Finally found a way to wear my hip-length hair down! (Yes there are pics!)

[SoulOfTheSea]

My hair usually never looks good when I decide to wear it down. It always becomes poofy, tangled, and undefined. So I started to look for ways to curl/wave my hair, and this has been the best method I have found so far.

I remember doing the cocoon-curling method to curl my hair, but I had never gotten the results to come out THIS amazing. I split my hair into two sections, a left and right section (like I'm making pigtails) and then split those sections into two more sections each vertically again. This gives me a total of four hair sections. I then spray some water on each section, and make the cocoon. I sleep overnight on them, and VOILA! Beautiful, smooth, frizz-free curls that last days. These pictures were taken today at night after a whole day of wear, and they still look fantastic. Some Organix Macadamia Oil doesn't hurt either. :) I am SO happy with my hair and that I finally found a way to wear my hair down and have it look pretty. I have done this several times and have gotten consistent results, which is just amazing.

For all of you who aren't familiar with cocoon-curling, here is a tutorial! :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAPHSAPshJE

http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb475/SoulOfTheSeas/91b90c3f-3ed3-48bb-9a29-40c35edd90b7.jpg

http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb475/SoulOfTheSeas/740fead8-5242-45ce-9799-4d1865bb8137.jpg

[samanthaj08]

Your hair is so so so gorgeous! Great idea :)

[Mommyof4]

It looks lovely!!

[SoulOfTheSea]

Your hair is so so so gorgeous! Great idea :)

:) It really was a genius idea whoever came up with it. When I use foam curlers or rag curls, my hair becomes a frizzy, tangled mess. Without any of those and my hair being the only "product," I end up with a nice smooth texture. And thank you, I try! :o


It looks lovely!!

I finally think it does too. Thank you so much. :)

[door72067]

oh my gosh...so pretty!!

[sisi33]

Oooh, I like! I have to get my sister to try those out! She has straight hair, so she get's the curly instructions!

[MiaBeth]

Your hair looks great!! Thanks for posting the link -- can't wait to try it!

[iluvlovelylocks]

Absolutely beautiful!!!! I love the half up hairdo. It's so pretty! You have my dream length hair. It looks like you and I have extremely similar hair texture and color.

By the way, thanks for sharing how you did the cocoon curls. I would have never thought to try it in only 4 sections to get big, beautiful waves.

[jessa]

Beautiful! I need to try this! Thank you so much for the tips and link.

[Andrea H]

I couldn't believe just how curly her hair came out when she revealed what it looks like. Thanks for the link, definitely trying this later!

Also, your hair is gorgeous, love the color and length. :D

[joflakes]

That's beautiful!

[Khristopher]

Good that you can wear your hair down like that, it's so pretty! You rock that half updo girl :o And thanks for sharing the tutorial, the girl in the video is so cute and her hair is so pretty too!

[MegaMystery]

It's beautiful! I tried it and the cocoons won't stay in my hair. They'll stay until I move my haid and then go *poing*, back to normal. :(

Edit: might be because I just tried it on dry hair though, will try again on damp hair :)

[Louise148]

You have beautiful waves in your hair. It's stunning!

[Quixii]

Very pretty! And I'm glad you're enjoying your own hair, too. :)

[oktobergoud]

:thud: so pretty!! Sorry that's all I have to say :P

[Ki]

Looks great! Will have to remember this when my hair is long enough! Thanks for sharing :)

[agoddess2die4]

I love beautyklove's tutorials. Your hair looks great! The cocoons worked oddly on me when I tried it. Straight on top of my head til the cocoons started, then tight wave curls. Hair went from almost waist to just below shoulder when I first took them out. Maybe they were too small or too tight. I think I did six or eight cocoons. Will try just four sometime soon. :)

[Lippytoes]

Gorgeous! I'm going to have to try this method sometime!

[Kwantslonghair]

I want your hair! Amazing

[sihaya]

Looks awesome! Thanks for sharing, I'll try this... :)

[shutterpillar]

So pretty! I have an upcoming date night with my husband this weekend and I may give this a go!

[spidermom]

Interesting; must try.
The technique certainly did lovely things for your hair.

[neko_kawaii]

Never heard of cocoon curls before. What beautiful waves it makes in your hair (and the lighter tips! *squee*). Must try this.

[catasa]

Your hair is lovely and the cocoon curls just gorgeous! :) I´ll have to try it, my hair also tends to go poofy and frizzy and dislikes all styling products I´ve tried, hopefully this could make it possible to have "second day" hair without re-wetting. Thanks for sharing!

[jacqueline101]

Your hair looks good.

