Hot take: I think a lot of us are too quick to dismiss old-school hot rollers

I know everyone loves their flat irons and curling wands now, and I use them too. But for a big event last month, I did a side-by-side test on a client with thick hair. I used a 1-inch curling wand on one side and a set of jumbo hot rollers on the other. The roller side had way more volume at the root and the curls were softer and lasted a full 4 hours longer in the humidity. The wand curls fell flat faster and looked more piece-y. It took about the same time, maybe 5 minutes more for the rollers to cool. I think we get so focused on new tools we forget what worked for decades. What's your go-to method for all-day hold on thick hair?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_parker27d ago

Nah, gotta disagree on this one. Hot rollers are a total pain to store and they take forever to heat up. My curling wand is ready in like 30 seconds and I can control every single curl. That "softer" look from rollers just reads as messy to me after a couple hours. Modern tools are popular for a reason, they're faster and way easier to use without burning your fingers.

the_wyatt15d ago

Totally get where you're coming from on the speed thing. My old rollers are definitely a weekend project, not a Tuesday morning fix. But I have to side with @stella307 on the root lift, that memory she mentioned is real. The curls from my wand just don't hold the same shape all day, they kinda go limp.

stella30728d ago

Hard agree. My vintage Conair rollers give me a root lift my Dyson airwrap can only dream of. The curl just sits differently, like it has actual memories.