9 Tips for Styling Long Hair with Hot Rollers
So many young women (and even men) with long hair go to great lengths to style their hair. Those who try and fail envy the people who try and succeed. Long hair is generally believed to be versatile in terms of styling.
There is a wide range of hairstyles that can be achieved with waist-length hair. There are also as many styling tools for this purpose. Although a curling iron or flat iron will give you gorgeous curls or waves, hot rollers will do the same job (or even better) in a fraction of the time and without giving you sore arms.
Long hair is particularly vulnerable to split ends and knots. It is also time-consuming to air-dry, blow-dry, and style. It gets trapped in hair ties, scarves, zippers and jewelry easily. To help you overcome these issues and style your attractive long tresses into splendid curls or waves, the following habits should be incorporated in your hot rollers routine:
1. Wash Your Hair at Least a Day in Advance
Since long hair takes all day to air-dry and such a long time to blow-dry, it is advisable to use hot rollers on hair that has been washed at least 24 hours earlier. This will help you to save time. Hot rollers work best on long hair that is 2 days old. Therefore, do not wash your hair on the day you intend to style it with hot rollers. By the same token, avoid using hot rollers on wash days. If you wish to curl your hair with the hot rollers first thing in the morning and your hair feels greasy, you can do either of two things:
- You can use a dry shampoo to absorb the excess moisture from your hair, or
- You can wash your hair the night before and either blow-dry it before going to bed or sleep on it overnight so it is dry the next morning.
2. Brush or Comb Your Hair Before Curling It
This will help to prevent unwanted tangles while removing the hot rollers from long hair once they have cooled. It is preferable to use a paddle brush for this purpose. A boar bristle brush is recommended for hair that is prone to knots and frizz. A wide-toothed comb is a worthy alternative as it can be used to detangle long hair in preparation for styling it with hot rollers.
Another advantage of brushing or combing long hair before using hot rollers is it eliminates the need to brush your hair after styling it.
3. Use Medium and Large Rollers
Although small hot rollers will give you tight curls, they are not wide enough to accommodate the whole length of your hair. This is why medium and large hot rollers are preferable for long hair. They will not only accommodate the full length of your hair but will also give you elegant waves suitable for any occasion. Invest in roller sets with medium, large, and jumbo roller sizes.
4. Use at Least 10 Rollers at a Time
For each curling session, people with long hair require a minimum of 10 rollers to style their hair. If you use less than 10 rollers, your curls or waves will not be evenly spaced out and the style will look unattractive. On average, 10-12 rollers should help you achieve a style that will turn heads whether you are attending a coffee morning, book club meeting, or charity event.
5. Keep the Rollers in Your Hair as Long as Possible
To help your curls or waves to last throughout the day, it is necessary to leave the rollers in your hair for at least 20 minutes. If your hair is thick or curly, the rollers should be left in longer than 20 minutes. Long hair takes longer than short hair to assume the curl or wave pattern of the hot rollers. Leaving the rollers in the hair even after the rollers have cooled allows your waist-long strands to turn into glorious curls perfect for any college reunion or wedding party.
6. Remove the Rollers Carefully
You have to take great care when releasing your long tresses from the cooled hot rollers. If you do this too quickly, your hair can get pulled by or trapped in the roller. To avoid this, unwind each section of your hair from the roller in the shape of the curl. Remember to do it slowly and gently. This way, the curl pattern will not be ruined and also retain its shape for many hours.
7. Know Which Hairspray to Use
You can spray a light mist of hairspray while the rollers are still in your hair or after removing them. It will help your curls or waves to hold longer. Typically, a light-hold or medium-hold hairspray will suffice for long hair. But, if you have fine hair, you should opt for a strong-hold hairspray otherwise; your curls will fall apart sooner than you expect.
8. Know When to Use the Hairspray
If you are someone who styles her long tresses occasionally, then you must use a hairspray each time you use the hot rollers. However, the hairspray can be skipped if you curl your hair with hot rollers every day. Unlike short hair, long hair will hold curls without the help of hairspray if it is styled with hot rollers daily (although this is not advisable).
