Pretty Vintage Pin Curls Tutorial for Long Hair

Tools and materials:

• Pin curl prong clips
• Setting lotion
• Small spray bottle
• Medium-toothed tail comb
• Scarf
• Hair dryer with diffuser (optional)
• Hairspray (optional)

1. Getting my supplies together

I used setting lotion diluted half and half with water in a small spray bottle. 

For holding the curls I got some pin curl prong clips, because I didn’t think bobby pins would hold my thick hair firmly enough.

These wouldn’t be very comfortable to sleep on but as I was doing this during the day and on dry hair, it wasn’t a problem.

2. Section the hair

I usually wear my hair with a center part, but for this style I decided on a side parting for the vintage hairstyle I envisaged.

Starting at the front hairline, I sectioned off about 2 inches of hair at the parting.

I sprayed it with the diluted setting lotion from the roots to the tips and combed it through.

3. Curl it up

It took me a while to remember how to make the pin curls. I curled the ends around my fingers and then rolled the curl up towards my hair.

I didn’t want my curls to be too small so I wrapped them around two fingers.

When I’d curled the hair as far as I wanted, I turned it so it was flat against my head and secured it with the clip. 

I made a second pin curl below the first.

I was aiming to make the curls a consistent size and to curl them all in the same direction. 

4. Side sections

As I worked towards the back of my head, I didn’t want the curls to be too close to the top of my head.

When I started the second row on that side, I didn’t bring the curl right up to the parting.

I made two curls in each row on that side, then started on the thicker side of the parting.

I made the curls around my face first, then worked towards the back of my head.

5. Back section

I curled the back in horizontal rows across my head.

I discovered it’s very important to make sure the ends of the hair are curled quite tightly, as you’ll see when I remove the clips later.

I made about eight curls across the back of my head in two rows.

Altogether I only spent about 15 minutes putting in the pin curls.

6. Dry the hair

I wrapped my hair in a scarf and left it to dry naturally for a couple of hours.

Then I used my hairdryer with a diffuser pressed against my hair to make sure all the curls were dry on the inside as well.

7. The comb-out

I removed a clip at the back to check that my hair was completely dry, then released the other curls.

I finger-combed my hair to relax the curls a little. 

Then I combed through them in sections with a medium-toothed comb.

This can be a little tricky as you don’t want to comb the curl out completely, but you do want them to blend in with each other.

I was pretty pleased with the way they looked after the first comb through, at least from the front.

When I finally saw the back, I realized that the curls weren’t as successful as at the front.

Some of the ends were straight where I hadn’t curled them tightly enough.

8. Dressing out

Then it was a case of arranging my hair into a style I liked. I added some bobby pins at the front to make a wave.

Vintage pin curls on long hair

Overall, I was much happier with this attempt than my earlier ones.

I learned that the back curls need to be tighter and perhaps have less hair in each.

I definitely prefer having a straight section at the roots and only starting the curls part way down.

Do you like these vintage styles? Let me know if you have any tips for me.