[woolyleprechaun]

I just want you to know that you inspired me to coccoon my hair. I did it and then the delivery man knocked on my door whilst I looked VERY odd. I am blaming you for this ;)

[MissDixie]

This is awesome!!!!!!! Can't wait to try!!!

[Neecola]

How lovely! I've never heard of this method; thanks for sharing.

[ghost]

Oh wow, beautiful! I love curls that are hip length or longer. I'll try the cocoon method once my hair gets a bit longer and I don't get irritated by the curls eating up so much length.

[Ambystoma]

Wow, that looks stunning! Thanks for the link :)

[Andrea H]

Trying this right now, and they keep falling out. D: What am I doing wrong? Did you run into this issue as well?

[door72067]

Trying this right now, and they keep falling out. D: What am I doing wrong? Did you run into this issue as well?

I was just coming to ask/post the same thing


some seem tight enough to stay in, but others keep slipping out

I will say, from the short time I managed to keep them in, I already have lovely waves/curls from them


anyone have any tricks, tips or secrets to getting them to stay in well enough to sleep in?

[SoulOfTheSea]

I was just coming to ask/post the same thing


some seem tight enough to stay in, but others keep slipping out

I will say, from the short time I managed to keep them in, I already have lovely waves/curls from them


anyone have any tricks, tips or secrets to getting them to stay in well enough to sleep in?


Trying this right now, and they keep falling out. D: What am I doing wrong? Did you run into this issue as well?

You have to dampen the sections of hair a little, or else they won't stay put. You shouldn't have any problems if you wet them. :)


I just want you to know that you inspired me to coccoon my hair. I did it and then the delivery man knocked on my door whilst I looked VERY odd. I am blaming you for this ;)

Haha! I bet he had no idea what was going on. Probably just thought, "Crazy women," and moved on. ;)


It's beautiful! I tried it and the cocoons won't stay in my hair. They'll stay until I move my haid and then go *poing*, back to normal. :(

Edit: might be because I just tried it on dry hair though, will try again on damp hair :)

Yup, your hair has to be dampened in order for it to hold the cocoon. :)

[Andrea H]

I did it on damp hair, but I don't think I did the looping bit right at the ends. Gonna try doing it again differently and see if it works.

[Natalia]

Looks fantastic! Any tips on doing with large chunks of hair as you did? Ive been able to do it on tiny inch wide thin sections but not on big ones yet.

[SoulOfTheSea]

Looks fantastic! Any tips on doing with large chunks of hair as you did? Ive been able to do it on tiny inch wide thin sections but not on big ones yet.

I can't think of any ways that doing it on larger chunks of hair would be different than on smaller chunks, because I did it exactly as the girl did in the video. Keep experimenting until you get it right though. :) On a side note, my hair is only ii thickness, so my larger chunks aren't even that large to begin with, but large enough to make it so I get larger, wave-like curls in the end.

[beryl]

Will the curls/waves last if you brush them? I tried what you did (my hair was only very slightly damp), let it loose in the morning, and lost the wave very quickly. That said, my hair's quite thick, so maybe I need to try more sections?

BTW, your hair looks wonderful!

[Lize]

So beautiful! :thudpile:

[MaryO]

Those curls are so pretty! Also really like the colour(s)!

[arcane]

Your hair looks beautiful!

It inspired me to try this technique last night, it doesn't look so awesome with my hair (my ends went very frizzy), but I'm going to try again. This is the first heatless curl method that has actually made my hair curly.

[door72067]

I had just washed my hair last night, so that wasn't why they didn't stay (I mean, because my was ~was~ quite damp)

this morning, I dampened it and put them in whilst I am getting ready for work...they are staying so-so...but not well enough I could sleep in them

but if this works, it'll be all good

[Dorothy]

RE the cocoons falling out, I've found it takes practice to get the right amount of tension in them, just like bunning your hair takes practice. You need enough that they don't fall out easily, but too much and you'll pull the cocoon off the end of your strand, the same way you take them out. I just practice while I'm on LHC, I do one and then whack at it to see how stable it is.

[Tristania]

It looks like an interesting technique, I would just be worried about mechanical damage.

[door72067]

RE the cocoons falling out, I've found it takes practice to get the right amount of tension in them, just like bunning your hair takes practice. You need enough that they don't fall out easily, but too much and you'll pull the cocoon off the end of your strand, the same way you take them out. I just practice while I'm on LHC, I do one and then whack at it to see how stable it is.

I think using only 4 sections is making mine too thick and that's why they keep pooping out

I am going to try 6 sections tonight and see if I have any better luck

thanks for the encouragement :)

[Jenny31557]

I've been successful with a sock bun overnight and also pin curls which I thought were amazing. I might do them again soon because they were so pretty.

