This is the ultimate sock curl hack, and it’s under £10
These gave me dreamy curls every single time.
From a straightener and Dyson Airwrap, to my ghd curve soft curl dupe from BaByliss, I’ve tried an abundance of ways to curl my hair. But after I started my haircare journey and stopped using heat, I thought my days of beautiful, bouncy curls were over.
That was until I saw the viral heatless curls trend on TikTok. This seemed like the perfect solution – no heat, seemingly easy to do, and the dreamiest, romantic curls I’ve ever seen.
Naturally, I did what I always do – and I jumped on the bandwagon. It’s been a few years since, and I’ve mastered the sock curl method. Forget the curling irons and the satin heatless curling sets, because this sock curl hack is under £10, and it works every time.
Article continues belowWhat are sock curls?
Sock curls is a heatless curl method used to create curls or waves using – you guessed it – a pair of socks.
How do sock curls work?
Sock curls create voluminous curls by wrapping sections of hair around the socks and keeping them in overnight. By the morning, all you’ll need to do is unveil your hair, give it a little shake out, and you’re bonita.
This is me looking fabulous with my sock curls in, along with my stunning results.
Benefits of sock curls
- Hair health: My hair actually got healthier after continuous sock curl use. This is because it prevents physical damage to the hair shafts while you toss and turn.
- Quick: It takes me less than two minutes to put my sock curls in.
- Convenient: Sock curls take minimal effort. If I’m feeling lazy, I don’t even get out of bed to put them in; I just do it there.
- Travel-friendly: Sock curls are travel-friendly and take up no space. I use them for every vacation.
- Affordable: All you need is a pair of socks, making this one of the most inexpensive curling hacks.
- Comfortable: Sock curls are fairly comfortable to sleep with, and I've never found that they disrupt my sleep.
Sock curls: What do you need?
- Hair brush
- Hair oil of choice (I recommend Argan oil)
- A pair of long socks.
- Hair hold spray of choice (I recommend L’Oreal Pli Spray)
- Two scunchies
Sock curl tutorial: How to curl hair using socks
Sock curl tutorial: How to remove sock curls
In the morning, carefully remove the scrunchies and then the socks from your hair. I like to then separate the curl clump with my fingers, twirling them around my fingers as I go. If I want a more natural look, I’ll take a comb and gently brush through.
If you find they become frizzy, don’t panic. Just add some more argan oil and/or gently separate and twirl around your fingers again.
How to make curls last longer: my top tips
Sock curls are super easy and have the most beautiful results.
- Dry or wet: Always dry. Any time I tried making my hair damp, it’d still be damp come the morning. I do my sock curls on completely dry hair and then spray my hair with the L’Oreal Pli Spray.
- Maximum hold: I use my trusty L’Oreal Pli Spray - this is a thermo moulding spray which helps the hair mould to your desired shape, making it perfect for heatless curls.
- Avoiding frizz: Using argan oil before putting your sock curls in is key to avoiding frizz. Less is always more. But if you find the next morning your hair is feeling a little dry or frizzy, add some more.
- Technique: The two biggest mistakes I see are 1) people who twist the hair while wrapping it around - it needs to be flat, and 2) people twisting the sock with the hair - the sock must stay still, and the hair wraps around it.
Best socks for sock curls
I use my partner’s long, white socks. Other people report that using fluffy socks is the way to go, but I found they slipped out of my hair overnight.
Instead, I find long, cotton socks good (especially if you have long and/or thick hair), and I’ve found they have never fallen out once.
Heatless wavy hair overnight
If curls are so last year, and waves are more your thing, I’ve got you. You can use the sock curl method to make stunning, beachy waves by simply wrapping them around loser.
Fun fact: I’ve also tried using sock curls for a bouncy blowout, which worked fantastically. All I did for this was double up my socks with a fluffy sock, making the curls bigger.
Sock curls verdict: Would I recommend them?
To anyone who wants to achieve bouncy curls with minimal effort and no heat-damage, I would highly recommend sock curls.
They’re quick and easy, super convenient, and deliver jaw-dropping results every time. I can lie in and rest assured that I’m waking up to professional-grade curls every single day. And – they’re under a tenner.
