Pin Curling

Pin curling is a method used by nearly every hair stylist. It is so important that when you curl hair you let the heat set, or the curl will drop out quickly. By curling the hair and rolling the curl back up you are setting the hair into that shape so it will technically fix it into place. The curl will last longer, the hair will look better and the model/client will be happier that there not backwards and forwards going back into your chair.

Curling hair dates back thousands of years, but what stands out for me is how they would create and keep the curl in the Victorian days. They would pin curl the hair and use rags to hold them in place by tying them round the hair so it doesn't slip out. These days we have grips, section clips or pin curling clips to do this for us. 

How to create 

Pin curls - 

1. Section the hair off at the back into two and then a section at the bottom of the neck 

2. Get a square section of hair and roll the hair round the curler holding it up right 

3. Hold for a few sections and gently take the curler out the hair 

4. Pin the hair in place keeping the hair rolled up whilst it's still hot 

5. Do this all over the head changing direction so the curls don't all fall the same way 

6. When all the hair has cooled down take all the grips out and dress the hair into place 

Barrel curls - 

1. Section the hair off in the back into two sides and then section off at the bottom of the neck 

2. Take a wider rectangular section and wind the hair around the tong holding the hair slighting upwards and holding the barrel side ways 

3. Hold for a few seconds and gently unclip and take out the hair from the tong 

4. Whilst it's still hot keep the hair wound up as it was around the tong and grip or clip the hair to keep in place 

5. Do this all over the head and when it has cooled down take the grips out and dress the hair 

Doing these two ways of curling on the hair is basically setting the hair but with no rollers. Directional sets are where you want the curl to go or where you want more height you would set the hair how you wanted it to flow. Where as brick work patterned sets the hair flows into shape where there are no gaps. Also following this pattern is very methodical, it's very easy to follow and is easier for you to dress out without doing much work to hide gaps. 

L - R 

Pin curls  -  Barrel curls 

Both seperate sections  -  Dressed out front view 

Brickwork  -  Dressed out brickwork

Reflection

I really enjoyed creating curls on the Katie head, as I am a trained hairdresser I found this exercise really easy as I have had so much practice at curling and pin curling hair. It was nice to refresh my memory on how the tutor wanted it doing properly, making neat sections. When you are working in a salon, you do it the quickest most efficient way, still using neat sections but you do it quicker so you can have your client in and out.
When I got taught we didn't do half a head barrel curls and half a head flat curls like what we did, we jus got taught each different way and then to practice them, getting neater and quicker the more we did it. It was good to see the difference in how the curl lays from the scalp, flat curls are exactly what they are called.. flat curl. they lay straight down from the scalp with a curl on the end. Where as the barrel curl has more volume and lays off the  scalp, with a curl still on the ends. Depending on what look you are going for depends what technique you use but I defiantly prefer the barrel curl. t gives more volume, more 'hair' in a way to work with which is really good for developing styles where you need the air to look thicker.
Brick work curling I fund very easy too as I have had lots of practice in doing this, it is the most common way of curling and using rollers for setting hair, it doesn't show any gaps or lines in the hair, it curls just the same but it lays in a nicer way on the head.

The only thing I didn't like about doing this exercise was having to use grips instead of pin curling clips, I don't like how the grip holds the hair, I prefer a clip as you can feel it grab the hair and you know its not going to fall out. The grips I was using were good and firm but I felt as if they were going to slip out of the hair.

If I was to do this again I would practice on an actual model, to get a feel of how the different techniques lay on other peoples hair. I would like to try it on long hair and short hair to see the difference in the curl and the volume on the root.

Overall, I am very happy with what we learnt today, I got to refresh my mind on one of the most basic yet frequently used techniques and I also love hairdressing so I really enjoyed playing about with my Katie head.