Scarlett Johansson's Princess 'Do
Scarlett Johansson is one bombshell who is known for her gorgeous hair - yet you’re never quite sure how her hair is going to look! How is this possible? It’s simple: Scarlett’s hair always looks great, no matter the color, texture or whether it’s worn up or down. She’s gone blonde, red and brown, but in general people seem to prefer her with the classic blonde look pictured here. But what really makes this style (which I have dubbed her “princess ‘do”) truly special - besides the gorgeous tiara-esque accessory - are the corkscrew curls.
Replicating this look on your own is a lot easier than it might seem. Actually, that’s why spiral curling irons were invented! Any small barreled curling iron can be used to create tight, springy curls, but spiral curling irons actually have a metal guide on the barrel that shows you exactly where to place your hair for maximum curl-age. After your hair is curled, simply pin it up, leaving a little volume at the crown, sweep your bangs to the side and finish with a sparkly barrette or headband.
A high quality curling iron can actually work for years, as long as you follow proper maintenance. Clean it occasionally with a special cleaning solution to remove oil and product buildup, and never place it on the counter when it’s hot. (That’s what curling iron holders are for!) Also, never wrap the cord around the iron itself when not in use; this could fray or damage the cord over time, causing a potential fire hazard. If you care for your spiral curling iron, you can create Scarlett’s pretty princess hair at home whenever you feel like it!
Beautiful Ringlets are Yours with Spiral Curling Irons
If you want tight, springy ringlets - in other words, classic curls - then spiral curling irons are for you. There is simply no easier way to create that time-tested look than with a spiral curling iron, complete with a guide on the barrel that will show you where to play your hair for maximum curl.
Ceramic curling irons are better than metal ones because they are less damaging to the hair, since they seal the cuticle and keep hair shiny, healthy and bouncy. Metal irons can singe or even break the hair - pretty much the opposite effect of what you’re aiming for, which is gorgeous hair!
Also keep in mind that the larger the barrel, the looser you can expect your curls to be. Spiral curling irons tend to come with barrels that are 1″ or smaller, to help users keep the ringlet look they love.
Spiral Curls like Mariah's
Listen, I am far from being a hair expert but my spiral curling iron sure helps me fake it! I grew up with three brothers and my mom had short hair ever since I was born. I think she chopped it off when my third brother was born because she didn’t have time to do her hair and chase after three boys. Needless to say, I didn’t have a lot of training or firsthand experience when it came to fixing my hair. I always just pulled it back into a ponytail and hoped for the best. The idea of owning a curling iron was foreign to me. But then I discovered Mariah Carey in middle school and that was it. I had to figure out how to duplicate her beautiful spiral curls. I was hopeless. I bought those cheap tube like plastic things that you are supposed to use like curlers from the drugstore and that did nothing. I tried braiding my hair but I just looked like I had crimped hair when I took it out - definitely not what I was going for. I even tried using my friend’s regular curling iron but I couldn’t figure out how to make it “look right.” I didn’t know what to do. So finally I confided to my mom about my curly hair dreams and she smiled knowingly. She took me to get my very first professional curling iron and I haven’t looked back since. With the spiral guide it is so easy to achieve that perfect curl. I don’t know why anyone would use anything else to curl their hair. I think Mariah would be proud.
Getting Perfect Spiral Curls
I know that these days a lot of girls like to straighten their hair. That sleek look is very “in” and can definitely be a sexy choice. But, for me, there is nothing prettier than a head full of curls. Maybe it is a case of “the grass is always greener” because my hair is stick straight. I remember in high school my friends would all say how jealous they were but I’d tell them, “I’m jealous of you!” I wished my hair could look curly now and then. I wished that I had hair like Keri Russell’s during her “Felicity” days - you know, pre-haircut. Isn’t it ironic how that show’s ratings plummeted after she cut off her beautiful spiral curls? Didn’t surprise me though - I knew all to well the power of curly hair. No matter how hard I tried, I could never get my hair to look even close to Felicity-esque. I bought a skinny curling iron, I bought curlers, I braided my hair - nothing looked right. So I gave up.
Until earlier this year when I confessed my curly-hair-longings to my stylist and she suggested I try a 1″ curling iron. I was skeptical and I didn’t want to get my hopes up but I decided to give it a try. What an amazing difference! Sure, I’m still a ways away from having Keri Russell’s natural curls. But the guides on my spiral curling irons make having spiral curly hair a possibility.
Halle Berry's Beautiful Curls
Halle Berry is known for her sexy short hair, choosing to wear her locks cropped close to her head most of the time. However, there are many sides to Ms. Halle, as this shot of her rocking beautiful spiral curls show. Is this Halle’s natural hair texture, or did she spend some time in the stylist’s chair to achieve this look? Either way, you can do it yourself at home with the help of spiral curling irons!
Unlike standard curling tools, spiral curling irons usually have guides on the barrel to help users figure out where to place their hair for maximum curl. Spiral irons usually have smaller barrels (around 1″) as well, which allows you to get that tight, springy curliness as opposed to big, loose curls or waves. Best of all, they’re really easy to use, especially when compared to hot rollers. Sure, rollers can create spiral curls too, but they’re difficult to use, can be uncomfortable, and are generally considered to be hopelessly outdated styling tools!
What really baffles me about this picture of Halle’s glorious hair is how sleek and shiny it looks, despite being super curly! Using a shine serum on your hair after curling should help, and make sure you schedule regular deep conditioning treatments if you want your hair to recover moisture after being exposed to high heat.
