Whether you’re planning a romantic date night with your hubby or a night out with girlfriends, why not add curls to your hair for a new, exciting look? But wait! Don’t grab that curling iron!

Excessive heat from curling irons can cause damage to your hair, causing breakage, dry, damaged hair follicles and thinning hair. Give your tresses a break from the heat of your curling iron with easy hair-curling tips.

Go 1920s Style with Pin Curls

Classic beauties from the 1920s and beyond used pin curling techniques to get luxurious curls in their mane. This no-curling iron technique requires few tools; mousse, styling gel and bobby pins are sufficient to get you started as you curl your hair like an old-time Hollywood starlet.

The Hair Boutique suggests using freshly washed hair for long-lasting, traditional pin curl sets. The hair should be damp, otherwise it could negatively impact this curling technique. Start by applying mousse to damp hair. Part the hair in a small section and apply a bit of styling gel. The styling gel will help the curl form once it is pinned.

Place your pointer finger in the center of the section of your hair, twirl the ends of your hair around your pointer finger until all the hair, even the ends, is wrapped around into a neat circle. Stretch hair forward a little, leaving the circle in place. Use a bobby pin to hold the pin curl in place.

Instant Volume With Velcro Rollers

If you want to add instant volume to your hair and eliminate the heat damage curling irons can cause, opt for Velcro rollers. Start with freshly washed hair, dry it until it damp and then begin to part sections in your hair in preparation for the rollers.

Start at the front of your head and begin placing enough rollers to cover the areas of your hair you want curly. After you are done, lightly spray your hair with hair spray. Let the rollers sit in your hair overnight. If you need curls in hurry, put the rollers on dry hair. Remove the rollers and use a brush or your hands to quickly loosen the curls.

From Buns to Curls

Buns are a sleek way to wear your hair for quick supermarket trips, a day with the kids or during the week in the office, but they can also help you create curls in your hair without depending on a curling iron. With bobby pins and hair mousse, you can create a curly hairdo with little effort. Rather than one large bun, part your hair into sections to fit at least 10 buns for loose, flowing curls.

For tighter curls, use more buns, and if you have long or thick hair, you may need to create more buns to ensure that they are tight enough to curl your hair. Take a section of hair, wrap it around into a bun, and secure with a hair pin. This technique is similar to pin curls, but it takes less time and can be done quickly in the morning or overnight. This works best on damp hair.