Make Thick Hair Flippy
Thick hair can seem dull and lifeless, but it's full of possibilities. Follow these easy steps to learn how to "flip out" the ends.
Steps
- Choose the right method for your hair. A flip is most noticeable on straightened hair. If your hair is wavy and curly, as well as thick, you'll probably want to use the wet hair method. If your hair is straight and thick, try the dry hair method.
Wet Hair Method
- Let your hair air dry a bit after you get out of the shower. Give your hair about 10 or 15 minutes to become damp instead of wet.
- Apply mousse, hair cream, serum or gel to your hair. What you choose will depend on how you want the end result to look and feel. If you have a product that you usually use to tame frizz, try that.
- Apply a heat protectant to your hair. This will stop the blow dryer from damaging your hair as much as it usually would. Spray it on top of whatever styling product you use.
- Blow dry hair on high heat. Turn the heat setting on your hair dryer as high as it will go.
- If your hair is especially thick, clip up everything but the bottom portion of hair. After you finish that section, reclip your hair to let another section down. Keep working up like this as you go, so that you can dry your hair in manageable sections.
- Pull sections of hair away from your scalp with a round brush. There are two techniques for this to achieve the flip at the bottom of the hair:
- Put the round brush on top of the section of hair. Brush down so that it grabs the hair underneath, and pull out to the side of your head. The hair should be curled around the brush in the classic flip shape. Blow dry from beneath.
- Hang your head upside down. Start with the round brush at your scalp, and brush downward. Blow dry as you go, curling up the end of the hair with the round brush. When you flip your hair back over, the bottom of your hair should flip outward.
- Set the flip. After you've dried your whole head of hair, reposition the round brush inside one of your flips, so that the brush matches the shape of the hair. Set the blow dryer on cool, and run it over the ends of your hair. Do this for each section.
- Apply hairspray. Spray the ends of your hair so that they'll stay bouncy longer.
Dry Hair Method
- Clip up the top portion of your hair. Thick hair is more manageable for styling in smaller sections. Start at the back/bottom of your hair, and work forward, reclipping as you go.
- Heat up a large-barrel curling iron. For a classic flip, the barrel of your curling iron should be about two inches in diameter, or wider. Adjust it to the highest heat your hair can stand.
- Pull out a section of hair to curl.
- Apply hairspray, gel, mouse or your preferred styling product to the hair. This will help the curl hold longer.
- Apply a heat protectant on top of your styling product. It helps the heat do less damage to your hair.
- Curl the bottom portion of the hair so that the ends point away from your head, then upward. Hold for 2 or 3 seconds, then release. Do this for each section of hair you want flipped.
- Set the style with hairspray.
Tips
- Talk to your hair stylist - he or she will have tips and recommendations for products.
- Always use a heat protectant when putting hot irons or air on your hair.
