9 No-Heat Styling Techniques That Work

Want to give your hair a break from heat styling? Try out these no-heat styling techniques that have been tried and tested and actually work!

Heat styling is a habitual part of a lot of people’s hair routine just like putting makeup on or any daily grooming ritual. For a lot of people, a hair washing day means immediately blow drying and heat styling hair to make it presentable. But it’s no secret that heat styling is not very good for your hair and if you can avoid doing too much of it, your hair will be grateful. However, if it is something that you’ve gotten used to, it can be hard to go without it.

Giving your hair a break from heat is very important. This gives your hair time to heal from all the heat damage. Your hair already needs a lot of TLC just because of unavoidable damage in everyday life like sun damage, pollution, friction, physical damage, and environmental damage which is why we use shampoos, conditioners, and other hair nourishing products regularly. When you’re adding heat damage on top of all that, your hair needs even more supplemental nourishment and intense hair repair treatments.

Check out:

Mayraki Ultra-repairing & Weightless Moisture Shampoo

Mayraki Silky Smooth Proactive Hair Repairing Treatment

Give your hair time to repair itself even better by taking a break from all the heat styling. Hair is important to a lot of us, so taking care of it and keeping it healthy is a must. Going heatless doesn’t mean you have to go style-less, though!

We’ve compiled a list of the very best no-heat styling techniques that actually work wonders! So, if you want to take a break from heat, you don’t have to go without finesse.

Tissue Curls

Tissue curls are a long-standing technique used in the movie and television world. Hair stylists often use this method on-set to prevent heat damaging an actor’s hair over and over again by touching up with a curling iron. Instead, they use tissue papers as no-heat curlers. Unlike regular curlers, using tissues give the hair better definition and are easier to maneuver and use (and sleep in!).

To do this method, simply take some tissues and twist them into thin pieces. Wrap small sections of your hair around the tissue as you would a normal curler then tie both ends of the tissues together to secure it. Do this until you’ve set your whole hair. Because tissues are soft, you can do this the night before and sleep with no problem. If you’re going to do this method regularly, don’t forget to be very delicate with the tissues and save them for next use!

Plopping

Plopping is a no-heat styling method used for those with wavy or curly hair. This is a tried and tested technique that defines the natural texture of the hair beautifully. It keeps the curls beautifully clumped and reduces frizz.

To do this method, wash your hair and keep it damp. Next, brush your hair with a loose bristled brush. Apply some styling products such as oil, cream, and gel to your hair by scrunching it in with your hands going from the ends and scrunching upwards to bring out your curl pattern. After you’ve created your curl clumps, hang your head upside down and let your hair hang down. Lay a microfiber towel or hair wrap on a flat surface then slowly “plop” your curls on top of it by gently lowering your hair from the ends until your head touches the towel. You’ll know that you’re doing it right if your curls naturally form rings as you lower your head onto the towel. While still having your head on the towel upside down, secure it to set the curls in place. Leave this in for 15 minutes then take out your hair to air dry completely. Your curls should look much more defined and less frizzy.

Check out: Mayraki Microfiber Hair Towel Wrap

Braids

Braids are a good way to style hair and to put style in it. You can use the braids as an actual hairstyle or you can use it to put some waves in your hair.

You can do this method a few different ways depending on what kind of results you’re looking for. For smaller, more defined waves, divide your hair into small sections and braid them very tightly. For looser waves, you can either braid your hair in one big braid at the back of your hair or do two sections at either side of your head. Use the French braid method for waves that go up to the roots and a normal three-strand braid for waves that are only on the bottom.

Hair Wrapping

For those who prefer straight hair, it’s a little harder to find a good styling technique that involves 0 heat and produces 100% satisfactory results. Let’s face it, if you have naturally curly or wavy hair, it’s hard to get pin straight hair with no heat. However, if you do have only slightly wavy but mostly straight hair that you’d like to enhance, hair wrapping is the method for you.

First, completely dry and detangle your hair. Apply a serum or oil to smooth down your strands and make them shiny. To do the hair wrapping method, start by taking sections at the front of your hair and combing them over nice and tight around your head until that section is completely wrapped around your head root to end. Keep doing this until you’ve got your whole hair wrapped around your head in a sort of huge combover and pin things down with clips or bobby pins to secure things. Keep on overnight and release in the morning and brush with an anti-static brush for smooth, straight hair.

Check out: Mayraki Wooden Paddle Brush

Finger Coiling

Finger coiling is another great method for those with super curly and wavy hair. This defines the curls exquisitely and gives them a smoothness and finesse like no other method. It does take a long while, but the results are amazing

To do this method, wash your hair, brush it out, and while still damp, make sure to saturate your curls with curl defining products like creams, mousses, or oils and scrunch them to create your curl clumps. Once your curl clumps are defined, take each one and wrap them around one finger, twirling it as you go. Once your hair naturally slips from your finger, the curl will look much smoother and defined. Do this around your whole hair until you’ve defined all the pieces you want. Set things in place with gel.

Brush Coiling

Brush coiling is another curly or wavy hair defining method that’s a little bit quicker than the tedious finger coiling. Using a good brush is essential for this, so your hair doesn’t frizz and for the curls to be defined. This produces a looser curl look.

To do this method, start with freshly washed and detangled hair. Put in your curl defining products and scrunch them in to create your curl clumps. Next, take each clump and run your brush through them, keeping hold of the ends and making sure to put pressure and pressing the hair on the top of the brush and the surface underneath the bristles. Think of it like stretching your hair. Once you get to the ends, let them go and they should bounce back into a nicely defined curl. Do this around your whole head.

Beach Waves Milkmaid Twists

For some natural beachy waves, it’s quite easy to get them without any heat. Different twists provide different results so feel free to experiment with different twists to get the result you want.

For loose, natural beachy waves, divide your damp hair into two sections on either side of your head. Twist these sections tightly and pin the ends on top of your head to create a milkmaid hairstyle but with twists instead of braids. Let your hair dry overnight and you’ve got natural waves in the morning!

Robe Curls

For a super easy way to get defined big curls, you can try the robe method. All you’ll need is the tie on your bathrobe, a few bobby pins, and a hair tie.

For robe curls, lay the tie on top of your head so that the two ends are hanging on each side. Next, twist your slightly damp hair around the robe tie taking in sections as you go down. Sort of like French braid style but just twisting. Once you’ve got your ends in, secure them with a hair tie and do the same on the other side. Once secured, take your robe tie wrapped with hair and twist it into a bun at the side of your head Princess Leia style. Secure with pins and do the same on the other side. Let dry for a few hours and get defined curls!