If you frequent TikTok, you’ve likely seen beauty trends flood your For You Page (FYP). Among the latest viral sensations are “Utah curls,” a hairstyle gaining popularity for its unique, loose, and bouncy appearance, distinctly different from the classic beach waves.
I’ve delved into TikTok tutorials for countless beauty hacks, from perfecting winged eyeliner to creating voluminous ponytails. Recently, “Utah curls” caught my attention, and after extensive research and multiple video views, I decided to give them a try. Here’s everything you need to know about this trend and my experience attempting it.
What Are Utah Curls?
At first glance, Utah curls may resemble typical beach waves, but there are notable differences. Utah curls are characterized by their straight ends, unlike the consistently wavy beach waves. Achieving Utah curls requires a curling iron with a clamp, rather than the variety of hot tools used for beach waves.
How to Achieve Utah Curls
If you’re new to using a curling iron, mastering Utah curls might take some practice. Even with my experience, it took several attempts to perfect the technique. Start with dry, smooth hair, preferably blown out. I used Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist ($29) to shield my hair from heat damage, an essential step when using hot tools.
Steps to Create Utah Curls:
Section Your Hair: Divide your hair into manageable sections.
Curling: Using the T3 SinglePass 1-inch Curling Iron ($170), clamp your hair midway down the strand, then curl upwards, away from your face.
Unraveling Technique: The key to Utah curls lies in how you unravel the curl. Twist the iron underneath and behind the hair strand. When you reach the ends, drag the iron down to keep them straight.
Cooling: Let each curl cool in its shape before moving on.
Finishing Touches: Once all sections are curled, use a wide-tooth comb to brush through the ends. You can add a light-hold hairspray or hair paste, though I chose to skip additional products.
My Results
While I enjoyed the look of Utah curls, they didn’t surpass my love for a sleek, bouncy blowout achieved with my Dyson Airwrap. This style worked well as a second-day hairstyle and is best suited for medium to long hair lengths. Although it can be done on short hair, it doesn’t quite achieve the same effect, particularly on layered hair.
Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for PS, specializing in fashion and beauty content, including reviews and editor experiments. She also creates social content for the PS TikTok and Instagram accounts.