Can you curl your hair when it’s wet? The simple answer is Yes. Curling your hair is a terrific method to add volume or bounce or to experiment with a new style. Curling irons and hair dryers can cause your hair to become dry, brittle, and split.
Curling your hair while it is still wet using curlers, rollers, or nonthermal equipment will give you the desired style without sacrificing your hair’s strength, smoothness, or luster. Either wash your hair and pat it dry with a towel, or begin with dry hair and spray it with a bottle of water, and you’re ready to go.

Curling Hair Using Rollers
Get some wet-set hair rollers. Although hair rollers might be more difficult to use, they are a safe and time-tested tool for curling hair. Make sure you obtain wet-set rollers since some rollers aren’t meant for damp hair. Rollers are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, according to the different sizes and shapes of curls, so you may need to experiment with a few before you find your choice. Simply check the package to ensure they are suitable for damp hair.
- Cut pieces from an old T-shirt or pillowcase to create a DIY alternative. The strips should be roughly as wide as the desired width of the curls and somewhat longer than your hair. Use the strips like curlers and tie the ends together to bind them.
- Alternatively, you can curl your hair using your fingers and secure the curls with bobby pins and hair clips.
If you want to keep the rollers overnight, use soft rollers. Allowing your curls to set while you sleep is a good option. To sleep easily, choose rollers made of soft materials such as foam or silicone.

Detangle your hair with a wide-toothed comb to get neater curls. If you’re using foam rollers, your hair should be moist but not soaked.
Use the rollers to curl individual sections of hair. Take a strand of hair, about the width of the roller, from just above your forehead. Hold this hair in front of you and place the roller horizontally at its end. Roll your hair till it reaches your scalp, or as far as you like the curls to go, then secure the roller. Repeat across the crown of the head, and then go on to the sides and back.
After your hair has enough time to dry, you should loosen the clips holding the rollers in place and carefully remove them. Use your fingers to fan or puff up your curls as a final touch. If you use a hairbrush, you risk losing your curls.