Utah curls
/YOO-tuh KURLZ/plural noun
Meaning
A hairstyle made with loose curls or waves through the mid-lengths and visibly straight, relaxed, or lightly smoothed ends. Utah curls are usually created with a clamped curling iron and are often associated with long hair, extensions, Utah-based beauty culture, and social-media styling tutorials.[1][2][4]
- 1. Loose, beachy waves that become straight or relaxed at the ends.
- 2. The specific styling technique of curling the upper and middle sections of the hair while leaving the tips uncurled or smoothing them straight.
- 3. A recognizable Utah-associated beauty look, sometimes discussed in connection with influencers and reality-TV casts.
Examples
“I left the ends straight for Utah curls instead of doing full beach waves.”
“Her Utah curls are perfect with those long extensions.”
“The tutorial says to clamp near the root and slide through the ends for Utah curls.”
“Not a blowout, not beach waves—definitely Utah curls.”
“My Utah curls held all day, but the ends stayed soft and straight.”
Origin and spread
Utah curls is a descriptive compound: Utah plus the plural noun curls. The name appears to reflect the hairstyle’s prevalence in Utah rather than a proven single inventor or a confirmed climate-based cause. A hairstylist quoted by Merriam-Webster recalled encountering the style in the early 2010s at Brigham Young University, while a 2023 beauty article documents the name in online trend coverage. The look gained wider attention through Utah-based influencers and reality programs including The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives; Jessi Draper said the latter made the style famous. The available record supports circulation by the early 2010s and broader online visibility by 2023, but not a precise first coinage.[1][4]
How to use it
Use Utah curls for the hairstyle, normally as a plural noun, even when describing one person’s finished style. Utah curl is also used in the singular, and Utah hair can refer to the broader look. The term is informal and can be admiring, neutral, or teasing depending on context; because it links a beauty style with Utah and Mormon-influencer culture, it may sound caricaturing when used about someone who has not chosen that label.
Sources
- 1. The Salt Lake Tribune — The ‘Utah curl’ is not new, but here’s why people are fascinatedSupports: meaning, origin.
- 2. Glam — Utah Curls Are The Hair Trend Of The Moment - Here's How To Get The LookSupports: meaning.
- 3. NBC Select — 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Star Jessi Draper’s Beauty Secrets
- 4. JZ Styles — JZ Styles HairSupports: origin, meaning.
