Hot vs. Not, A Curl Comparison - Part I: Some like it hot!

Hi friends!

I don't know about you, but I can remember using hot rollers in 7^th/8^th grade, so basically I’ve been utilizing some sort of heat to curl my hair for 27-ish years, give or take. Whoa. That said, I obviously really like the look, given I’m still using the old standby hot rollers (and my Dyson Airwrap) on occasion. The volume and softness I can achieve from rollers (and pretty quickly/easily, too) looks feminine and romantic and while I know that the heat isn’t the greatest for my hair, it seems like a better option than wrapping my hair directly around a much hotter curling iron. I’d like to say the roller sets themselves have come a long way (and maybe some of the more expensive ones have), but I recently bought a new set for $25 dollars on Amazon (link below) and truthfully, it kind of seemed exactly like my old set, just cleaner. As mentioned, I do have the Dyson Airwrap as well, but it just takes me So. Much. Longer so a) I don’t pull it out that often and b) the results don’t last as long as the hot rollers. I’ve heard that thing has a learning curve though, so I likely just need more practice (and patience). Maybe later, lol. 🤣 Side note: For as much as I don't use the tool, I kind of wish I would have tried one of the dupes first, they've got a ton of them now.
 
There’s not a whole lot to using hot rollers but here’s a few tips I utilize. As far as the Airwrap, here’s an article from Byrdie that has the top 10 tutorials (for different hair types as well, which is cool). It far surpasses any video that I could provide at this point in my Dyson journey, lol. 
 
T & T: 

• Start with clean and (very) dry hair
• Use heat protectant (I use both of the options below)

Links to My Favorites on Amazon: 
Save: L'Oreal Dream Lengths Heat Slayer, Affiliate 🔗
Splurge: Wella Heat Protectant, Affiliate 🔗
Roller Set: Remington Ionic Hair Setter, Affiliate 🔗

• Section into manageable sections. I start with the bottom layer and work my way up.
• Choose a roller size based on the type of curl you want. Larger rollers create looser curls, smaller ones tighter. I prefer a bit tighter as I like to brush out and feel like the curls hold longer. 
• With the exception of the sections at very top of my head/scalp that I roll horizontal for volume, I hold the roller vertical and wrap the hair around and away from my face to achieve a more "modern" curl pattern.
• Wait at least 10-15 minutes, more if you have the time. If I'm in a hurry and it's cool outside, I'll pop outside for a minute or two to speed up the process and set the curl. If it's hot out, I'll stick my head in the freezer for a few seconds. Do I look like a weirdo, yes, but it works! 
• After I remove the rollers, I'll usually spray with a light hairspray, finger comb or brush through and apply some light oil (favorites below) to tame any frizz. 
  Save: Argan Oil, Affiliate 🔗
  Splurge: Moroccan Oil Light, Affiliate 🔗

My final Results can be viewed on zee Wish Upon TikTok.

Part II (my heatless curl experience) coming up very soon. I had to wait a few days in between because I typically don’t wash my hair more than 2x a week!
 
Love and light,
Erica