Mornings. They're difficult enough without adding in complex beauty routines. With that in mind, might we introduce you to the concept of heatless curls? The styling technique is probably already on your radar, having taken over social media with nearly half a million tagged videos on TikTok at the time of writing, and is the secret to quick mornings that leave you feeling put together and stylish, without the time and effort. Sounds made up, right? It's not, and below we show you how to nail heatless curls with some tips from top hair stylists, so that you can get the bounciest curls, every time.
The benefits of introducing heatless curls into your life are endless. One, they're free. Two, they are pretty quick and easy to do once you learn how. Three, they save you SO much time in the morning and four — and maybe most importantly — they help protect your hair from heat damage, saving shine, strength and volume. “You’re protecting the condition, keeping shine intact, and giving your hair a break from constant styling,” explains top hair stylist Adam Reed, founder of ARKIVE by Adam Reed salon and haircare products. “Think of it as haircare and headcare working together”, he says.
We're hard pushed to think of any cons of heatless curls, tbh, other than the slight time it takes at night when you're already tired — but you're saving yourself more time the next morning, so it all balances out.
“The best thing about heatless curls is that they are beginner-friendly — it’s quite hard to go wrong," shares Maria Sotiriou, co-founder of Silke London. "Start with 90% dry hair and clamp the middle of the heatless curler to the front of your middle parting. Begin by taking small sections of hair from the top of your head (closest to your face) and wrap around the curler. Once that section returns to the front, section the next piece from further back, join it with the first piece and wrap them around again.
“Continue until all the hair is wrapped, and secure each side with a silk hair tie. I usually advise waiting at least four hours (or until the hair is fully dry) before unveiling your results,” she explains.
Similarly, using the right products is going to help give your curls longevity, recommends Adam. “Prep is everything here. A mist of L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.Art Pli Flex Pli gives that soft, workable hold, and a touch of ARKIVE The Good Habit Hybrid Oil through the mid-lengths keeps everything feeling nourished, not crispy. Section the hair and wrap it around your chosen tool (robe tie, rod, or… socks, we’ll get there). Secure, leave to set, and let time do the work,” he says.
Using plain old simple socks that you have in your drawer is one of the easiest (and cheapest) hacks for bouncy curls at home, says Adam Reed. “Take a sock and wrap sections of hair around it, then tie or secure. Personally, I always lean towards a pop sock; the finer, the better. It gives a softer, more natural bend rather than anything too bulky or over-set.”
The keyword is time when it comes to heatless curls — the longer you give them in the curling set or socks with your natural head temperature softly warming and setting the curls in place, the longer you're going to get out of them at the other end. “The key is choosing a curler that’s both comfortable (squishy) and structured — too soft and curls can form unevenly,” explains Maria.
“Back sleepers suit the classic method, with the option to cross the ends of the curler at the nape of your neck, while side sleepers benefit from the unicorn method, wrapping hair along the parting and crossing sections at the back to keep the sides of the head clear. For best results, sleep on a silk pillowcase or wear a silk bonnet to minimise frizz and protect your style overnight.”
