Pin Curls
Q: I have thick shoulder-length hair, and I've been minimizing the use of direct heat on my hair like curling irons and hot rollers for about a year now. I have fallen in love with nightly pin curls to have pretty hair in the morning.
My problem is how do I pin curl my hair to have that pretty wavy look you see on all the red carpets like Scarlett Johansson and Kyra Sedgwick without using hot rollers and pin curls instead? I have attached a pic of Scarlett and Kyra Sedgwick because I really love their hair. Can pin curls get my hair like that?
A: Actually, yes. You will need to practice with your own hair in order to get the right balance for your head and the thickness of your hair, but you should be able to wind your hair into larger pin curls to create the styles seen on your favorite celebrities.
As usual, start with freshly shampooed and conditioned hair that has been towel-dried. Apply a liberal amount of your preferred styling product. For best results use a mousse or gel.
Your best option is to segment the hair into square sections that are approximately 2 inches by 2 inches. This will give you a reasonably sized base for the pin curl. Use a fine tooth comb to flatten the segment into a ribbon of hair and wind it into a coil against the scalp. You can direct the hair to lie off-base in order to keep the hair lying flat against the scalp.
Use your fingers to keep the hair smooth and flat and once you've shaped the coil, simply pin the hair against the scalp. Use two pins criss-crossed for stability if needed. Once the first curl is wound, move to the next section. After all the hair is wound into pin curls, wrap the head in a scarf (silk or satin is preferred) in order to keep the hair neat and orderly while you sleep and the hair dries.
See also:
Finger waves, pin curls and barrel curls
How do you do root to tip pin curls?