[lunalocks]

Just lovely! I want to try this, but am concerned about any kind of curling and what it does to my ends. (The last time I rolled up with the foam rods, I had a zillion more splits!) Have you noticed any damage after doing this multiple times?

[HairFaerie]

Ohhhhh! Very pretty! You have GORGEOUS hair! :)

[DarkCurls]

I love this technique! I discovered it a while back and it's pretty much the only technique I use on my hair (the underlayer only curls at the ends and if I'm wearing a half up, I curl the length by "cocooning"). I find it gives amazing curls, close to my natural pattern if I get the sections sized right. I love how it can give big, bouncy waves or tight corkscrew curls depending on the size.

Your hair is so, so pretty. :)

[AspenSong]

Your hair looks gorgeous! You inspired me to look up the cocoon curls and try them yesterday - I posted a pic yesterday in the "Post your hair photos here because you know you want to" etc, thread.
They were so pretty and springy!
I just had one issue. My ends because tangles messes when it came time to comb them out. It took 15 minutes with my TT to get the snarls out. =( Was this just a me issue, or does anyone else have this and is there a good way to remedy it? I would love to do these again, but with my delicate hair, I'm not sure it's worth it, if it gets that badly tangled in the end.

[melusine963]

SoulOfTheSea, your hair looks wonderful. Thanks for the tutorial link!

[march_sun]

wow! very beautiful!

[marykatz]

Your hair is amazing! Love the color.

[SoulOfTheSea]

Will the curls/waves last if you brush them? I tried what you did (my hair was only very slightly damp), let it loose in the morning, and lost the wave very quickly. That said, my hair's quite thick, so maybe I need to try more sections?

BTW, your hair looks wonderful!

The first time I did this, I brushed them out ever so slightly after taking them out with my BBB. My hair holds curls really well, so the BBB only softened the curls and helped unclump them, rather than taking out the curl. But yeah, if your hair is thicker definitely try more sections! My hair is only a ii thickness, that's why I only used 4 sections. :)


RE the cocoons falling out, I've found it takes practice to get the right amount of tension in them, just like bunning your hair takes practice. You need enough that they don't fall out easily, but too much and you'll pull the cocoon off the end of your strand, the same way you take them out. I just practice while I'm on LHC, I do one and then whack at it to see how stable it is.

Yeah, it does take a bit of practice to get the tension right, but once you get it you can't forget it. It's kind of like learning how to ride a bike.


It looks like an interesting technique, I would just be worried about mechanical damage.


Just lovely! I want to try this, but am concerned about any kind of curling and what it does to my ends. (The last time I rolled up with the foam rods, I had a zillion more splits!) Have you noticed any damage after doing this multiple times?

My ends didn't get any kind of damage whatsoever, because they weren't being wrapped around foam curlers that cause friction and drying out. What also helps is putting a bit of frizz serum on the sections while its still damp (focusing mainly on the ends). This will help seal the moisture in. :)


I think using only 4 sections is making mine too thick and that's why they keep pooping out

I am going to try 6 sections tonight and see if I have any better luck

thanks for the encouragement :)

Let us know how they turn out! :)


Your hair looks gorgeous! You inspired me to look up the cocoon curls and try them yesterday - I posted a pic yesterday in the "Post your hair photos here because you know you want to" etc, thread.
They were so pretty and springy!
I just had one issue. My ends because tangles messes when it came time to comb them out. It took 15 minutes with my TT to get the snarls out. =( Was this just a me issue, or does anyone else have this and is there a good way to remedy it? I would love to do these again, but with my delicate hair, I'm not sure it's worth it, if it gets that badly tangled in the end.

What I would do is make sure your hair is tangle-free before putting it in cocoon curls. Also, a bit of serum helps keep the hair moisturized and helps keep the hair a bit more slippery, preventing it from getting tangled. But yes, anytime I curl my hair, it gets tangled because I don't want to comb it out and ruin the messy, pretty curls I get. I don't try to untangle it at all with a comb or brush, but rather I wait until I'm in the shower and do my usual CWC, which because I'm conditioning twice, naturally gets the tangles out. (Also you can gently finger detangle with conditioner still in your hair).

[AspenSong]

Thanks @SouloftheSea :)

I'll try better next time. I had some oil in my hair, but it still went to tanglepalooza. I have a tiny bit of coney leave in, in a cabinet....maybe I'll try a bit of that next time!

[MermaidMane]

Beautiful hairstyle!!! Looks very natrual and beachy.

[faellen]

Very beautiful, I will have to try this! Also, love the ombré effect :)

[alexis917]

It looks gorgeous, and your hair is so shiny!

[labailaora]

Oh, man, I didn't even know this was a possibility! I've long since given up on attempting anything resembling waves or curls, but I might have to give this a go since it turned out so lovely on you!

