Why your crimped hair does not hold (it is probably not the crimper)

The tool is usually fine. If your crimp drops out within an hour, the problem is almost always what is already sitting on your hair before you turn anything on.

Video transcript

You're probably not going to like what I have to say about this, but if your crimped hair never holds using this crimper, it's probably because you have a lot of product buildup in your hair that you're not cleansing off properly when you take a shower. And this goes for any hot tool. I used to have the exact same problem. So my best piece of advice, always crimp your hair on freshly washed hair, because if your hair is coated in a bunch of product, it's just not going to hold that beautiful natural wave. Another big piece of advice, do not prep your hair with any heavy oils. You're going to weigh down your hair. I always prep my hair with a leave-in conditioner or a heat protectant spray. You just want something super lightweight so the waves can actually hold. This hairstyle will truly last me for days, and that's exactly why I love my Wavytalk crimper and I don't use any other one, because I don't need a million products in my hair for it to look good. This S-shaped crimper does all the magic for you. It's also extremely affordable, so I'm going to link it right down below while it's still in stock.

Why does my crimped hair fall out so fast?

Product buildup. Dry shampoo, mousse, hairspray, leave-in from two days ago, oil you put on last night. It all coats the strand. A crimp works by bending the hair and letting it set as it cools, and a coated strand has nothing clean to grip. It relaxes straight back out.

I had this exact problem for a long time and I blamed the crimper for it. It was not the crimper. This is true for every hot tool, not just this one. Curls do the same thing on dirty hair.

Should you crimp on clean or dirty hair?

Clean. Freshly washed and fully dry is where this works best for me. That is the opposite of the advice you hear for curling, where everyone tells you day two hair holds better. Crimping is a bend, not a curl, and the bend needs a clean surface.

Fully dry matters too. Even slightly damp hair will steam in the plates and drop within minutes.

What should you put on your hair before you crimp?

Something light. A leave-in conditioner or a heat protectant spray is what I use. That is it.

What I do not use is a heavy oil. Oils feel like the responsible choice because you are thinking about heat, but a heavy oil weighs the wave down and undoes the thing you are about to spend twenty minutes creating. If you want oil, it goes on after, on the ends only, and sparingly.

How do you actually crimp it so it lasts?

Small sections. Clamp for a few seconds from the root down, work your way to the ends, then leave it alone until it is completely cool. Shake it out at the end.

The cooling part is the step people skip. Hair sets as it cools, so if you brush it or touch it while it is still warm you are undoing the bend you just made.

Do you need product to hold it?

No, and that is the part I like. When the hair is clean and the prep is light, the wave holds on its own. On me it lasts for days. I am not spraying anything on top to keep it there.

If you are reaching for hairspray to make a crimp survive, that is usually a sign the hair underneath was not clean to begin with.

Who this is not for

If your hair is fine and already heat damaged, more heat is not your answer right now, no matter how you prep. Go repair first. If you want a smooth polished blowout look, this is the wrong tool entirely. A crimp is texture, not polish.

And if you genuinely cannot wash before styling, accept that it will not last as long and plan around it instead of turning the heat up.

No brand deal. No PR obligation. Just what actually works on my hair.