If you are on the hunt for beautiful and voluminous curls but are tired of exhausting your arms while trying to use curling tongs or a curling iron, you are not alone. There are many women out there who want silky and bouncy curls that will last for long periods of time, without having to spend a fortune getting their hair done at a hair salon or by a professional. If you can relate to this common dilemma, it is time for you to learn how to use heated rollers.
Heated rollers were created and welcomed into the world by Solomon Harper in 1930, and he updated his own design in 1953. This hair styling tool has been around for almost a century, and is improving constantly. Modern technology has turned the classic heated rollers into a common phenomenon, that creates gorgeous curls in the comfort of your own home. For curls that lift at your roots and contain a nice bounce that flows all the way throughout your hair, heated rollers are a perfect tool to use.
Table of Contents
8 Steps to Using Heated Rollers
- Step 1: Prepare your hair
- Step 2: Warm up your heated rollers
- Step 3: Split your hair into sections
- Step 4: Roll your hair
- Step 5: Continue rolling each section of your hair
- Step 6: Wait for heated rollers to cool
- Step 7: Unroll your hair
- Step 8: Finalize your curls
What Are Heated Rollers
Heated rollers are round tubes that come in various different sizes, usually small, medium, and large, that each create different types of curls. There are an array of heated roller sets which include a cord that you plug into an electrical socket to heat them up. The rollers maintain the heat for approximately 15 minutes, as they slowly cool down to create curls that stay intact for extended periods of time.
The heated roller sets usually include an adjustable heat setting, so that you can modify them to be the proper temperature for your hair type. There is usually a light indicator on the set that notifies you when the heated rollers are ready to be used. Some sets also contain hair pins or clips that will keep your hair in place when it is wrapped in the rollers.
Small heated rollers create tightly coiled curls, while large heated rollers generate lose, beachy waves. Regardless of the size of curls you want, heated rollers will always create curls that will add body and volume to your look. They can be used on all hair types and most hair lengths as well, as long as your hair is long enough to wrap around the size of the heated rollers you have.
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How to Use Heated Rollers
Now that you know what heated rollers are and how they can dramatically improve your hairstyle, it is time to learn how to use them. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Prepare your hair
When you are going to wrap your hair with heated rollers, it is important that your hair is clean and dry beforehand. If any part of your hair is wet or damp, it will fry your hair from the heat in the rollers. Spray heat protectant on your hair to guard it from heat damage, but allow that to dry as well before curling.
Step 2: Warm up your heated rollers
Plug in your hot roller set to an electrical outlet, and let it warm up for about 5-10 minutes. While the rollers are heating up, detangle your hair with your brush or comb beginning at your ends and working your way up toward your scalp.
Step 3: Split your hair into sections
Part your hair wherever your normal part is, whether that is in the middle or on either side of your head. Grab portions of your hair that are the same thickness as your rollers, so that your hair wraps all the way around them. If your sections are too large, your hair won’t curl completely and will fall flat once you take the rollers out.
Step 4: Roll your hair
Grab a section of your hair and a roller, and place the roller underneath your hair about halfway up the section. Be sure that you do not put the roller at the bottom of your hair. Wrap the ends of your hair around the roller away from your face, and then roll your hair in the roller upwards until all of that section is around the roller.
Step 5: Continue rolling each section of your hair
Complete the same rolling process that is explained in step 4 to all of the sections of your hair. Hold your hair in place with hair pins or clips so the rollers do not fall out. Keep the rollers in your hair for about 15-30 minutes depending on the type of heated rollers you have, and let them complete the job of curling your hair for you.
Step 6: Wait for heated rollers to cool
Keep your heated rollers in your hair for about 15-30 minutes, so that they can completely cool. If the rollers are not fully cooled when you remove them, the curls will not stay intact and your hair will fall flat. While you are waiting, you can do your makeup, pick out your outfit, clean up your living space, or just relax. The opportunities are endless!
Step 7: Unroll your hair
Once your heated rollers have completely cooled, it is time to release your curls. Remove the clips or pins you are using, and unroll each roller one by one. After all of the rollers are out, lightly run your fingers through your hair to loosen it up a bit.
Step 8: Finalize your curls
If you want voluminous curls, you can gently use a brush on your hair and shake the curls out a little. If you’re going for tight curls, just run your fingers through your hair softly so that they stay compact. Add holding hairspray, texturizing spray, or mousse to your hair to ensure that your curls last awhile, and to add additional shape to them.
Tips for Using Heated Rollers
When you want beautiful curls in your hair without having to spend time using a curling iron or tongs, it is best to know how to use heated rollers. Before you get to curling with your rollers, there are a few things to keep in mind throughout the process, so that your curls come out exactly the way that you want them to.
Conduct trial and error to figure out how many heated rollers are necessary to curl all of your hair. Everyone has different length and different thickness to their hair, so the amount of rollers needed on each person is a unique number. Test out various amounts of rollers, and see how many you require to create the curls of your dreams.
Unless you want heavy and large curls at the bottom of your hair, make sure that you do not start rolling your hair starting at your ends. Place the curler in the middle of the section you are wanting to curl, wrap the ends of your hair around the roller, and then roll the rest of the section upward to your roots.
Angle your heated rollers vertically, and not horizontally. Angling them horizontally leads to tightly-coiled ringlets, while angling them vertically allows them to be bouncy, loose, and soft. It is beneficial to roll your rollers toward the right, and then to release the rollers and comb through your curls toward the left.
Even though heated rollers put way less heat on your hair than the best curling irons, curling tongs, flat irons, and hair dryers, it is still crucial to protect your hair from any amount of heat. Don’t skip out on putting heat protectant on your hair before curling. You can use heat protectant spray or serum, or household products such as coconut oil, sunflower oil, or avocado oil.
It is best to start curling from the top and front areas of your hair, and then work your way down and around your head. Grab the highest sections of your hair that are closest to your forehead first, then work your way around the crown of your head and down the back simultaneously. The lowest portions of your hair should be rolled last.
- How To Curl Your Hair With Rollers in 6 Easy Steps
- How to Use Curling Tongs – 9 Steps to Beautiful Curls
When you want beautiful, long-lasting curls without the arm workout you get from using hot tools, heated rollers are the way to go. With advancements in technology improving them over time, they are truly a product that will change your hair game, while also saving you time. Grab your brush or comb, heat protectant, and heated roller set, and get the beautiful curls you’ve always dreamed of.