Spiral Curls = My Fave
There are so many different kinds of curling irons out there, but I think spiral curling irons are definitely the best. You can buy irons with extra large barrels if you’re more into waves than curls, and you can buy small-barreled irons that aren’t specifically meant to create spiral curls, but my faves are the irons with the built-in guides that make curling super easy.
I think if you’re going to curl your hair, you should really go for it! (Subtlety is not my strong suit…I like to go “all out” when I do things, and that includes styling my hair.) That’s why I love my spiral curling iron. It gives me the ability to create really dramatic, tightly wound, luxurious-looking curls with ease. All I have to do is place my hair where the guides are on the barrel, hold for a few seconds, and boom - cascading curls.
These sexy ringlets are perfect for anything from a big date or special night on the town to a family event or even just to feel beautiful any day of the week. (I’ve been known to break out my curling iron on random Wednesday mornings just to add a little spice to the work week!) If you don’t already have one, you should get one now. You never know when having a spiral curling iron in your beauty toolbelt just might come in handy.
Curl Power!
Spiral curls are my favorite!
When it comes to hair styles, what you like - and what you hate - is completely subjective. Everyone has their own preferences, and mine definitely lean toward the curly side of things! Unfortunately for me, I was born with hair that is naturally stick-straight, which means that if I decide to just “wash and go,” my hair is just going to hang there, looking limp and sad. That’s why I keep an arsenal of spiral curling irons on hand! There are all sorts of different curling irons to help you create a variety of looks, from tight, springy curls to loose, sexy waves, but I absolutely adore the “classic curl” look that you can get with spiral curling irons. Technically, you can use any smaller-barreled curling iron to give yourself gorgeous spiral curls, but I prefer the ones with metal guides that tell you exactly where you place your hair on the barrel. It makes the curling process totally foolproof! In addition to looking better once my hair has been perfectly curled, I have to say that my self-esteem also skyrockets. It’s a little phenomenon that I like to refer to as “curl power.” It always makes my friends laugh, but I’m completely serious! When you look your best, you feel your best, and that allows you to present the best possible version of yourself to the world. I spiral curled my hair before my last job interview…and landed the job on the spot! And within two weeks of vowing to never again go on a date without curling my hair first, I met my current boyfriend, who I’ve now been dating for almost 6 months! I owe it all to curl power.
Taylor Swift's Fairytale Curly Hair
Taylor Swift's enviable spiral curls!
I don’t often wish I was 19 again, but there is something about Taylor Swift’s charmed teen years that makes me want to rewind the clock and make more happen with my life. She is such a talented singer and songwriter, she dates sexy werewolves and her hair looks like it is straight out of a fairytale. I may not be able to turn back time but I can at least replicate Taylor’s enviable spiral curls! When I told my stylist that I wanted to have fairytale hair like Taylor’s, first he laughed. Not out of mockery but out of surprise. He was going to suggest to me that we give it a try before I mentioned it! Love that guy :) He went ahead and gave my long hair lots of layers, in all different lengths, so that the curls would lay down correctly. He added a styling mousse to my hair once it was dry and then made sure it was completely dry before he picked up his secret weapon: A spiral curling iron. I have only ever used regular curling irons, so this spiral curling iron was a bit of a revelation for me. I asked him where he got it and he said that I could get one online or at a beauty supply store. Then he proceeded to create perfectly curled ringlets by rotating the handle counterclockwise to wind the hair along the barrel between the spiral guides. The result was magic. I went home and bought three spiral curling irons. One for me, one for my sister and one for my best friend. Everyone should have one of these at home.
Advantages of Spiral Curling Irons
There are many different kinds of curling irons to choose from, and if you’re basically a hair styling novice - like I am - it can get very confusing, if not downright overwhelming! I used to think that you were supposed to choose the type of curling iron you need based on what kind of hair you have - i.e., long, short, fine, thick, etc. But I was wrong; in reality, you need to choose your iron based on what kinds of curls you’re hoping to create.
If you want to create tight, bouncy ringlets - classic “curly hair,” in my opinion - what you really need is a spiral curling iron. Spiral curling irons are designed to help you make exactly those kinds of curls. Here are some of the advantages of spiral curling irons:
- They have smaller barrels (usually 1 inch or less in diameter), which allows you to make small curls as opposed to loose waves
- They have longer barrels, which allows you to hold the iron vertically as you wrap the hair around the barrel to create those ringlets
- They often have “guides,” which are metal rings wrapped around the barrel that show you how and where to place your hair for maximum curl
If you want awesome curly hair fast, buy a spiral curling iron! They make the entire process super easy.
Debra Messing's Beautiful Curls
Debra Messing's curly hair sets her apart from the crowd.
I think Debra Messing has some of the best hair in Hollywood. Her long, thick, deep auburn curls really help her stand out in a sea of straight and/or wavy-haired starlets. I know that she sometimes chooses to straighten her hair for special events, but in my opinion she looks prettiest with her hair in tight spirals - and I have been known to use my spiral curling iron to duplicate the look on my own hair on more than one occasion! Spiral curling irons are seriously the best tool imaginable if you want to make perfect spirally curls. My spiral curling iron has a 3/4″ barrel with metal guides, which really helps me understand where I should place my hair on the barrel. (Hey, it can be challenging to do your own hair, especially when you have a lot of it!) In addition to curling my hair all over and just leaving it down, like Debra often does on the red carpet, I also like to pin my hair into a quick updo and then curl any tendrils that have fallen out with my spiral curling iron. It’s a really romantic look, and it takes only a few minutes to do! Try it next time you have a dressy event to attend. You’ll be the belle of the ball for sure!