Curling Hair

Here's the best tutorial I've ever found on how to do this (especially if you have multiple performances). It's actually for a ballet studio's production of The Nutcracker, but I believe this is the hairstyle you're going for?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezPHH5_4N2E

If you can spare the money have it professionally done. It won't be more than $30.

For very thick hair, you need to curl very small sections at a time...it will likely take you and hour or two to curl her hair. Don't spray it while on the iron, that will just promote burning, but after you get a section done, spray it.

Section her hair off into three or four layers, pulling them up with clips. Curl the bottom layer (near the nape of her neck first) in VERY small pieces, then when you have the whole section done, spray. Then let down the next section/layer and repeat.

Alternately, and what would work best, would be to shampoo her hair early the prior afternoon, put her hair into sleeping curlers (I have a type for my daughter that are really just a strong pipe cleaner surrounded by padding and material) and have her keep them in for the remainder of the day and overnight. Don't take them out until the last minute...that will usually curl my daughters straight, thick hair beautifully and without the heat. It works best when you do it wet and leave them in for at LEAST 12-18 hours, though.

Pull it up last, regardless of what method you use.

Ah, the joy...my hair is naturally curly. ;)

I would suggest trying out different methods before the performance to see what works best.

My daughter has thick hair and for cheerleading I would curl it with a curling iron. First, don't wash the hair the night before or that morning or it won't hold the curl. "Dirty" hair holds curl better. I put some styling mousse on first, then I curl the hair and spray AFTER I remove the iron. Otherwise you get hair spray all over your iron and the curls stick to the iron. You have to curl from the underneath layers to the top layers so you'll have to clip the top layers of hair out of the way when you're curling. I suggest putting the sides up first.

The easier method was sock or "rag" rollers. I rolled her hair in rags when it was damp and then she went to sleep. The next morning we unrolled it. The rag rollers gave it a more permanent curl, and it did help prevent the curls from binding together. (When you curl with a curling iron and leave the hair, eventually the curls merge themselves together into several big fat curls so you're constantly having to separate them as the day goes on). The rag curls were a little more angular and not as uniform as the curling iron curls.

Of course the easiest method for us (and the one we now use) is a fake ponytail. I wind her hair in a bun, pop on the fake ponytail and voila--done! LOL!

My daughter loves to curl her hair by using the foam overnight curlers. I personally like this method, it is faster than a curling iron, holds better, and doesn't damage the hair with all that heat. They stay bouncy all day with minimal product. I think I used a little spray gel or mousse on her damp hair, then put the rollers in, I covered her hair with a handkerchief to keep them tidy. In the morning I didn't even bother with hairspray, but if she was going to be in a performance I would probably use a little. They lasted all day, and she was still mostly curly even the next morning (but getting a little ratty from sleeping).

For bouncy curls, you can use a curling iron and just curl small sections at a time. You can do something like locks or sausage curls so that they are bouncey. One of my girls does not curl well and they fall out so quickly. We have found using gel helps hold that curl and then setting with spray. You can pull her hair up first but then you might not be able to curl that one part of her hair that is the end of the pulled up part so would end up being straight. Depends how long her hair is. Either way you do it, use clips to hold her hair up and pull maybe 1 inch sections of her hair, working from the under layers to the upper layers (nape to crown) to curl. Then spray and done. No combing.
I do agree that overnight curls tend to hold a bit better sometimes, but sometimes I have found they go crazy or do not hold depending on the hair.
It is defintely a good idea to do a practice run. I did this when my girls had their communion. We ended up with hot rollers but my one girl's hair lost the curl by evening.

To get the bouncy look alternate the direction you curl each section in. Curl one section forward, the next backwards etc. This keeps curls from nesting inside of each other and looking more flat.

I use curlformers on my daughter's hard to keep a curl hair. I spray a bit of spray gel on before I put the curler on while it's wet and in the morning she has beautiful curls.

When I don't know how to do something like this, I usually schedule a teach or watch appointment with a pro.

As in,
They do it, teaching me how or
They do it and I watch.
Usually the cost of whatever it would be normally, sometimes, weirdly since its extra work for them to teach, and less business later, its discounted. Updos, makeup, curls, straightening, 80's day, whatever.)

