DIY Wedding Hair: Curls Without a Curling Iron

Let’s face it: there are many of us who weren’t blessed to be born with a thick mane of beautiful, bouncy curls.  For those of us who want these curls, this usually leads to a ton of money spent on curling products and salon trips.

If you are planning on doing your own hair on your wedding day, the last thing you’ll want is iron burns and an empty wallet.  To help, I’m sharing an easier and more budget friendly method: paper bags!

The mere thought of using paper bags causes some raised eyebrows, and skeptics to shy away, but it really does work.  If taken care of properly, these curls can even last for a day or even two!

To get jaw-dropping curls for your special day, follow the steps below…

Items You Will Need:

• Paper Bags (brown lunch bags work best unless your hair length is extra long)
• Hair Spray for Curl Maintenance
• Brush or Comb
• Hair Ties or Clips

Step One: Wash Your Hair

It’s important that your hair is washed and clean when starting.  After you’ve washed it, let it air dry (or you can use a blow-dryer) until it feels slightly damp but not completely dry.  You don’t want your hair to be soaking wet because it will render the paper useless.  Once it has reached the damp stage, brush or comb through it to ensure it is tangle-free.  (Note: if your hair tangles easily, you can use a product to keep out the tangles but this is completely optional.)

Step Two: Rip the Bags

This step depends on hair length and thickness.  If you have long and/or thick locks, you may need to rip a few bags or convert to using paper bags from the grocery store.

In any case, once you have determined the amount of bags you will need to use, cut off the “bottom” of the bag (the part of the bag that lays flat when it is fully opened) because this section won’t be flat once cut or ripped.  Now, with your hands or a pair of scissors, create 1-inch thick paper strips.

Step Three: Section Your Hair

The easiest way to achieve the curl is to section your hair in half.  Take your hands and create a half pony tail with your hair and clip it or twist it into a bun with a hair tie.  Once you have done that, you can begin to work with the “free” or bottom section of your hair.

Section Four: Begin Curling

Following the diagram to the left, take a small section of hair and wrap a paper strip around it. The easiest way to do this is to start in the middle of the hair you’re going to wrap, and then create the look of the paper seen in the picture.  Once you have done so, bring the paper down to the end of the hair section and begin to roll upwards.  When you get to the top of your head, tie it in a knot.  If you are unable to tie it into a knot, use a hair tie to affix it into place.  Repeat this step until each and every piece of hair has been curled.

To create dimension, switch up the ways you roll the curl.  For one section, roll the paper clockwise and for another section, roll it counter-clockwise.  It’s the same premise when using a regular curling iron.

Section Five: Dry Your Hair

Now that you have completed curling your hair, let the strips stay in until your hair is completely dry.  You can achieve this by letting it air dry, blow-drying your hair on the “cool” setting, or you can leave it in overnight.  When your hair is dry to the touch, take the strips out.  Run your fingers through your hair a few times and spray with an initial coat of hair spray.  Style your hair to your liking and finally, give it one last spritz of hair spray (or two, depending how thick or thin your hair is).

Tip: For tighter curls, when rolling the hair, make sure to roll and tie it tautly.  Leave the strips in your hair overnight. On the other hand, for looser curls, gently roll the hair into the strips and tie it loosely.  Let your hair dry and brush the curls with a flat brush or run your fingers through it.