How to Make Hot Rollers Hold a Curl

Use hot rollers on clean, dry hair for the best results.

With hot rollers, you can curl a whole head of hair in just minutes, but getting the curls to last all day may be challenging. Humidity levels, your hair type and hair cut may fight against your ability to get a good curl. While you cannot do anything about the weather, you can take a few extra steps to adjust your hot rolling technique for longer-lasting styles.

Things You'll Need

• Blow dryer
• Vented hair brush
• Styling mousse
• Comb
• Hairspray

Instructions

1. Dry your clean hair completely with a blow dryer or allow it to dry naturally. Brush your hair well to remove snarls.

2. Squirt a dime-sized amount of styling mousse into your hand and rub it into your hair. Start at the roots and work it up, but avoid rubbing the mousse into your scalp. This could make the hair look greasy.

3. Heat up your hot curlers and place the clips beside the unit. With a comb, section off a small portion of hair at the front of your head. Select a large roller to wrap the hair around. The hair section and the roller should be of equal width.

4. Place the roller at the ends of the hair, then roll it back and toward the scalp. Secure the roller in place by sliding a metal clip over the roller barrel. The ends of the clip may face forward or backward. If using an alligator clip, open the clip by squeezing the jointed ends and positioning it over the roller.

5. Add three or four more rollers on the top of your head, rolling each back and securing them snugly with a clip. Roll the remainder of the hair if you want lots of body in your hairstyle. Roll only the top for a quick glamorous look.

6. Spray the rolled hair with hairspray. Hold the can or bottle 8 to 12 inches from the hair when spraying. Spraying too close will make hair feel gummy later.

7. Allow the rollers to cool completely, about 15 minutes, before removing them. Once you remove the curlers, do not brush the hair. Brushing the hair will cause curl loss. Use your fingers or a large pick to arrange the hair. Spray the hair one more time to set the curls.

Tips & Warnings

• Backcomb, or tease, the roots with a few strokes of a fine toothed comb before rolling to get extra lift.

• Remove metal clips from the unit before heating to avoid burning your fingers.

References

• Woman Junction: How to Use Hot Rollers