Since we have been creating content for Disney Style during the past 18 months now, I am often asked which of all the Disney princesses I most closely relate.
It really isn’t a hard question anymore, after Brave came out in theaters last year!
I do not have red curly hair like Merida does, however, like her, I do have an independent and driven personality with a very laser-like focus. I guess you would have to be to manage the daily schedules of an eight-person household!
Just this past May, Merida was coronated as the newest member in the Disney Princess family, and I was invited to attend. To help celebrate this occasion, my girls and I decided to show you how to replicate Merida’s spiral curls using an easy straw no-heat curling method. It really is a beautiful hairstyle!
This no-heat curling technique is similar to that of “rag curls” or “paper bag curls” that many of our grandmothers used on our moms when they were little.
The idea is to take small sections of slightly-damp hair, wrap/roll them tightly with a straw, and then tie the straw into a first-stage of a knot. The straws actually hold up fairly well.
{I purchased a box of flexible, accordion drinking straws from Wal-Mart for only a couple of dollars. I use these straws, because the flexible bend actually makes it easier to tie the straws into the hair.}
You can sleep on the straws for next-day curls by tying a silk scarf around the head, or simply wear the straws around for a few hours. You can also simply use a hair dryer, like I did, to have the curls dry in only 10-15 minutes.
When you untie the straws, you will see beautiful corkscrew curls {like old telephone cords} in the hair. You can then separate the curls to your liking, and style the hair as desired for an everyday look.
To get Merida’s fiery red color, we used a mix of orange and red temporary “spray-in” hair color, which you can find in small cans at your local beauty supply or party supply store. This sprays in and washes out easily. {Be sure to use an old bath towel to drape over the shoulders to prevent wet spray getting on the clothing.} Once the spray dries, it holds up pretty well all day.
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Items Needed: Brush, rat-tail comb, spray bottle, bandana, and approx. 40 plastic drinking straws. Optional: 1-2 cans of orange and red temporary spray-in hair color and an old bath towel.
Time Requirement: 20-30 minutes to tie the straws. 5-10 minutes to remove the straws and style hair.
Skill Level: Medium
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Begin with washed and dry hair. Separate off the top ¾ of hair, and secure on top of the head with an elastic… On the bottom section, take a small 1 inch section and spritz with water once or twice… just enough to dampen the strand. {If you drench it with water, the knots will not dry and the curls will not set.} Holding the straw where it bends, begin to wrap the hair around and around the straw away from the face. Keep the hair tight and close together on the straw… When you run out of hair to wind, and while holding the hair end against the straw, take both ends of straw and tie them like you would tie the beginning step of a shoelace. When secure, let go and move on to the next strand… Continue Steps 3-5 until the entire bottom row of hair is finished. Now release the next layer of hair and repeat the same steps…. Continue winding and knotting until all the hair is done. {When I was doing the top layer of hair, I parted the hair to one side and curled it all away from the face.} If you are going to sleep with straws in overnight, tie in a silk scarf or a bandana to help the straws remain in place. You can also let the straws sit in the hair for a few hours before removing, or even sit under a hair dryer for 10-15 minutes to set the curls. To remove the straws, simply untie them and let hair fall off straw.You will have amazing corkscrew curls that will loosen into soft curls over time. Separate the curls to your liking and style as desired. {Be careful to not brush out the curls!}Please feel free to leave me a comment below letting us know what you think! As always, if you loved this hairstyle, please feel free to share it!
Happy Hairdoing!
