Curled hairstyles are super trendy right now! So grab your wand and get ready to be inspired!
Adding curls to any hairstyle automatically makes it feel more glamorous and put together. Whether you have short or long hair, luscious curls can be added to any length and look extra gorgeous.
So before your next hair appointment or special event, take a look at these photos of the cute curled hairstyles!
Side-Swept Curls
These side-swept curls are ready to make a statement! Achieve this stunning look to grant you a more defined, less frizzy hairstyle. Cut your black hair where it reaches beyond your collarbones for a better shape and bouncy edge, creating stunning hairstyles for curly hair.
Cascading Curls for a Wedding
Cascading curls for a wedding make a soft, glamorous style that feels and looks airy and light. Bridal artist Kayla VanderZiel of Minnesota used a 1-inch curling iron to create it.
“Once the curls cooled, I sprayed a movable hairspray to open up each curl with my fingers. I did a light horizontal and diagonal pulling for soft, voluminous curls,” she points out. “This technique gives the style extra security that it’ll last a day.”
Long Curled Hairstyle With Lowlights
Stylist Kirsten Borst took this long and luscious brown hair and gave it some lowlights and curled it for an elegant overall look. A length like this looks great with a beautiful high ponytail, too.
Blonde Balayage With Curls
Featuring blonde balayage with curls for everyone who appreciates classic beauty! Amp up your mid-length chop and achieve this gorgeous color melt by hand-painting. Notice how highlights and babylights help out to form a dimensional illusion here.
Curled Asymmetrical Hairstyles
This curled asymmetrical hair isn’t your conventional cut and style. It’s a 180-degree chop with bright red ends to lighten up dark tresses.
Curled Hairstyle With Soft Layers
Be a total babe by pulling off a long and curled hairstyle with soft layers. Match this with a bright blonde balayage to appear graceful all the time.
Silver Curled Hair With Purple Roots
A showstopper, indeed! This medium-length silver curled hair with purple roots offers so much vividness. The combination of voluminous waves and the popping colors will give you satisfaction.
Asphalt Grey Curled Hairstyle
This asphalt grey curled hairstyle provides a smoking hot edge. Looking so stylish on mid-length chop, this is how you elevate your dark root and dense hair.
Swirly Blonde Hair
Spice up your tresses with voluminous waves and an added radiant shade! This swirly blonde works well with your cut that grazes your collarbones. It exposes the depth of your natural black base, showing off a dimensional result.
Purple Curls
These purple curls were created by stylist Julie Anderson of Carol Stream, IL. This style works best on thick curly hair and long layered haircuts.
“The curls were achieved with a 1 and 1/4 inch marcel iron held open while the ends were left loose, adding to this edgy hair color with a modern finish,” says Anderson.
She goes on to explain, “the hair was prepped with Pureology Silk Bodifier and Alterna Invisible Roller, blown out with a round brush, curled in 1×2 inch sections, and fingered through to finish once cooled. Kenya 13 Perfect Medium Spray was used to give a touchable hold.”
Purple to Pink Curls with a Side Part
These purple to pink curls with a side part on medium hair were created by hairstylist and colorist Patricia Belding of Winnipeg. “This is my take on galaxy hair. Deep purples and magenta definitely pair so well together,” explains Belding.
Curled Layered A-Line Bob
This curled layered A-line bob was created by hairstylist Nina Monique of Suisun, CA.
“This short curly hair is great for almost any face shape,” says Monique. “The way the front of the hair shapes and slims the face makes it a great cut for round or square face shapes. You can even wear this style straight.”
Products that create volume and texture are going to be the best to use for this cut.
This style is great for just about any hair type. “How long it takes to style depends on your hair type,” she adds. “It will take less time for women with fine and thin hair to style than it would for women with thicker and fuller hair.”
Natural curly hair works great for this style as long as it’s properly cut according to the amount of curl in the hair and styled with the right products.
Highlighted Curls
These blendable, highlighted curls for a medium-length brunette were created by professional hair and makeup artist Karilyn Turley of Dallas, TX.
“All highlights look breathtaking when your hair is curled with a 1 1/4 inch hot barrel,” says Turley.
Turley’s favorite styling products for this look are:
- Cat Walk root lift
- 2. Kenra thermal styling spray (when hair is wet + dry)
- Redken spray wax before curling to keep the hair looking smooth.
- Finish with Sexy Hair finishing spray!
“My favorite trick to achieve a volume in this medium length hair is putting Velcro rollers in my client’s hair after I blow dry, letting them cool for a few minutes, then watching their eyes pop and how much lift they achieve,” she adds.
Red Curls
“My favorite thing is that it looks like controlled natural curls there is volume without frizz,” says stylist Detra Smith of Moulton, AL.
For styling, Smith says, “use a 1″ wand or the Curl Bar by Hot Tools. Use a heat-protective setting spray for firmer curls. To get wide waves, spread the curls horizontally instead of brushing them.”
