If you’re fed up with spending ages diligently curling your hair only for it to drop within a few hours, then keep reading. We know it’s a huge bugbear for a lot of people – especially for anybody who has naturally straight hair – but it’s also something that can be prevented.

The key to ensuring your curls or waves last all day long is all in the prep – and while that might sound obvious, it’s something that a lot of people either don’t do at all or they make the mistake of using products after they’ve spent time styling it.

But if you think about it, it makes a lot more sense to prep your hair before you style it, in the same way that you’d prime skin before applying make-up. And it’s actually a lot more simple than it sounds.

Hair stylist Samantha Cusick took to her Instagram to post a video to prove it, sharing the routine (and products) that she swears by to ensure the time spent doing her hair isn’t time wasted.

“The key to longer lasting curls is to make sure you apply a mousse to wet hair once it’s been washed and before you dry,” explains Cusick in the video above, who can be seen using Four Reasons Professional Fibre Mousse, £17.95, which promises long-lasting hold while still ensuring hair is flexible and not crispy.

Next up, Cusick dries her hair, and after that sprays it all over with Redken 18 High Hold Quick Dry Instant Finishing Hairspray, £23.99, but any similar product will work just as well. “Then you can go ahead and curl it however you want. I’m using a tong here,” says Cusick. “Once you’ve curled it all over, leave it in little ribbons before you brush it out.” 

She then goes on to brush her hair using a wide tooth comb, something she does instead of using her fingers because – as she explains – the heat from them could affect the curls. Lastly, she uses R+Co’s Zig Zag Root Teasing Texture Spray, £30, to add a bit of lift and hold. “You don’t need to use too much though because you’ve already put everything you need in it.”

And there we have it: curls and waves that’ll truly go the distance. 

Main image: Getty