[BrightEyes]

Your hair is gorgeous!! I'm saving this for when my hair is longer. Thanks for sharing :)

[kdaniels8811]

I am trying this right now, thank you so much for the link. What a great idea!

[MejraThea]

I tried it last night, but for me my hair wouldn't stay, had to bobbypin most of it, and I wasn't happy with the result, either. But it may just be my hair!

[Warda]

Your hair is so beautiful!! You are my new inspiration :)
And great idea btw

[Agnieszka]

Absolutely gorgeous hair. Your hair is my dream hair! Beautiful!

[3 Cat Night]

So pretty!

[sarahthegemini]

Gorgeous hair! And that youtube link looks great too, once my hair is a bit longer, I'll give that a try.

[nakima]

very pretty:applause

[Leeloo]

it looks very beautiful. I'll have to check out the YouTube video. thank you for posting the link.

[Leeloo]

I just tried it and my hair won't stay in the cocoon. I have MBL, so it's probably too short

[Tini'sNewHair]

so pretty <3 I just dont understand how the cocoon works being rolled up tho - i'm a visual person :( wonder if i should type in google or something.... hmmmm

[PJolie]

I tried it last night, woke up with none lol

[lunalocks]

Soulofthe sea, I am wondering how your ends are, after some months of curling your hair this way. In the past I have really trashed my ends with foam rods after only 2 curlings.

[SoulOfTheSea]

Oh goodness I didn't even realize I had new posts in this thread, lol. I've cut my hair to just past waist-length, so maybe I should try it on my shorter hair and see how it turns out. Maybe I'll include pictures. :)


Also, love the ombré effect :)

Nothing a little Sun-In can't help with. ;)


I tried it last night, but for me my hair wouldn't stay, had to bobbypin most of it, and I wasn't happy with the result, either. But it may just be my hair!

I had to make sure my hair was wet enough for the the cocoon to stay. You could also try some mousse or hairspray to help give your cocoons grip when you are making them. :)


I just tried it and my hair won't stay in the cocoon. I have MBL, so it's probably too short

Length shouldn't be a problem, especially if your hair is MBL. Make sure your cocoons are wet and tight enough! :) It took me quite a couple tries to get it right.


so pretty <3 I just dont understand how the cocoon works being rolled up tho - i'm a visual person :( wonder if i should type in google or something.... hmmmm

Don't give up! It took me a couple tries to understand the video. :)

[SoulOfTheSea]

Soulofthe sea, I am wondering how your ends are, after some months of curling your hair this way. In the past I have really trashed my ends with foam rods after only 2 curlings.

I don't really get damage from curling my hair this way because I'm not allowing my hair to touch foam curlers, which cause friction and can roughen up my ends. I used to use foam curlers and I did get mechanical damage from using those a couple years back. Because I'm not putting any physical object in my hair, it's not really damaging my hair like a foam curler would.

[Pumpkin3826]

Wow, the half up half down looks so elegant and pretty. It looks as if it took a lot of time with a curling iron, but it must be fun to know that you just got it by sleeping with your hair up!!! I can't want to try it.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

This looks so pretty - I must try it.

[Strands]

I have 2b type curls, and can say from experience, that this type of curling leaves my hair looking frizzy. Please be sure if your hair is fairly kinky in the first place to OIL the hair above the cocoon so that it lays nicer and looks good. Also, this looks really bad if you brush it out all the way, unless you want to get the 1950's look out of it. In which case, brush it to death.

[lithostoic]

My hair absolutely does not stay in the cocoons. Too much of a finey I guess even though I'm mostly medium.

[sumidha]

Oh man, just watching the tutorial kind of made me cringe- if I tried that with my hair I would end up with kinky, knotted dreadlock lumps at the ends of my hair by morning. :shudder:

Err, not to insult the technique, clearly it gives some hair types gorgeous curls, I just know that it would be a disaster for me, personally.

[Mimha]

I don't really get the reason of so much handling when the PO mentions she has 2b/2c hair already... ? :confused:

I have 2c hair and it is exactly how it looks after I let it air dry overnight and just give a few comb strokes the next morning. Absolutely zero handling else than the normal routine of detangling before wash and right after, and then don't touch it anymore before it is fully dry.

[Mrstran]

Oh my gosh, I'd love to have that hair. Gorgeous curls!

[mizukitty]

Absolutely stunning and so clever you found a way to wear your hair and keep it behaving! I have the terrible frizz that accompanies 1c hair and my "bun wurls" help in this exact way! I LOVE heatless styling. Who ever said it's not as good as heat styling? It's even better! Time does the work while you sleep and NO damage!