One of my unofficial goals this year was to try and get better at doing my hair. I can put together braids (French, Dutch, milkmaid, fishtail, updos, you name it, I’ll braid it) in about ten seconds flat. Ballet buns? Even quicker. Scruffy top knots? Bam. Already done. But anything that requires a little patience? Like curling, or even proper blow drying? Nope. Never. My hair is naturally coarse in texture and is insanely thick, with a section at the back of my head that is in a constant state of party and is about 100 times wavier than the rest of it. Styling it properly (blow drying even!) takes for.ev.er. Even my hairdresser has commented on how long it takes for my hair to dry and smooth out. I’ve spoken before about having a halo of frizz surrounding my head most of the time, and it’s true. It really does exist!

*fanfare* Enter ghd!

I was offered a pair of ghd stylers to have a play around with a couple of weeks back, and figured it was a perfect time to start learning how to get to grips with some slightly more ‘done’ hairstyles, and maybe possibly stop pretending that the ‘hobo-chic’ vibe I usually rock from the forehead-up is deliberate when it most definitely is not. It took me a little bit of time to get to grips with using the ghd stylers to curl my hair. But after accidentally creating a few gawky, lame half-ringlets (and swiftly learning my lesson), it became a breeze! I’ve been majorly impressed by how smoothly they glide through your hair. They don’t snag at all, even when pulling them down through a looped strand to create a curl.

This tutorial demonstrates beautifully the exact technique I used to create the curls. The trick (I’ve found) is to keep rotating the stylers as you pull them down the length of the hair, to help the curl to form. And that’s it! Scroll scroll scroll to see how I like to style these long, natural curls…

H O W   T O ::

- I find these hairstyles work better with second-day hair, when it has a little more grip and body to it. To get started, spritz a little heat protectant through your hair, followed by some sea salt spray. The heat protectant I use is by ghd (which was sent to me along with the stylers) and the sea salt spray is by Charles Worthington.

- Take one inch sections of hair, and run the straighteners down the length of the strand, twisting the stylers as you go. I find the hair needs to be wrapped once entirely round the stylers to create a good curl. The tutorial I linked to earlier in the post is the best I’ve ever found for learning the technique. Since my hair is naturally wavy I find that I don’t need to ensure that every single section of hair is curled to create this look, but if your hair is exceptionally straight I’d recommend sectioning it off, and working methodically through each section curling one strand at a time.

- Keep working through your hair with the stylers, until it’s curly and bouncy and lovely. Mist all over with hairspray, and run your fingers through the curls to break them up a little.

A B O V E :: For the daytime, I like to wear these curls styled into a ginormous, messy ponytail. Simply rake all your hair up (don’t smooth it down over your head, or else everything’ll look too neat) and secure with a band. Then take a small strand of hair from underneath your ponytail, wrap around the hairband to conceal it, and pin in place with a kirby grip. The curls make this casual hairstyle look much more put together, much more *deliberate* than a ponytail normally does. It’s also totally practical (basically my no.1 requirement of a hairstyle!), and quick enough to put together on a rushed weekday morning.

A B O V E :: For a more dressy, elegant style, begin with the curls loose, then gather the hair from the around your face, and bring to the back of your head. Don’t pull too tight here! It’s nice to keep things soft and relaxed. Extra pins can always be added for security. Twist each side section of hair a little, then pin in place at the back of your head with kirby grips. Finish with a bow or decorative hair grip, or alternatively just leave plain! I think it looks so lovely either way! You can find more beautiful hairstyles on ghd’s ‘Festival Hairstyles’ page- I especially love those messy curls and braided fringe!

 * ghd sent me through the ghd IV periwinkle stylers and heat protectant free of charge via a PR company, and asked that I share my favourite looks here on Cider with Rosie. I did not receive financial compensation for writing this article, and all views are my own (of course!).