Images: Imaxtree
Hair rollers are often associated with grandmas doing up their hair before bed. They don’t exactly scream modern. Hold that thought because big hair and volume is back. And the latest looks aren’t throwbacks to decades gone by, they’re current, cool and downright gorgeous. Really.
Hair straighteners and curling irons may already have a place in your kit, but now it’s time to bring hair rollers into the mix. For a bouncy, modern look, Larisa Love, Joico guest contributing artist, recommends using different size hot rollers and rotating them in varying directions. To achieve the perfect look, she suggests letting rollers cool before releasing the curl, then turning your head upside down and spraying hair texturizer all over. “A texture spray is key for giving the perfect separation of the curl,” she says.
Curly-haired women can use rollers, too. Taliah Waajid says heated rollers can be used to smooth curls for a polished finish. On curly to coiled hair textures, she uses a hot oil treatment prior to using rollers and prefers ceramic-coated metal rollers, which smooth hair faster and are less damaging because of the way the heat is distributed.
For short to medium layered styles, Waajid uses hair rollers that allow each section to wrap around the roller once. She says that this will give hair a slight curl at the end and a clear bump in the middle. It also helps show off layers. For longer layered hairstyles, she takes larger chunks and wraps hair neatly toward the scalp.
Now that you’ve got the basics, click through the gallery for runway inspiration on how to get gorgeous hair using hair rollers.
[ Next: The 10 Tools Top Hairstylists Swear By (Plus, How to Use Them at Home) ]
17 Modern Hairstyles You Can Create With Hot Rollers
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Finished Ends
Give bedhead a sophisticated twist with the help of hair rollers. Use small rollers to define face-framing layers. Use bigger ones to boost the volume at the crown to make hair look extra thick.
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Add Some Bounce
Make big hairstyles modern by concentrating the volume on the ends, rolling hair outward to form little curlicues. Resist the urge to saturate with hairspray. A tousled texture looks current, as does pairing it with a frosty blue lipstick.
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Tousled Texture
A hairbrush helps finish many hot roller looks. In this case, it helps undo tight curls for full bedhead hair that has the right amount of rumpled texture.
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Supermodel Hair
Get full-bodied hair without clip-ins. Use big rollers to add major body to limp strands. Mist locks with a flexible hairspray so the volume lasts all day.
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Oh, So Pretty
Go for pure romance by using smaller rollers to create wispy curls in a center-parted updo. Don't fuss to make it perfect. A bit of frizz actually enhances the look.
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Pony Up
Wish that pony was larger? Instead of praying to the hair gods, boost body by adding rollers to a low side ponytail. Larger rollers give the appearance of thicker hair without adding too much texture.
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For Short Hair
Rollers can make any tried-and-true short hairstyle feel like new. Roll skinny rollers in layers to create a shaggy style. Gel defines the curls while creating a trendy wet-look finish.
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Pile It Up
Use different size hair rollers to create mermaid waves. The style could be worn down or stacked on top of the head as shown here.
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Big and Full
Girls with curls can use hot rollers to add fullness at the roots. It requires next to no effort, but makes tresses look twice their size.
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Buoyant Bob
Play up the shape of a bob by adding body to the roots. Twist hair under the rollers so the ends curl in to frame the face.
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Tons of Texture
The most modern hot roller hairstyles bring out the texture of hair. Combine different hair rollers with curling irons for a multidimensional look. Let locks go where they please for a fuss-free finish.
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Put a Hat on It
Kick it old school by using small rollers to create face-framing defined curls. Bring the look into modern times by swapping the red lipstick for fuchsia and topping everything with an oversized straw hat.
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Bangs and a Bob
Pump up wavy locks by adding different hair rollers here and there. Be sure to twist some into bangs to try out the popular curly bangs hair trend.
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#HairGoals
Twist large rollers over the entire head to add body without teasing. For more definition, go over ends with a large barrel curling iron.
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Retro Charm
Channel Old Hollywood glamour by using rollers to curl ends. Keep things modern by opting for big, full curls rather than tight spirals.
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Heightened Hair
Hair looking a little flat? Get rid of the plastered effect with the help of some hair rollers on the roots and front layers.
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Double Pump
Use hair rollers to coax locks into a gravity-defying style. Concentrate rollers in the front to create a pompadour. Then add rollers to ends so the fullness in the ponytail balances the big crown.
