How to Use Duck Bill Roller Clips

Duck bill roller clips are an ideal styling assistant.
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Duck bill roller clips are mysterious creatures that lurk in many beauty junk drawers. However, these little gems are one of the most versatile tools to use when styling gorgeous waves and curls into your hair without causing damage or ripping out hair, like elastics are prone to do. Often made of lightweight anodized aluminum, and sometimes plastic, these clips section hair without denting your locks. They also help encourage lasting volume after you have styled your hair with heat-styling tools.

  • Hairbrush
  • Heat-protectant spray
  • 1- or 2-inch curling iron
  • Light-hold hairspray

1 Sectioning Sensation

2 Brush

Brush your hair out from root to tip with a hairbrush to remove any tangles. Your hair can be newly washed and dried, wet, or it can be second-day hair for this sectioning technique.

3 Place the tip of a closed duck bill clip

Place the tip of a closed duck bill clip at your hairline at the top tip of your right ear. Draw a part along your head up towards your center part using the tip of the duck bill clip.

4 Pull the hair

Pull the hair in front of this part forward and separate it from the rest of your hair.

5 Twist

Twist this section of hair loosely and place it on the top of your head. Secure it in place with a duck bill roller clip.

6 Continue to separate sections

Continue to separate sections of hair as needed, twisting them loosely and clipping them into place with the duck bill clips. This technique is great for when you need to style your hair in manageable sections.

7 Curling Companion

8 And heat up

Plug in and heat up a 1- or 2-inch curling iron, depending on if you want a subtle wave or a tighter curl.

9 Spritz your hair with a heat-protectant spray

Spritz your hair with a heat-protectant spray to avoid damaging the hair from the heat.

Separate out a 2-inch-wide section of hair. Roll the hair onto the barrel of the curling iron, and hold the iron in place for about 10 seconds. Release the hair.

Roll the freshly curled hair back up into a tidy jelly roll and lay smoothly on top of your head.

Place a duck bill clip around the jelly roll of hair, make sure that bottom lower lip is under the roll and clip it closed.

Curl, roll up and clip all of your hair in the same manner. Leave the clips in place for about 15 minutes until the curls have set and cooled.

Release each duck bill roller clip individually. Gently tousle your hair at the roots with your fingertips.

Spritz your waves with a light-hold hairspray and keep those clips in a safe place for the next time you need a bit of sectioning or curling help.

  • Decorative duck bill roller clips can also be used to hold back hair for a stylish option.
  • For tighter curls, separate out 1-inch-wide sections of hair, curl with a 1-inch curling iron and roll up into very tight, smooth jelly rolls before clipping each with a duck bill roller clip to set and cool.

Sarah Vrba has been a writer and editor since 2006. She has contributed to "Seed," "AND Magazine," Care2 Causes and "202 Magazine," among other outlets, focusing on fashion, pop culture, style and identity. Vrba holds an M.A. in history with an emphasis on gender and fashion in the 19th century.

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