How to Curl Your Hair with a Pencil

Reviewed by Jasmin Todd

Last Updated: October 19, 2024 References

There are many well-known ways to curl your hair, from using a brush and blow dryer to tying up rolls overnight. However, you can also curl your hair with an everyday item you probably carry around in your bag. As long as you have a pencil (or pen), you can achieve beautiful, natural curls in your hair.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Curling without Products

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1
Shower and dry your hair until it is damp. It is best to shower, then towel dry your hair. Wring out any excess water from your hair. Take the clean towel, then gently pat from the roots to the tips of your hair. Your hair should not be dripping with water. It should be slightly wet to the touch.
- If your hair is too wet, then the curls may be weighed down by the moisture in your hair. Your hair should be wet enough to style.
Section your hair into manageable amounts. Most people recommend that you take smaller pieces for better curls, although the process may take longer. The smaller the section of hair, the tighter your curls will be. If you section a bigger amount of hair, the curls will be loose and big.

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Take the first section of hair, wrap it around the pencil, then spin the pencil 180 degrees to ensure that the hair will not slip off the pencil. Continue to twist on the rest of the hair onto the pencil. ^{[1]
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Research source} Leave about one to two inches of hair on top to allow the curls to contour your head.
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Secure the pencil in place for 2-3 hours. The longer you leave your hair twisted on the pencil, the better your curls will be. If you'd like to move on to the next section, take a stretchy hair-tie or clip, and wrap the band around the twist and pencil. Move on to the next section of hair with another pencil. ^{[2]
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- You may also choose to pin the pencils to your hair and sleep with them overnight. This will allow for the most natural curl.
Your hair should be dry to the touch. Start with the first sections that you twisted on the pencil. The later twists will need more time to curl. If you feel that the curl is too tight, use your fingers to gently run through the curls until desired length and style.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Flat Iron

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1
Comb or brush your dry hair. Run the brush or comb through your hair, ensuring that there are no tangles. Make your way through each part of your hair, pulling from the roots to the tips of your hair.
- Use a wide-toothed comb for curly hair and a fine-toothed comb for straight hair.
As you are twisting around the pencil, bring your section of hair closer to one end of the pencil to bunch the hair together. Make sure that you cannot see the pencil under your hair, but do not overlap the hair over each twist. This allows for a more natural looking curl that continues from the top to bottom. It will also help you to flat-iron your hair, not the pencil.
3
Take your straightening iron, and stamp the hair that is coiled around the pencil. Make sure that your iron is not too hot as it can burn your hair. For fine and chemically treated hair, use a low heat setting below 200 degrees. For thicker or coarse hair, set it to 200-300 degrees. Never go above 400 degrees.^{[3]
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Research source} Wait about 3-5 seconds for each twist, gently pressing the hair on the pencil. Be careful not to press your fingers with the hot iron. After ironing, hold the twist for about 10 seconds. ^{[4]
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- For extra hold, spritz hairspray when holding the coiled hair. ^{[5]
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If you feel that they are too tight (almost spring-like), run your fingers through your curls once or twice. Do not continue to comb through your hair as the curls will not stay. After you have achieved the look you want, continue on to seal in your style.
Hold the hairspray at least 12-14 inches away from your hair. Choose a medium-hold hairspray to style curls to stay all day.^{[6]
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Research source} Enjoy your bouncy curls!

Community Q&A

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Question

How do I make larger curls?

Community Answer

Use a few pencils banded together.

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How long will it take to curl my hair with a pencil?

Community Answer

It depends on your hair. For example, thick hair will take about 1 to 2 hours. Thin hair will take about 1/2 to 1 hour.

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Question

How do I make this work faster?

Community Answer

You can wrap your hair when it's wet and dry it with the pencils in (using a hairdryer) to speed things up.

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Tips

Use a heat protectant before using hot tools for your hair.

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Regularly use a deep-conditioner for your hair.

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Clean your iron after use.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you are using an iron, try not to hold the iron too close to your head or you might get burned.
Avoid using too much product. Too much hairspray will make your hair sticky!
The longer you leave the pencil in your hair, the better the curl will be.

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Warnings

Don't let flat iron get too hot or leave it on too long , it might burn your hair off or permanently damage it.

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Turn your flat iron off after use.

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