Curling iron vs. heated curlers

[IIOY]

I have fine, straight hair and really need to do something with it.  I've always looked good with a bit of body added to it, so I'd like to start playing with adding waves or curls.  However, I've been out of this game for so long that I'm not quite sure where to begin.  It looks like hand-held curlers are all the rage right now, but I'm not sure I have the time or patience to use them for an all-over look.  Any suggestions for leave-in curlers?  Any tutorials that might help?

[glitzyglow]

EmilyNoel on YouTube just reviewed a hot roller set (I'll link it below). She has really fine hair, so she might be a great one to check out. She has reviews/videos on other sets she has used, too.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v83ZrO8c-sQ

[rachers]

I only use hot rollers if I have a lot of time to get ready - you really can't beat the volume that they give unless you tease your hair. I do the biggest rollers on the top - you could easily google some tutorials.

But, my curling wand is my best friend. Once you get the hang of it you can move really quickly. My hair is pretty long and I can curl my entire head in around 10 minutes or so.

[pooh8402]

It depends on what kind of curl you're looking for. Big bouncy waves and oodles of volume? Hot rollers are your friend. Beachy, textured waves/curls? You'll need a curling wand/iron.

[IIOY]

Jul 28, 2014 9:08:21 GMT -5 pooh8402 said:

It depends on what kind of curl you're looking for. Big bouncy waves and oodles of volume? Hot rollers are your friend. Beachy, textured waves/curls? You'll need a curling wand/iron.

I promise I'm not trying to be difficult, but I want something in between.  I really can't do textured waves because my hair is so fine that it just looks like I woke up with bedhead and failed to brush my hair properly.  OTOH, I don't want Texas hair with huge curls.

[carylee07]

I think MrsPotatohead sleeps with braids in her hair and it comes out amazing. Tagging her to sharesies.

[MrsPotatohead]

IIOY how much hair do you have? fine refers to the actual strands, so I just wanted to check what you meant. Also how long is it? When was the last time you had it cut and shaped? I definitely notice now how much of a difference it makes to have my hair shaped well, makes it a lot easier to work with!

Like pp said, I have luck doing my hair in two french braids before bed with just slightly damp hair to get some crimpy curls the next day - trying different texturing products might help you end up with more volume as well. I usually add something else like a gel spray or hair spray depending on how it looks. Here's a tutorial that might help: thebeautydepartment.com/2012/12/natural-waves-for-fine-hair/

Also don't forget that things like shampoo can also have a huge impact on how your hair responds to styling and the other products. I wish I could say exactly what will work, but unfortunately it's a little of trial and error! Places like Ulta do have great return policies though so you can just try some things. You might want to try a volumizing shampoo.

Here are some blog posts with texture spray ideas and other tips!
thebeautydepartment.com/2013/06/beach-sprays-for-all-hair-types/
www.abeautifulmess.com/2014/07/how-to-create-festival-hair.html

ETA: also, FWIW I've been practicing and messing with my hair, learning how to curl it different ways for... 17 years?  probably around middle school I started to buy different tools and products and I'm not sure I ever 'perfected' it until later in college really   Basically lots of practice, getting to know what your hair does/doesn't respond to etc. might take a little time (hopefully not that long!) so don't give up and just practice whenever you can! 

Like the other girls I prefer to use a curling iron because you can really get lots of different shapes just by making small changes.  Here is a good diagram: thebeautydepartment.com/2014/04/types-of-curl/

[MrsPotatohead]

Jul 28, 2014 22:46:10 GMT -5 carylee07 said:

I think MrsPotatohead sleeps with braids in her hair and it comes out amazing. Tagging her to sharesies.

thanks!

[alleinesein]

Neither! When I actually want curls I will opt to do it without heat. I do pin curls using my fingers and bobby pins. It takes longer but this method works best if I want curls to last all day without having to use a ton of product.

[lostarz]

I have a lot of fine hair so hot rollers take me FOREVER since I have to use so many of them. A larger size curling wand won't take as long since you can use larger pieces of hair, and it won't be a super tight curl, but it would be more than just a textured look.

I've also done the two french braids and have slept on it and it's a fun, different look. I don't do mine damp though because my hair doesn't dry when it's in braids...there's just too much of it.

[bimbi284]

IIOY, do you have any picture inspiration for how you want your curls to look? The size of iron you use will depend on the length/thickness of your hair, and the type of curl you want. If I want curl to last a long time, I'll use a smaller iron than the curl I actually want. Initially, the curls will be tighter than I want, but as they settle and fall a bit, the curls end up just how I want them.

[IIOY]

Jul 29, 2014 17:06:58 GMT -5 bimbi284 said:

IIOY, do you have any picture inspiration for how you want your curls to look? The size of iron you use will depend on the length/thickness of your hair, and the type of curl you want. If I want curl to last a long time, I'll use a smaller iron than the curl I actually want. Initially, the curls will be tighter than I want, but as they settle and fall a bit, the curls end up just how I want them.

I don't because it has been so long since I've tried to do anything with my hair that I'm not sure what it is willing to do, so I need to play around.  I like the Types of Curl link above and will give that a try with my old, cheapie curling iron.  ETA: I also ordered a basic set of rollers from Ulta thanks to the 20% off coupon + 8% ebates, so we'll see how that goes as well. 


MrsPotatohead, thank you for all the links!  I am working my way through them.  I definitely have fine hair, as opposed to thin.  As for style, I am growing my hair out and it's now just past my shoulders, with the hope that I can do something with it.  I actually prefer the look of my hair when it's closer to chin length, because it looks so flat and fine when it's longer, but my favorite look is putting my hair up, and I can only do that if it's longer. I can't win! LOL

[MrsPotatohead]

also, the one blog I linked to has a post today about a trick I've been doing for a while and is my 'secret' for when I braid my hair to sleep on: thebeautydepartment.com/2014/07/thats-a-wrap-2/#more-15760

doing it this way you are able to crimp the hair all the way to the ends!

Also, when I said my hair is damp, I mean very lightly damp - I also have a lot of hair that would hold the moisture if it's too wet. Often, I will have washed it that morning and done a cute loose braid or something, then that night do the two tight braids to sleep on so there is just a hint of moisture left.