A lot of advice on how to get curly hair for men makes it sound simple. Use a curl cream, grab a diffuser, scrunch your hair and somehow the curls are supposed to appear.
Real hair doesn’t work that neatly. One guy with wavy hair can change how he dries and styles it and suddenly see far more curl, while another can try every “curl-enhancing” product on the shelf and still end up with straight hair.
That’s because getting curlier hair isn’t only about finding the right product or copying somebody else’s routine, in my view. Your natural hair texture changes what will actually work.
So before you try to make straight hair curly or bring more curl out of existing waves, you need to understand what your hair is already capable of doing.
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Your Natural Hair Texture Changes What Will Work
Start by figuring out what you’re actually working with. A man with naturally straight hair has a completely different job from someone whose hair already bends or waves when it’s damp.
That distinction matters because styling can bring out texture that’s already there, but it can’t permanently change the natural shape of hair with no texture at all.
If your hair starts forming bends, loose waves or uneven curls when it’s wet, air-dried or left without brushing, you probably have some natural texture to work with. The goal is then less about creating curls from nothing and more about helping that existing pattern show.
Hair that dries completely straight is different. You can still make it look curly, but you need to physically reshape it with a setting method, heat or a perm. Curl cream, mousse or a diffuser alone won’t turn naturally straight hair into naturally curly hair.
Length can affect how obvious your texture looks too. I’d judge what your hair naturally does rather than assuming it’s straight just because a short haircut is hiding the pattern.
How to Make Wavy Hair Curlier
If your hair already forms bends or loose waves, I’d try to bring more out of that pattern before using methods designed to create curls in straight hair.
Apply your styling product while the hair still has moisture in it, then scrunch the hair upward from the ends to encourage the waves to form. Damp hair is a good starting point, but some wavy hair responds better when styled wetter, so I’d judge it by the result rather than follow a fixed rule.
Once the waves start forming, stop pulling them apart. Repeated brushing, combing or running your fingers through the hair as it dries can leave the finished pattern looser and less defined.
Air-drying is fine, while a diffuser can help dry the hair without disturbing the developing shape as much. Keep the heat and airflow under control rather than blasting the hair around.
Be careful with product weight too. Fine hair or a loose wave pattern can look flatter if you use a heavy cream or simply apply too much product. If your hair looks less wavy after styling, try using less before assuming you need something stronger.
If this brings out noticeably more shape, you already have natural texture worth working with. You don’t need to treat that the same way as hair that’s actually straight.
Can Hair Products Make Straight Hair Curly?
Not by themselves. If your hair is truly straight, curl cream, mousse, gel or sea salt spray can’t change its natural growth pattern and make it start growing curly.
What those products can do is support the result once you’ve reshaped the hair. Mousse or gel can add hold after rollers, twists or heat, which may help temporary curls keep their shape for longer. Curl cream makes more sense when there’s already some wave or curl to work with and you want more softness or definition.
Sea salt spray is another product I’d keep in perspective. It can add texture and grip that makes straight hair easier to shape, but texture isn’t the same thing as curl.
This is where a lot of men waste money. If you keep changing products and your straight hair still refuses to become curly, the problem may have nothing to do with finding a stronger cream or spray. Look at how you’re actually reshaping the hair first, then choose a styling product for the hold and finish you want afterward.
How to Make Straight Hair Curly for Men
If your hair has no natural bend at all, reshaping it is the only way forward. The main decision is whether you want that curl to last for a day or become part of your longer-term look.
Length matters because you need enough hair to bend around a rod, roller or styling tool. I would not give you a fixed minimum because the amount you need depends on the size and type of curl you want.
Temporary Ways to Curl Straight Hair
If you have never had curly hair before, I would start with a temporary method. This is especially useful if you normally keep some length on top with shorter sides, because you can see how curls change the shape of your haircut before committing to anything longer-lasting.
Rollers or flexi rods can work well when you have enough length through the top to wrap the hair around them. Smaller rods generally create tighter curls, while larger ones give you a looser result. Section size and how tightly you wrap the hair will affect the finished shape too, so expect some trial and error.
You can also set or twist damp sections and let them dry in position. That can create more bend and movement, although very straight hair may not hold a defined curl as easily as it would with rods or a heated tool.
Heated curling tools give you more immediate control over where the curl starts, how tight it is and which direction it moves. I would avoid using the highest heat setting and use an appropriate heat protectant when styling this way.
Blow-dry shaping is another option when you want more movement or a looser curl through the top rather than a tight pattern. Controlled twisting or a round brush can put more bend into straight hair, but I would not expect the same result you can get from rods or a curling tool.
Give the new shape time to set before you pull it apart. With a damp roller or twist set, that means allowing the hair to dry before releasing it. After using a heated tool, avoid immediately raking through the curl while the hair is still hot.
These methods are temporary. Washing, wetting or restyling the hair will eventually remove the shape, which may be exactly what you want if you only like curls occasionally or want to see how they work with your haircut first.
Getting a Perm for Longer-Lasting Curls
If you want curly hair as your regular look, a perm is the longer-lasting option because it chemically changes the shape of the treated hair.
The finished result can range from loose movement to much tighter curls. Rod size, technique, starting length and your own hair all influence what you end up with, which is why I would have this done professionally rather than treating it like another experiment at home.
Bring photos of men with a similar hair length and haircut rather than focusing only on the curl pattern you like. A perm on a longer scissor cut can look very different from the same type of curl on a haircut with much shorter sides.
Also remember that curls can make your hair look shorter. The hair has not suddenly lost length, but once it bends into a curl, less of that length hangs straight down. That matters even more when you already keep the top fairly short.
A perm only changes the hair that has been treated. New growth still comes through with your natural texture, so straighter roots gradually become more noticeable as the hair grows.
Hair condition matters too, particularly if it is already heavily bleached, chemically processed or damaged. A professional should assess whether another chemical treatment makes sense before you decide on the curl you want.
If you are unsure whether curly hair will actually suit you, create the look temporarily first. You may find that you like the curls, prefer them much looser or decide they do not work with your haircut as well as you expected. Once you know, committing to a perm becomes a much easier decision.
Verdict: How to Get Curly Hair for Men
The best way to approach how to get curly hair for men depends on what your hair already does. Natural waves or bends are worth working with first because you may be able to get noticeably more curl simply by changing how you style and dry your hair.
Completely straight hair needs a different approach. If you want to make straight hair curly, I’d start with temporary methods such as rollers, setting techniques, a curling tool or controlled blow-drying, then use styling product to help the result hold.
A professional perm is the route I’d consider if you want longer-lasting curls for straight hair. I’d only make that move once you know you actually like yourself with curls and your hair is suitable for another chemical treatment.
What I wouldn’t do is keep buying curl creams, mousses or sprays hoping one of them will somehow create a natural curl pattern in straight hair. Products can help define and hold curls, but they can’t replace the method that actually creates the shape.