For some reason, learning to use a curling iron was a pain for me. It seems simple, but it took me a really long time to get the technique down. When I finally learned how, I realized I was lacking a few key tricks that really help when you want gorgeous, curly locks.

If you’re struggling with a curling iron like I did, these tips should prove invaluable to you. Forget stick straight strands; you can transform your hair with beautiful ringlets that last all day.

Step 1: Prepping the Hair

Before curling hair, it’s important to make sure your hair is completely dry. Using a curling iron on wet hair screams heat damage! Granted, you’ll still incur some damage from using styling appliances, regardless of whether your hair is wet or dry. In this case, I recommend using a thermal protection treatment to help combat and prevent some heat damage.

Step 2: Decision Making

Next, you’ll need to determine where to start curling. If you have long hair like I do, make it easy on yourself and start the process from the back of your head. For shorter locks, you can start curling at the crown and work your way back.

Step 3: Curling

Divide your hair into 1 or 2 inch sections, curling no more than a section at a time. Start from as close to the ends of your hair as possible and curl upwards until you’re about two inches away from your scalp. Be careful — I’ve burned myself in the beginning stages of learning how to properly use the curling iron!

Step 4: Timing is Everything

Here’s where most women end up failing: you either hold the curling iron in your hair too long, resulting in crazy damaged hair, or you don’t keep the curling iron in long enough, resulting in, well, nothing curly! You want to keep the iron in your hair for no more or less than 10-20 seconds. Carefully release the curl from the iron and repeat over each section until your entire head is done.

For looser curls, avoid clamping the ends of your hair completely. Instead, wrap a section of hair around just the barrel of the curling iron. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds, and repeat. This technique results in loose, wavy curls instead of tight spirals.

Step 5: Finishing Moves

Once you’ve curled the entire length of your hair, allow the curls to cool before setting with a holding spray or other treatment. Afterward, finger-comb the curls in the style you desire. Never take a brush or comb to your curls; it’ll result in tons of frizz, and the curls will be non-existent (trust me — I found this out the hard way).

Voila! These steps can help ensure lovely curls no matter how inexperienced you are with curling irons. If you use these tips the next time you tackle the iron, you’ll be able to transform your straight strands into gorgeous, curly locks. Good luck!