@jonathankmonroe [1]

Why is it spicy #curlyhair [2] #hairinspo [3] #hairtok [4]

♬ Drake Massive Open Till L8 remix - Open Till L8 [5]

TikTok is home to many a hair-curling hack [6], and I've tried out quite a few of them. Whether it's using a foam rod to achieve perfect heatless curls [7] or trying a "flip and clip" method to give my air-dried hair volume [8], I'm always searching for new and inventive ways to style my hair. When I saw that the hashtag #cancurls was trending on the platform, I assumed I would see people wrapping their hair around soda cans in an effort to create a look similar to what you would get with hot or velcro rollers.

However, what I actually saw was people inserting their hair into soda cans and heating up the can using a blow dryer. TikTok user and TV personality Jonathan Monroe [9] was the first to post about the trend on the platform, and his result, like many others, was terrific, bouncy curls.

Although I watched it happen before my eyes on my TikTok feed, I still couldn't possibly understand how sticking my hair into a soda can could lead to the results I witnessed. I won't lie, I didn't have high hopes that this hack would actually work for me, but I decided to attempt the "can curls" method anyway.

To try it out for myself, the first thing I had to do was track down an aluminium can. I don't drink soda or beer, so finding the tool to test out the trend ended up being the hardest part of the entire process. After a trip to the corner store (and forcing my boyfriend to chug a Diet Coke), I had my can in hand.

Next, I washed out the can because I didn't want it to get my hair sticky from any drinks remnants. Then, it was time for products. My hair is on the thin side, but it typically holds a curl well, so other than a little heat protectant [10], I decided against putting anything else on it. From there, I divided my dry hair into sections, took a small piece from the front, and inserted it into the can. I then twisted the can upward and outward until the entire piece of hair was inside. I used my Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer [11] (£359.99) to hit the can directly with heat for about thirty seconds — until the can became almost too hot to hold.

When I pulled my hair out, I was shocked to see that my first test piece had curled beautifully. When I tried it out on a few other pieces of hair, I found that my results were similar to everyone else's on TikTok — springy, smooth-looking curls. There were a few inconsistent pieces, but overall, the can curl method undoubtedly worked.

Despite the fact that I was able to get the same amazing results as everyone else on TikTok, I think I'll stick to my curling iron or my Dyson Airwrap [12] for a few reasons. The can curl hack took quite a bit of time to achieve, and I didn't even curl my entire head of hair. The can was also difficult to hold when it got hot, so if you do decide to test this out for yourself, I would suggest wearing something like the Kiloline Professional Heat Resistant Glove [13] (£19.30) to protect your hands from getting burned.