While TikTok’s hacks often veer on the edge of “too good to be true”, a lot of them prove to really work wonders – just look at the aluminium foil, sleeping with hair wrapped in a sock, and “transparent eyeliner” hacks that we’ve tested.
That’s why, when we spotted a hair-in-can curling hack on our For You Page that lies on the far end of TikTok’s “unbelievable” spectrum, we decided to try it out for ourselves.
@jonathankmonroe Why is it spicy #curlyhair #hairinspo #hairtok ♬ Drake Massive Open Till L8 remix – Open Till L8
@Jonathan Monroe created the hair-in-can hack when he put a slim section of his ultra-voluminous, wildly curly tresses into a Sprite can, blew over it with a hairdryer, and then gently lifted the hair out of the metal can.
The result? Salon-worthy loose curls that made our jaws drop in disbelief.
TikTok users also expressed their doubts, dropping comments like, “That can’t be real lol”, “no way”, and “Do it without the small cuts on the video”, with hundreds of likes on each comment.
We put the hair-in-can hack to the test
Sceptical as we were, we wanted to put our doubts to rest, which is why we hurried to try the hack. And we really do mean hurried.
Since I was at the office and had no hairdryer with me when I discovered the video, my editor suggested that I test out this hack by using a hand dryer in the bathroom instead.
I grabbed a Pokka Aloe Vera White Grape drink can, and with the help of my colleague, filmed it all for TikTok.
@dailyvanity Just wait for it… #haircurlinghack #haircurlhacks #hairincanhack #hairtok #hairhacks ib: @Jonathan Monroe
We ran to a toilet located just outside our office. There, I parted a small section of my hair and lowered it carefully into the drink can. Awkwardly, I used the hand-dryer in the toilet to heat the metal can for about 10 seconds, which is not a great idea because the can got really hot.
But, when I finally lifted my hair out of the drink can, there it was: a loose curl.
Still, I would be lying if I said that I’ll be grabbing a drink can and hairdryer every time I want to curl my strands. Since only one small section of hair fits into the can at a time, it would take a long time to curl your entire mane as part of your pre-leave-the-house routine.
Plus, the metal gets really hot. I also tried it at home again with a hairdryer and think I might have scalded one of my fingertips.
Furthermore, it just doesn’t feel chic to be styling your hair inside a Pokka drink can (there are other ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle).
So, to @Jonathan Monroe’s critics, we say: this hair-in-can hack really does work, but we stand on your side when we admit that it’s certainly not something that we’ll be trying ever again.
Best budget hair curlers for loose curls
Even if you’re on a tight budget, it doesn’t mean that you have to risk scalding your fingertips on a flimsy metal can for those loose and billowing curls. Instead, get your beachy waves the right way with our round-up of these best budget hair curlers.
Cordless Automatic Hair Curler
This hair curler might be brandless, but it delivers gorgeous loose waves at an affordable price. It’s no wonder that it’s a product that’s so popular on TikTok too.
@qlyxxx here’s my review of the viral cordless hair curler!! TIMESTAMPS so u don’t have to waste time AHAHA 😋 9s: What’s in the box 14s: Testing it out 30s: First Impressions 1min 11s: Trying out in the grab 1 min 22s: New features 1 min 41s: Overall thoughts + 9HR Wear Test #haircurler #haircurlerreview #beautyreview #HavaianasLivreDeCliches
How it works is that you section your hair and place it inside the curler. The curler will rotate and wrap your hair around the heated rod, automatically releasing it several seconds later to reveal stunning waves.
Temperature settings range from 150 to 200ºC, and you can even indicate the size of the curls that you desire. The hair curler has a battery life of 40 minutes and is cordless so that easily work on your hair’s waves, even when you’re on the go.
The Cordless Automatic Hair Curler retails for S$25.48 instead of S$46.08 on Shopee.
Vivid & Vogue Automatic Hair Curling Iron 3rd Generation
Another popular budget hair curler from Shopee is the Vivid & Vogue Automatic Hair Curling Iron which has a pretty pink and white design.
You place a section of your hair against the curler and let the curling iron automatically twist the hair around the rod. Since it has an open design, there’s a low chance of having your hair get tangled in the curler – you’ll achieve your loose beach waves with ease.
@shengderela_ Reply to @itzm.kxte here mars 🥰 actually meron na rin nakaupload sa YT channel ko check it na lng bitin kase dito 😅 Got the product from shopee!#fyp
There are three temperature settings (from 100 to 200ºC) and the iron also comes with a comb attachment for a better grip on your hair.
Vivid & Vogue Automatic Hair Curling Iron 3rd Generation retails for S$59.90 on Shopee.
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron uses a titanium barrel – titanium being a quality material when it comes to curling irons as it heats the hair quickly whilst keeping the strands moisture.
With a comfortable grip and easy spring design to keep your hair in place while you curl, this curling iron is super easy to use.
@theashleenoriega the best curling iron I swear is babyliss 1 1/4 #hairtutorial #hairtok
The downside is that the curling iron doesn’t create the longest-lasting curls, which means that you’ll have to complete your routine with hairspray to keep your waves bouncy throughout the day.
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron retails for S$59.99 on Amazon.
Featured image credit: @Jonathan Monroe, @sunnydahye_ on TikTok
Related read: Achieve salon-quality curls & silky-straight tresses with BaByliss’ styling tools – here’s where to buy them in Singapore
