Synthetic hair is a great way to change your look, whether it be from short to long, loose to braided, or from straight to curly. But what happens if you tire of the bone straight look and want to curl the ends for a special occasion? Traditional means of curling natural hair will not work on the synthetic version.
Things to Avoid
Traditional means of curling fails with synthetic hair because of its nature. The hair is normally made of acrylic plastic; this makes it long lasting and flexible, and perfect for braids. However, it cannot tolerate direct heat. Using a curling iron or flatiron will melt it on contact. The braids can be put on rollers overnight, but this curling method may take longer than with human hair, and in fact may not work at all.
Hot Water Will Help
One of the easiest ways to curl synthetic braids is by putting the ends of the hair in rollers (preferably hard plastic), and dipping them briefly in boiling hot water. The rollers are then quickly removed. The ends of the braids will hold the curl for quite some time. This technique is not only effective, but fast; it can be done in less than 30 minutes. Be careful with this method, however, because of the risk of scalding.
To Sum It All Up...
Remember that synthetic braids are not the same as human hair, and to treat them as such will result in disaster. Curling these types of braids can be a simple process as long as the hair itself is treated properly. There are many ways to style synthetic braids; consider these tips as adding one more tool to your beauty arsenal.