this curl look on the regular.
This post contains affiliate links.
Did you enjoy this post on how to get ribbon curls in your hair? We’d love it if you shared it on Pinterest!
