Hello! About a week or so ago, I received one of the most exciting emails I have ever received. I was offered the opportunity to come up with a hair style for autumn with ghd! Eeep!
For autumn, I’m thinking messy, curly hair – ain’t no one got time for poker straight hair in these Artic conditions! Also, this hairstyle will look fab teamed with a scarf and a Starbucks for that mandatory Autumn selfie. Let’s get started!
I was kindly gifted the ghd V coral professional styler from the limited edition “Birds of Paradise” collection. I cannot put into words how excited I was to open up this beautiful item – it was like Christmas 2006 all over again when I unwrapped my ghd IV styler ! The ghd V styler boasts:
- Advanced ceramic heat technology for enhanced shine and versatile style
- Smooth, contoured, floating plates with a gloss finish for salon shine and snag-free styling
- Sleep mode: switches off if not used for 30 minutes
- Universal voltage for consistent performance when travelling
- Round barrel to create perfect curls and waves
- Professional-length 2.7m power cable
I feel like this styler is too good for me; like the Haruma Miura of the haircare world. It is a LOT lighter than the IV styler, it has a different tune to tell you it’s hot enough and the on button is not a switch, it’s more of a light up, push up, grooved slide button (like the Wi-Fi button on a Nintendo 3DS). It definitely makes my IV styler look like an fossil.
Enough waffling for me, now let’s start with this tutorial.
I’ll start off by saying that you can do this style on freshly washed hair, the day after hair and just about the day after the day after hair. The day after that… well, it is a little bit like Russian Roulette, some days it will pass and other days it will look horrible. Use your normal shampoo and conditioners; whatever makes your hair feel goooood! Dry your hair upside down to give your hair some volume and oomph ; it will stop your style being “flat” and “stuck to your head” – the opposite of messy! In the pictures, that is my hair freshly washed and dried (upside down); it’s a bit of a beast!
Give your hair a good brush through with your favourite brush or comb to get rid of tangles and smooth things down. I t’s important for the hair to be smooth so it glides through the ceramic plates of the styler. It is also extremely important to use a heat protectant on your hair before any heat styling. I use one before blow drying and I then apply it again before I start using ghds. If I find I am going over the same section of hair a few times, I will apply it again. Better to be safe than sorry!
Section your hair into two sections – top and bottom. I take my thumbs past my ears (that doesn’t make any sense does it… look at the picture instead) and I collect the hair into a top knot, leaving the bottom half of my hair down.
I start by taking a section of hair of the thickness I want my curl to be . You can’t have the section too thick as it won’t go through the plates equally. You can do thin sections if you fancy a perm look! I then take my ghd styler and “clamp” it on to the section of hair at the top. Take the styler and twist it around so the section of hair is all the way around the barrel as you can see in picture 3. Pull down the styler as you would if you were straightening your hair. The slower you pull it down, the tighter your curl. When you make it all the way down, your curl will spring up like magic! (It’s not actually magic but you know what I mean…)
If the pictures are bad quality, it’s because they are screenshots from a video I took. I was going to make a GIF but it seems I can’t crop my make up free face out of it *sobs*
Carry on doing that all the way around; it’s easier to separate your hair again into two (like you’re putting it into ponytails) and curl from front to back. When your curl springs up, catch it, twist it around your fingers and give it a bit of a tease . I would have screenshotted this but it looks like my hair is being attacked by a cloud of angry sausages.
After you have done the bottom section, you can now start on the top section! Or you can just leave your hair in a half topknot half curled hair style if you are a hipster. Thank me later. I usually split the top section into two sections and then repeat the curling steps above. It’s entirely up to you how you choose to do it as it’s your hair, all I am passing on is the technique. When you’re done, seal the style with hairspray, hair gel, wax or the tears of men who have dared to cross you.
The technique I’ve shown you is to wrap the hair around the barrel and pull it down. You can also do it sideways to get a really soft wave but I find these drop out easily and make it look as if you haven’t even bothered! Pulling it down gives a tighter, defined curl and I find it’s easier to do than trying to curl it sideways.
When you see a picture of me with curly hair, I have used my ghds to do it. None of those weird contraptions that look like Helter Skelters nor any of those twisty things you have to heat up in some sort of slow cooker for hours beforehand.
TL;DR
1. Brush hair thoroughly beforehand and use heat protectant.
2. Section hair to make it easier.
3. Clamp your hair with the straighteners and twist it around.
4. Pull down slowly for tight curls or fast for casual waves.
5. Catch the curl, twist it with your fingers, tease it.
6. Finish with lots of hairspray.
How is it possible I look different in three different photos? #QueenOfAngles
I hope you found my little tutorial helpful! If you tried out this technique, make sure you send me a selfie!
Danniella x
ツ – ghd V coral professional styler provided to prepare a tutorial.
those are beautiful!!! love this review.. the curls look so good :)
They are! Thank you so much sweet <3
Absolutely love this look! You look stunning. I wonder how it would look on longer hair. I may have to try!
Tamsyn-Elizabeth
peachpowxo.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you! I bet it would look gorgeous with long hair, you should try it :D and let me have pictures <3
You look lovely, curly hair really does suit you!
What a wonderful opportunity from GHD :D
Amy x | A Little Boat Sailing
Aw thank you :)) It was an amazing opportunity, one I won’t forget <3
I never usually use my GHDs for curling my hair, but I’ll definitely give it a go after reading this post :) Your hair always looks gorgeous in your photos!
http://www.alicegracebeauty.com
x
You should! I bet your hair would look gorgeous! Aw thank you so much <3
Your hair looks lovely and these irons are part of my dreams haha seriously I love the colours <3 xxx
I can’t get over how bright and vibrant they are, I will never lose them now! x
Your face looks incredible in ALL THE ANGLES! Unfair! Love the colour of the styler, might have to get myself some when my hair is more than an inch in length haha :) xx
ALL THE ANGLES! They are so beautiful <3 x
Cloud of Angry Sausages. I’m dying.
Seriously though, you have me all excited about upgrading my GHD’s after Christmas as my old styler is looking a little bit sad and old (5 years is probably ancient in GHD years). I love the finish on yours, so shiny and pretty. *w*
<3
Woooo! Which ones are you getting? They have so many pretty colours nowadays :D x
Woo for the many different faces you have. I think. I don’t know. Help. It sounds like an insult now. Ha.
This is a great op and you did a great job. I’m rubbish at curling my hair with my GHDs. I am brill at one side and my hair looks super sexy and then the other side is just a total fail. Poop.
Corinne x
I have so many faces! Ahhh, don’t worry about it! Who wants tidy, symmetrical hair? x
Your hair looks soooo nice! I’m useless at doing curls myself. So jealous of the GHDs they are beautiful! I’ve been dying to get some for years but have yet to own a pair, I don’t think I’ve ever even used a pair of GHD’s! I’m definitely missing out haha. Oh and I love that third photo you really make me giggle!
Kloe xx
skullsnkisses.blogspot.co.uk
THey are so beautiful! You need to get yourself a pair, be a good girl for the rest of 2014 and Santa might bring you some :) x
These GHDs are unbelievably gorgeous! I love messy hair in winter, I never want to straighten it in the cold weather as it gets so damaged.
India / Touchscreens & Beautyqueens
They are beautiful! Same here, my hair never stays straight in winter, so much easier to curl it :) x