Heck... I went in for my own hair just a few weeks ago (ballet bangs w/French twist). My stylist showed me for free. Event razored my bangs, as well. Totally free. Granted, it only took her 5 minutes. Now I have the right pins (I was using the wrong kind for short hair), the right wrist trick, and my bangs are the right length!

I looked up videos on youtube when I had to do this for my daughter's ballet performance. Her hair is very straight, thick and hard to curl so we ended up using a curling iron and LOTS of hairspray, before during and after curling. It was a stiff, sticky mess but it held and it looked great :-)

I suggest you go to cutgirlshairstyles on youtube and watch their non heat curls videos - they have TONS. Most hair WILL CURL when it is curled overnight with no heat methods.

I have long thick natural curly hair, you would not know when I curl it which is every day. Wash and dry her hair good. You can use hot rollers on her crown and curl the rest or even use hot rollers on the whole head if you choose. To get the curls to stay use Kenra Hot Spray on each strand before curling. It protects the hair and it is intended use is for curling or straightening etc. Works excellent and gives a good curl and holds. Kenra hairspray is the best I've found to hold and work on every hair type.

If you are going to use just a curling iron then section her hair off putting half of it up w/ a clip and starting at the bottom and bring a little down each time until she has bouncing head full of curls. When curling take the curling iron curling the hair towards the back not front alternating the curling iron on each side. Once all is curled then start pulling it up and pinning it, a little trick get some Argan Morroccan Oil ($6 Walmart or Walgreens Blue bottle) and put a little in your hands when you are pinning or taking the hair out of and pinning it up this will help define the curls and not make it frizzy, even put some in after blow drying the hair a little goes a long way (Dime size). Once all the hair is up spray real good!

Another good product for voulume and for your hair to look like you've backcombed or teased it w/o doing it is Big Sexy Volumizing Spray and you just spray that allover the crown of the head at the roots in a horse shoe manner when wet before you blow dry flipping the head down when drying. Gives a lot lift w/o really doing anything. I love the the Suave Professional Line Morroccan Oil shampoo and conditioner leave the hair so helathy and shiny.

I hope this helps! And good luck to her!!!

BJ

For bouncy curls, spray it before you curl it. The spray will hold the curls, not the whole style. "Sides up" meaning all the curls on top of her head? I don't know the length or grade of her hair, but when I want "bouncy" curls on top of my head, I secure the ponytail on top and then do individual curls with the curling iron and put rollers in as I go. Or I curl it all the way through with the curling iron and follow up with the rollers and leave in overnight. (Distribute a little hairspray throughout before applying the heat.) Take it down and pull it all up into a ponytail or secure it some other way at the top of her head. Practice before the big day.

I use Curlformers on my hair and my daughter's hair. There's tons of youtube tutorials on them. You can put them in and sleep on them. The curls stay way better than if I use a curling iron.

I know they are really popular with cheerleaders.

You can get them online, or at Sally Beauty.

try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uPj2JueWaw

or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5T6JyPzeqE

Curl overnight - no heat method, and then do the style, very little brushing when "doing" the style, just pull the sides up, only use fingers to separate the curls, no brush.

Hairspray is always last. It is a finishing product. Why dont you just take her to a salon? For a childs dance updo it shouldnt be that much, call around and check some prices. I work at JCP salon and would probably charge around $24 for what you are wanting.

If you are determined to do it, use a small curling iron, small sections, get it curlier than you want since it will fall, I would use a 1/2 inch barrel iron. Curl all over and then take small sections of the sides and backcomb (tease) the roots, spray a little hairspray on the teased roots. Then use a soft brush and lightly comb back the sides to where you want them, you dont want to brush out the backcombing, just smooth the surface hair. Pin into place with bobby pins, criss cross them to lock them in place. Once it looks the way you want, give it a good spray with firm hold aerosol hairspray.

I would start with a curl enhancer that you can put in her hair when it's damp, then use hot rollers. You can lightly spray once the rollers are in. Then, put the sides up and touch up with a curling iron.

If you don't have rollers, then I'd put the sides up first, then use curling iron. But, I think the curl enhancer should help a lot!

Good luck!