Hair Rollers Are Back – Here’s How To Use Them & The Best To Try
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Always Blow-Dry Your Hair First
“My biggest tip is to blow-dry your hair first with a round brush, lifting strands upwards, then bending the hair under as you go. This is the rule for all hair types, especially those with thicker, textured or afro hair – unless your hair is already chemically straightened, though even then you still want a sleek base to start with. You can also cheat the blow-dry by curling the hair with a medium tong, then setting it with the use of Velcro rollers. While your hair is still warm from your hairdryer, start to place your rollers in, directing the hair backwards. Use a setting lotion or hairspray to lock the set in place. I also advise using silver sectioning clips rather than normal kirby clips – these are more secure and won’t mark or leave a dent in your style.”
Alternate Your Rollers
“Use larger rollers on the top sections and on the underneath of your hair, then drop it down to a medium or a smaller size. The underneath is normally longer on most clients’ hair, so it tends to drop out faster. Using a smaller roller on the length will ensure your blow-dry lasts longer.”
Use Them In Layered Hair
“Rollers are best used on those who have layers throughout their hair. If your hair is too heavy, or one length, you won’t get as much benefit from them. The hair needs to have movement for the lift, and to add body, as well as hold.”
Nail Your Placement
“Placement depends on how you want the bounce to be – sometimes, I’ll use rollers only on the fringe. Mostly though, I use them to get hair out of the face while I am working at the same time as a make-up artist. This way, you get body throughout the hair as you’re busy doing other things. If your hair is really long, try pin-curling the underneath sections and just using rollers in the top to save time. For really full, voluminous waves, then go for it all over, rolling in different directions to create extra oomph.”
Know Your Hot From Your Cold
“The rule is: hot to mould and cold to hold. Heating your hair with rollers in – i.e. blasting with a hairdryer – will change the shape of the hair and its curl as you roll it out. Giving it a cold blast at the end will lock everything in place and keep the curl going throughout the day or evening.”
Our Favourite Rollers To Try…
Glamoriser Glamour Rollers, £49.99
Best For: Ease Of Use
Why We Rate Them: Made from silicone, these innovative curlers eliminate any need for clips to secure your curl in place, making them one of the easiest on this list to use. You can expect better volume and shape throughout your hair, and the 24 rollers inside mean you can cover good ground. Our only tip? Try to take thin sections of hair in each roller to avoid any fallout. It’s a slightly longer process, but worth it for the results you get.
Available at Amazon.co.uk
Babyliss Boutique Hair Rollers, £50
Best For: Overall Bounce
Why We Rate Them: Babyliss tools always come out on top and these rollers are no exception. Simple to use, they are very much a ‘roll and go’ – you don’t need to look at any instructions for these. Expect big, bouncy curls that last, while the set itself heats up fast for speedy results – you can get to work within a minute of them being switched on. The only thing to note is if you have longer, thicker hair, you may want to use these sporadically. There are 12 inside, but you may feel you need more for a whole head, so try to intersperse them for overall results.
Available at LookFantastic.com
Kitsch Ceramic Thermal Hair Rollers, £9.45
Best For: Affordability
Why We Rate Them: If your budget doesn’t stretch to high-tech rollers, good old-fashioned Velcro ones still perform as well. We love these ones from Kitsch. Available in several sizes, they can easily create voluminous loose curls, or small, tight ringlets – it all depends on which you use and how long you leave them in for. Section your hair up to be around the same size as reach roller. Keep your strands pulled tight and high, then start to roll the ends around the roller using the grip of the Velcro to get the hair to stick. Secure with grips and leave in for 15 to 20 minutes – or longer if you have fine hair – then release, running your fingers through to loosen everything up.
Available at CurrentBody.com
Remington PROLuxe Heated Rollers, £44.99
Best For: Thick Hair
Why We Rate Them: With 20 different rollers – from medium to large – these are great for slightly thicker, longer hair, but everyone can use them. Benefiting from something called ‘OptiHeat’ both the rollers and the clips warm up gradually, meaning minimal damage, and an evenly distributed heat for smooth, bouncy curls. You only need to keep them in for ten minutes to see results, but if your hair veers on the finer side, let them sit for longer to ensure you get the best results. Any curl created will be nice and smooth, but better still, the shape will last and remain for the entire day with just a small amount of hairspray needed.
Available at Amazon.co.uk
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