How to Get Waves Without Heat: Foam Rollers

As much as I've learned to love my straight hair, from time to time I still like to have curls or waves. I used to pop in hot rollers or use a curling iron, but having given up the use of heat products, I had to look for alternatives.

One of my favourite ways to get soft waves is to use Scunci Foam Rollers.  I use the "Wavy Curls" size.  They give nice natural looking waves.

Since my hair is so straight, I do need a bit of help if I want the waves to last.  As I section my hair for each roller, I give the section a small spritz of distilled water.  Then I take a tiny amount of gel and smooth it evenly over the section.

I roll my hair inward, making sure that the ends are smoothly tucked under my hair as I roll it.  I use about 9 rollers for my hair, and I am done putting in the rollers in about 5 minutes.

Since I use only a bit of distilled water and gel on my hair, it doesn't take all that long for the curls to set.  They can set without any heat assistance in about 90 minutes.  I've had to experiment with just how much water I need to use for the best hold in the least amount of time.

I remove the rollers by unwinding them gently.  After all of the rollers are out, I leave the waves for a few minutes and then I gently finger comb.  The result is in the photo.

The Scunci foam rollers come 12 in a pack, and they are so inexpensive that it's not a problem to buy two packs.  If I want more volume and waves, I use smaller sections and more rollers.  I'll show the result of that in a future entry.

For longer lasting curls without heat for a special occasion, the foam rollers are actually comfortable enough to sleep on, and I can use more water and gel for a firmer hold.

Velcro rollers are very popular for adding a little bit of volume, but I wouldn't use them.  They are not very hair friendly, and they can really snag the hair and also tangle when being removed.

It's fun having some waves for a day once in a while.