9. Know How to Roll Your Hair
Long hair has to be rolled differently than short hair. Therefore, pay attention to how you wrap your long tresses around the hot rollers. First, part your hair into sections no wider than 2 inches. Place the hot roller in the center of the section. Wrap the lower end of that section around the hot roller. Roll up the rest of the section away from the face and up to the scalp. Secure the roller in place with a claw clip or bobby pin.
Make sure that the ends of your hair are neatly tucked in. This rolling technique is appropriate for long hair because it gives your hair more lift at the roots effortlessly.
Conclusion
Hot rollers are the perfect heat styling tool for long hair for the following reasons:
- Different roller sizes allow you the flexibility to experiment with different curly styles.
- Straight long hair can be styled much faster.
- Curly long hair can be toned down much easier.
- Styling with hot rollers does not cause arm fatigue.
To reap the advantages of hot rollers for long hair, wash and dry your hair a day ahead and detangle it prior to setting the hot rollers in it. Make sure you have enough medium and large hot rollers and spray a light mist of medium-hold hairspray for a better hold. Keep the hot rollers in your hair long after they have cooled and remove them in the shape of your curls. Last but not least, use the right rolling technique for long hair and you do not have to worry about your curls for the rest of the day.
Sources
- Emily Hudspeth Greenwald, How I Style Long Hair with Hot Rollers, Jul 23, 2012
Hi there!
It’s a nice, well-put-together, step by step written tutorial. Very easy to read and easy to understand writing!
I have tried your “wash hair 1-day prior” technique, and I must say, it worked for me. Amazing! Anyone and everyone with long hair should try this to achieve long-lasting curls.
I hope for all the best for you and looking forward to more thoughtful articles.
Thank You!
Dear Lee,
Thank you for your sweet words and your first-hand feedback. Our readers always inspire us for better writings in the future.
I am a regular visitor of your blog. The topics you choose are well researched and nicely penned.
I have a suggestion for you guys. For writing like this, why don’t you add a video tutorial so that it’s even easier for us to understand how to use hot rollers or how to remove them?
I hope in the future we would see video tutorials also.
Dear Renee,
We are thankful that you follow our blog regularly.
We also want to thank you for your suggestion. We are always open to new ideas and suggestions.
In the future, we would try to add a video tutorial so that our readers find our writing even more useful.
Hi there,
I have been one of the most loyal readers of your writings for the longest time. They are just amazing and well thought off. You put out every little detail so nicely that it’s super easy for your readers to understand the concept and take the necessary steps accordingly.
However, a small piece of suggestion. Can you also mention some products to make it easier for us the find suitable products?
Keep up the good work.
I hope all the best for you guys.
Dear Annabella,
Thank you. We are overwhelmed and overjoyed with your sweet words. Our readers’ feedback is our inspiration.
We will surely keep your suggestion in mind.
Please keep coming back for more great articles.
Hi there,
If I have to describe this piece of writing in one word, I have to say it’s amazing. From the subheadings to the descriptions with appropriate pictures, you guys have made this article a true masterpiece.
Praises aside, I would like to share a small tip that I follow to hold curls and waves for a long time in my long tresses. What I do is that after putting on the rollers, I spray a holding spray allover once so that the curls are set perfectly. Then after removing them, I spritz the spray once more for a stronger and long-lasting hold.
I hope this would help you guys.
Thank you.
Dear Phyllis,
First of all, thank you very much for your sweet praise. We are overwhelmed with your response.
Secondly, we would also like to thank you for sharing your amazing tips with us. We are sure that our readers will find it useful.
Please. I have learned a lot from your blog. It’s my obligation to share something I know that could help others.
Thank you for your response.
Hello peeps,
Thank you very much for putting up such a wonderful piece of writing for your readers with zero styling sense like me. This article has been a life-saver for me. I have the most sought after set of rollers, but because of my lack of styling knowledge, I was never able to achieve the curls and waves I wanted. But after reading it carefully a few times, I now understand the right way to curl my long, flowy tresses precisely with my heated rollers. Thanks again.
Keep it up!
Dear Mammie,
Thank you very much for your sweet praising words. We are overwhelmed with your feedback. Our readers’ response is what inspires us to think and write better.