Curl Hair at the Back of Your Head
A: Actually, the main thing that will really help in this situation is practice. Curling the hair at the back of your head is one of the trickiest parts of using a curling iron, even for people who have been styling their hair for years. Depending on the length of your hair, winding the sections at the nape of your neck or the back of your head around a barrel can be a real test of your flexibility and coordination.
• Change Your Barrel Technique: If only the ends are curling, you're likely clamping the ends and rolling up, which traps all the heat at the bottom. Instead, clamp near the mid-shaft, wrap the hair from closer to the roots down to the ends, and avoid overlapping the hair too much on the barrel so the heat distributes evenly.
• Section and Clip in Layers: Divide your hair horizontally into top and bottom halves, and clip the top sections securely out of the way. Focus on small, 1-inch (2.5 cm) sections at a time. Smaller sections are far easier to handle and heat evenly, resulting in longer-lasting curls.
• Bring the Hair Forward: You don't have to reach all the way behind your head for every section. For hair at the nape and mid-back, gently pull the section forward over your shoulder to curl it where you can easily see and reach it.
• Angle the Iron Downward: Pointing the tip of the curling iron down toward the floor makes it much easier on your wrists and shoulders when reaching behind your head.
• Set Up a Two-Mirror View: Work in front of a bathroom mirror while holding a hand mirror (or positioning a wall mirror behind you) so you can check your placement before applying heat.
• Protect Your Hands: Consider wearing a heat-resistant glove on your off-hand. Working behind your head mostly by touch can lead to accidental burns.
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See also:
Thermal styling with curling irons
A what's what guide to curling irons
Heat styling basics