A Smart (and Speedy) Way to Curl Your Hair on the Go

Curling your hair is typically a time-consuming (and arm-fatiguing) task--which is why you can find us sporting stick-straight tresses most days. So we were pretty excited when celebrity stylist Katsumi Kasai shared his genius trick for getting the job done in half (nay, a quarter!) of the time it usually takes to get those perfectly bouncy waves. Get ready to let your hair down, ladies.

What you need: A loose hair tie and a curling iron.

Step 1: Pull your hair into a high ponytail on top of your head.

Step 2: Separate your ponytail into three or four equal-sized sections (depending on how thick your hair is) and wrap each piece around the iron for ten seconds. (Make sure that you wind the iron all the way up to the base of the ponytail to ensure that you don’t end up with bottom-heavy curls.)

Step 3: Let your curls cool in the ponytail while you finish getting ready and just before you head out the door, let it all down and give your hair a good tousle to break the curls apart.

Why this works: You’re eliminating all that precious time spent sectioning, clipping and fussing with your hair while it’s down (and frankly in its own way). A loose ponytail will keep your strands in check during a quickie curl job that’s just enough for day-to-day bounce.