Fun & Bouncy Curls with Purple Tones
“These are fun and bouncy curls,” exclaims stylist Bethany Prickett of Brisbane, QLD. “I love that the client has layers of various purples tones through her hair. This creates depth and adds pizazz to this common hairstyle
To recreate this look, Prickett says you will need fairly long hair because when curling your hair the curl will end up a bit above your natural length. “This look was created with a normal GHD (not thick plate) iron, curling the hair all in one direction,” she explains.
She adds, “if you have frizzy but soft, thin hair, you will need to blow dry White Sands Liquid Texture Medium Hold into the hair. This will ensure the curls do not drop too much and stay perfectly bouncy without the crunch.”
Sexy Textured Beach Waves
This curled hairstyle is best described as sexy textured beach waves. They were created by stylist Sonila of Novi, MI. “My favorite thing about this look is that it looks effortless and anyone can wear it.”
Advice Sonila would give a woman who wants this look is to “use a 1-inch wand to curl, leaving the ends out. Add some texture spray for the finishing touch.”
Undone Curls
These undone curls on curled hair are effortless. They were created by hairstylist Kendall Bowers of Sherwood Park, AB. “It’s more of a wave pattern than the traditional ringlet style curl,” explains Bowers.
“The “undone” look is trending right now and this style is one of my favorites. This look combines red carpet waves with an undone twist,” she adds.
To achieve this look, Bowers recommends using a mouse or gel on towel-dried hair and blow-drying the products in. Then, use a 1-inch or larger curling wand to achieve the waves. “The key to the wave is twisting the hair as it revolves around the barrel of the iron as opposed to wrapping it flat. Once the technique is mastered, it can be done on most lengths of hair.”
Curled Vintage Glam Style
These vintage curls were created by cosmetologist Kait Norcross of Leominster, MA.
In order to achieve this vintage Hollywood glam style, you definitely need the length of your hair to touch your shoulder or longer,” says Norcross. The whole point of the style is to have big, soft, luscious curls. I also recommend this look for medium to thicker haired clients. Thin-haired haired clients can still achieve this look, but you may want to consider clip-in extensions to really create that fullness!”
To create curling iron hairstyles like this one, Norcross sectioned the front and sides away from the back. “I started at the nape or bottom of the head and clipped the rest of her hair out of my way above the section. The reason I start at the bottom as opposed to the top is so I don’t bump into pieces that are already curled, which could lead to re-curling everything again,” she explains. “Starting at the bottom allows for quick, clean styling. Each section going up the head was about an inch thick and an inch wide.”
“To prep the hair, I sprayed the whole section with Air Control both prior to curling and after. I took inch-thick sections and curled each piece a different direction. This allows each piece to be defined and makes it so you won’t just have one giant curl. After a whole row is curled, you can pin each individual curl up. I used pin curl clips, but if you’re replicating at home, bobby pins will do,” explains Norcross.
She goes on to explain, “the pinning process doesn’t have to be perfect as long as the shape of the curl is maintained while pinning. You continue this process until you reach the top of the head. When you start the sides, keep in mind that the pieces around the face should be curled back so they aren’t falling in your face all night long. Once the whole head was curled and pinned, I misted everything with Air Control. The amazing thing about Air Control is that it is so lightweight you can keep building on as you go!”
“I let the curls set sit for a half hour,” she notes. “When we got back to the chair, I again started at the bottom and took each individual curl down, twirling them as I took them out to keep their shape. Once all the curls were out, I had her flip her hair upside down while I misted her hair with Texture Tonic and Brilliant Spray on Shine. I avoided running my fingers or a brush through her hair because we did not want to stretch the curl out.”
Versatile Curls
“I love this curled haircut and I feel like it is really versatile,” says stylist Lauren Adame of San Jose, CA.
Adame started off by cleansing and conditioning the hair with the Boosta shampoo and conditioner, then detangled with the 7 Seconds leave-in conditioner. “I used the Boosta spray all over the hair and Liquid Volume on her roost. I completely rough-dried her hair and curled it with Max Control hairspray,” she explains.
Blonde Curls on a Bob Cut
“This is a full head of blonde foils on a concave bob, finished off with some curls,” explains freelance hairdresser Emma Hodder of Leopold, VIC.
“I love the way the blonde and natural color sit so nicely together in the curls. This look suits curled, straightened, or naturally textured hair,” she adds.
Hodder notes that the curls were done by using a hair wand. “The wand is an easy and quick way to add curls and you can create a range of curls with one. I recommend using a hairspray after curling. If you use it before curling, the hair might be stiff and crunchy.”
Go-To Curls
“This is my favorite go-to hairstyle with curls for women with straight hair that just want a little something different,” says salon owner and stylist Brandie Wilson of Mexico, MO. “I used a 1-inch iron to create the soft curls.”
Wilson’s advice for women wanting to achieve this look would be to use a heat protecting setting spray. “I love Redken Hot Sets! I sectioned the hair into four parts, then took one-inch sections to curl,” she explains.
