This Is How You Actually Use Velcro Hair Rollers

Velcro rollers, that’s right. You might have seen your grandma or your mom rock them before a fancy night out. But why would you ever need to use such an antiquated method to curl your hair? I mean, there are tons of ways to curl your hair without having to look like some kind of martian — amongst them wand hair curlers, sleeping with your hair tied in a bun, wrapping your hair with pieces of cloth... you can even curl your hair with a straightening iron for god’s sake! And let's not forget the whole tin foil method.

So why would anyone ever use velcro rollers? Because they’re heatless, easy, affordable, glamorous, and make you look like you just got an amazing blowout at the nearest, trendiest blow dry bar without having to spend $50. In fact, you can get sets of velcro rollers in varying sizes at most convenience stores for under $10. (I got a set of 30 from Walgreens for roughly 12 bucks!)

Velcro rollers are amazing for creating volume in flat, straight hair. That’s usually what I use them for. I have very plain, straight, boring hair with very little volume, but when I pop in some two-inch rollers in my hair and take them out after doing my makeup, I get voluminous, bouncy hair that will last up to two or three days! All you need is velcro rollers, styling mousse, styling cream, and some hair clips.

Milano Collection Velcro Rollers (18 Piece Set), $18, Amazon

If you’re trying to create curls with velcro rollers, I recommend using smaller sizes to really get your hair to curl. Velcro rollers are very customizable depending on your goals and hair type. Want big voluminous hair with no curls? Go for big rollers. Want tight, Shirly Temple-esque ringlets? Go for tiny rollers. Want wavy curls? Go for medium sized rollers. I've gone back and forth between wanting my hair pin straight and wanting bouncy curls, but I think I've finally found a happy medium by using velcro rollers. Personally, I love using the bigger sizes because they give me sleek, bouncy hair without the damage.

1-3/4 Inch Velcro Hair Rollers, $10, Amazon

(These are two-inch rollers I use for volume.)

I’ve gotten my hair done at a blow dry bar before when blow dry bars first became a thing, and I will admit the results were amazing. I couldn’t keep my hands away from doing a hair flip every five minutes. The downside was that when it was time to wash my hair, I felt that my ends were extremely dry and had split ends. What did I expect, though? For about 30 minutes someone was combing through my hair with heat… that’s bound to do a lot of damage. So why wouldn’t you go out and buy a $10 pack of Velcro rollers to obtain the same results?

But let's get down to the basics! When using velcro rollers, first start off with damp hair and run some styling mousse through it and let it air dry. While your hair is still slightly damp, get your rollers and start rolling! I like to section my hair into three main parts, from which I then divide several more small sections. You should always roll them inwards starting from the ends of your hair towards your roots. Secure them with bobby pins or styling clips and go onto the next section. There’s no real science behind the process!

When you’re all done rolling your hair, you can do you nails, your taxes, your makeup, or do what I did and go to Subway to pick up a sandwich for lunch (#Noshame).

If you’re in a hurry, then I suggest using your blow dryer to warm up the hair. Let it cool down, and finish off with some light hairspray. Although you’re using heat, its way less heat than blow drying your hair for 30 minutes straight. If you're looking for some fast volume, pop some velcro rollers around the crown of the head, wait a little while (about the length of time it would take to do your makeup), and take the rollers out to unleash super fast voluminous hair.

When taking out your rollers, don’t unroll them, though. Grab the rollers and pull from the roots. This way you’re simultaneously brushing your hair while taking the rollers out. I like to start taking out the bottom ones first. Once they’re all out, brush your fingers through your new voluminous hair, flip said hair over, run some light styling cream through it, and ta-da!

You get super soft, bouncy, voluminous hair without the damage. In other words, the same results you would get by going to a blow dry bar, and in the comfort of your own home whilst wearing pajamas — how much better could it get? Goodbye weird, kinky hair and hello bouncy, sleek locks!

There are so many innovative ways to curl your hair nowadays with technological advancements and such, but I think our mothers and grandmothers knew what they were doing. I will be forever using velcro rollers no matter how old school they may become and no matter how much it'll embarrass my children in front of their friends.

If none of what I said makes sense to you, take a look at this youtube tutorial. I've weeded through many velcro rolling tutorials online and have brought you the best one, IMHO.

Images: Author's Own; Getty; YouTube