How to Curl Your Hair with Rollers 

Many people still have this misconceived notion that curling hair with rollers is outdated or that they’ll end up with a Golden Girls hairstyle, but this is absolutely not true. Rollers have made a comeback! They are the practical, convenient and safe way to achieve a multitude of different looks without putting your hair through unnecessary abuse with a hot iron. All you have to do is learn how to apply hair rollers the right way and you’ll wish you never waited so long to try!

When you’re learning how to use hair rollers, experiment with both damp and dry hair to see which look you prefer. Damp hair will give you a more defined, longer lasting curl but dry hair will be looser (unless you use a styling product). Also, keep in mind that dry hair that has not been shampooed will hold a style better.

Soft Waves 

If you want to know how to apply hair rollers to achieve that flowing runway look, you should first be aware that larger rollers create waves, whereas small rollers offer a more defined curl.

The largest roller will go on top to give you volume at the top of your head. Begin with a section of hair that’s longer than your roller but not wider than it. The first section should be pulled forward a bit when you roll it. Continue until the top of your hair is done. This generally takes about four rollers.

Many people make the mistake of placing the side roller closest to the face in a horizontal position like the crown. When you’re curling hair with rollers for waves, those side pieces should be vertical, traveling away from the face, as should the rest of the layers of hair. If you have rollers that graduate in size, you want the largest ones on top, the medium-sized ones in the middle, and the skinniest ones on the bottom.

When you remove the rollers, allow a few minutes for the curls to cool completely. Then, you can either finger style or use a boar bristle brush to smooth the curls out even more.

Curly Updo 

Many people who want to learn how to apply hair rollers are after a romantic updo. If you know you’re going to put your hair up, you want to use rollers that are a little skinnier, and roll small sections in a horizontal pattern that is staggered all over your head. It is recommended to do this with damp hair, or you can use hot rollers if you have a set that offers smaller sizes.

When the curls are dry (or cool if you used hot rollers), remove them gently. Depending on the look you’re trying to achieve, you may want to use a comb to tease your roots for extra volume. If you do this, be careful to not compromise the curl. If you used hot rollers, you can actually tease first. Then, you simply put your hair up in the center of your head and secure pieces with bobby pins as desired.

As you can see, learning how to use hair rollers is easy. Just give it a few go arounds, and I’m sure you’ll master the art in no time.