“This look is a little time-consuming, but it’s well worth it,” she adds. “It works on any hair type and looks great with short hair as well!”
Flirty & Pretty Curled Hairstyle
This pretty curled hairstyle was created by licensed cosmetologist Micaela Troyer of Grand Blanc, MI.
“My favorite thing about this style is how the different colors throughout the curls catch your eye and add more texture and dimension to the look,” states Troyer.
Troyer recommends creating this look on day two or three hair because slightly dirty hair usually tends to hold curl better. “However, if you prefer to wash your hair daily or every other day, I recommend dirtying up your hair a bit with a good texturizing spray or flexible hold hairspray. Regardless of what day you wash your hair, always using a thermal setting spray/heat protectant. I used Hot Sets 22 Mist by Redken and her curls lasted all night,” she notes.
“All you need to do is spray the thermal setting mist on dry hair before curling, lightly comb through if needed, and curl,” she explains. “For this look, I used a 1-inch Sam Villa Marcel curling iron, but a curling wand or normal spring-loaded curling iron would work well also. I typically alternate direction of curls, always curling away from the face around the hairline.”
Curled, All-Over Blonde
This curled, all-over-blonde was created by hairstylist Amanda Black of Glassport, PA.
For styling, Black says she “blew her hair dry with a large round brush and just before each curl, I used Redken Hot Sets 22 to protect from heat and to lock in curl.”
Black used a 1 1/2-inch Marcel Hot Tools curling iron to create the waves, curling away from the face. “I ran my fingers through the curls once the whole head was curled and cooled. We set the finished look with Kenra Hairspray #25,” she explains.
Black has created curls like this on all hair types, even kinky curly hair. Hair that is shoulder length or longer is recommended for this particular look.
Curled Away
Display the subtle layers of your ombre locks by slaying a curled away hairstyle. If you have an olive skin complexion, the light brown shade will look flattering on you.
Curled Bob
It’s so easy to fall in love with this curled bob. The added texture truly makes a difference. Thanks to the hair colorist Samantha Pooser from Virginia Beach, VA for sharing her work. She popped some “teasy highlights and a deeper glaze for added dimension and warmth.”
Medium-Length Tousled Waves
A messy-textured style will do you great! Incorporate tousled waves to your golden blonde mane, and you won’t regret it. These bring out unpredictable flows, giving your mid-length chop a life.
Braided and Curled Half Up
It’s the diamond infinity braid that makes a curled half-up even better! Extra texture creates a softer finish, ideal for a dark-rooted platinum blonde shade. This proves that updos with curls create the perfect curled hairstyles for prom, homecoming or graduation. Indeed, braids and curls make a gorgeous combination!
“This gorgeous half updo causes people to double-take,” says hairstylist Sydney Hardy of Annapolis, MD. “My favorite thing about the diamond infinity braids is that you have a hair accessory made out of your very own hair! The diamond infinity braid creates a point of interest in a simple half-up half-down look without having a bulky accessory pinned into it.”
Hardy says that for curly braided hairstyles, you need to have relatively long hair. “This half up half down look accentuated by the diamond infinity braid will complement the natural beauty of your hair.”
She used mostly Kenra products to create this look.
Retro Curls
When you say voluminous hairstyles, retro curls are at the top of the list. These big bold curls are unbeatable, especially if done on long, smooth, and blonde tresses. Its luscious result is totally a hair goal! This certain fancy hairstyle can be your go-to look for any formal or casual party.
Lightly Curled
One of the easiest and most nifty methods to show off your long hair’s dimension! Here’s a subtle brunette balayage that works well with a lightly curled style. Feel free to turn it into a half updo, creating one of the most romantic styles to try.
Polished Curls for Long Hair
Choose these polished curls to carry out movement and more body to your hairstyle. This is the look that will secure a lavishness to your lengthy, dark locks.
Vintage Curls
The best thing about vintage curls is they can amp up your natural beauty without wearing a regular look. Inspired by an old Hollywood trend, these are a lovely upgrade for your long and platinum blonde hair.
Chic and Carefree Pin Curls
Pin curls on your opulent blonde tresses? This idea is the definition of gorgeous hair inspiration. Optimal for your long and thick locks, the richness of your blonde will make them look fuller and neat.
Long Loose Curl
A hair trend made by long loose curls grants a dramatic finish, and that’s true! Take it from this long curly hair, which can complete your ultimate bombshell look. You’ll be amazed by how the light brown shade appears remarkable with so much volume.
Bob with Bangs and Curls
Craving for a bouncy-looking short hairstyle? This chin-length bob with bangs and curls will satisfy your needs. Hair foam and gel will be ideal for adding definition to your dark locks.
Big Loose Curls
Time for balayage and curls! A dimensional blonde isn’t too exciting if not paired with any loose curl hairstyles. Get some big loose curls to emphasize texture and the hair’s mid-back length.
