How to Curl Long Hair in 8 Easy, Fast Ways

Each trick takes 10 minutes or less!

By Marci Robin and Blake Bakkila, Good Housekeeping

Voluminous, shiny curls are the easiest way to glam up your look. If you weren't blessed with 'em naturally, there are some super simple ways to get those waves on your own. We've rounded up some lightening-fast tutorials — because hey, who has tons of free time to spend curling their hair? And if you want more ways to curl your hair without heat, just head on over here. 

1 

3 Minutes: Quick Curls With a Weave

For a hassle-free routine that works well for those with weaves, YouTuber Seun Okimi hows us how she uses a flat iron to get loose curls in less than three minutes. Think of how many more times you can hit the snooze button with this low-maintenance routine.

2 

4 Minutes: Sock Bun

For those wary of the damage heat tools can do to your hair, this tutorial is exactly what you need. Follow along as YouTuber Emily Liu shows you exactly how to create a sock bun, wrap your hair around it, and create gorgeous curls. While this technically requires you to sleep on your hair for the magic to happen, the prep and styling take just a few minutes before bed — so simple!



3 

5 Minutes: The Ponytail Trick

Ready for the curling trick that will change your life? If you have barely any time to get ready and want to curl your hair as quickly as possible, pop it into a ponytail, separate it into a few sections, curl each section, then let down your hair. It really is that easy.



4 

5 Minutes: Section by Section

If you've always wanted to get those big, loose curls that you see on celebrities, follow this tutorial. By separating your hair into quadrants and curling each separately, you can make sure every inch of your hair is properly curled.

5 

5 Minutes: Small Iron, Big Sections

While you've always been told to use small barrel curling irons for small curls and larger barrels for large curls, this tutorial throws those theories out the window. In fact, it shows that if you wrap large chunks of hair around a small barrel, you can actually achieve large, loose ringlets.



6 

6 Minutes: Flat Iron

For a nice bend and extra volume, all you need is six minutes and a flat iron. This technique is particularly helpful to those with short and fine hair.




7 

7 Minutes: Flexible Rollers

Spend a few minutes before bed twisting Hot Tools Spongy Rod Rollers ($15, ulta.com) into damp, freshly conditioned hair, and you can wake up with amazingly silky, bouncy curls.

8 

10 Minutes: Alternate Directions

By switching back and forth between wrapping some pieces of your hair around a curling wand toward your face and some pieces away from your face, you can give even the straightest hair super-cute beachy waves.