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Start with day-old hair. Skip the deep conditioner. Pick the right products. Use the right tools. Try the post-iron pin technique. Braid before bed.
Your hair’s natural oils give your hair texture and make your strands more moldable. Try to avoid washing your hair for a day or two. If your scalp feels too oily without shampoo, sprinkle a little dry shampoo along the roots and leave the rest dirty. Deep conditioning treatments have a tendency to weigh hair down and make it harder to style. Stick to a lightweight conditioner, and save the more intense hydrating treatments for another day. Many people make the mistake of piling on products after curling and using nothing before. But stiff, crunchy curls are not the goal here. Before begin curling, use a lightweight styling lotion to give your hair some texture. It’s also a good idea to use a heat-protectant product so you don't fry your strands. Once you are done curling your whole head of hair, finish by misting your curls with a light hairspray. Use just enough hairspray to make your strands stay without feeling stiff. Having the right tools makes all the difference. To begin, make sure you've selected an iron with the right size barrel. Also, if your hair always falls flat, consider investing in a professional-grade curling iron. Try the NuMe curling wand or the Sarah Potempa Beachwaver if you're willing to invest, or Hot Tools to get the most bang for your buck.  For hair that doesn't hold a curl well, try a ¾-inch barrel. The curls will be tight without looking ringlet-y, and will loosen as the day goes on. If your hair holds a curl well already choose a 1-inch iron for instant beachy waves. Once you release your hair from the iron, simply pin the curl to your head until it sets. Once your entire head is pinned, mist it with hairspray. Then, carefully unpin your curls and comb through them with your fingers.  Cool down those curls. Take each fresh curl (still keeping the curl shape) and secure it with a clip or a bobby pin. Try holding the curl in a coil in the palm of your hand for 10 seconds as soon as you remove it from the heat. This will keep the curl bouncy and stop it from falling out. If you know you're going to curl your hair the next day, sleep with it in a braid or two (depending on how thick your hair is). The next morning you will wake up with instant textured waves—the perfect canvas to take a curling iron to.