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A telltale sign that you were on the beauty side of TikTok in 2020 and 2021: You know what heatless curlers are and how to do heatless curls. You likely remember the mesmerizing videos: Women wrap their long hair around what can only really be described as a vaguely intestinal-looking stuffed headband and go to sleep. In the morning they remove the headband and shake out shockingly perfect, professional-blowout-level waves.
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If you’re just hopping on the heatless curls bandwagon now, we totally get that it can seem a bit daunting to start. Hair rollers and curling irons are other options, too, though they come with their own set of challenges (are we the only ones constantly concentrating on which way to turn the barrel?!).
Heatless curls, sock curls, or whatever you like to call them are nothing new, BTW. Black women in particular have been using tools like flexi rods for generations. However, since COVID hit more than five years ago, heatless curling options quickly came to the forefront, popping up all over TikTok as many women continue to find ways to cut heat styling from their routine completely. There are videos using everything from socks and leggings to fabric scraps and bathrobe belts, so it’s safe to say there are plenty of heatless-curl methods out there.
Watching the videos is one thing, but actually doing it is another. If you’ve seen one too many TikTok videos about heatless curls and you’re finally ready to take the plunge and try it for yourself for the first time, follow along for our step-by-step tutorial on how to get bouncy curls without any hot styling tools.
How do you curl your hair with heatless curlers?
Start first with damp hair and some styling products. “I recommend using a curl cream,” says Gina Rivera, hair stylist and owner of Phenix Salon Suites. “Emulsify it in the palm of your hands for even distribution throughout damp hair, from roots to ends.” If you want, you can also prep your hair with some mousse, texture spray, or hairspray.
Next, take sections of the hair, and braid or wrap them around the heatless curler (this could be a rod, belt, sock, or whatever you’re using). You want to place it on the top of your head like a headband and use a clip to keep it in place. Rivera says to start at the root and continue wrapping to the ends. The amount of hair you section off will depend on the hairstyle you want: “Smaller sections will create tighter curls and more curls, and bigger sections will give you looser curls,” she says.
If you’re using a pair of tights specifically, you can French braid the tights into your hair, using the leg of the stockings as the third section of hair (see celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan’s heatless curls tutorial below).
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But how do you sleep in heatless curls overnight, you ask? Simply secure the ends with hair ties to keep everything in place, and go to sleep. In the morning, undo your braids, shake out the waves, and get ready for beautiful curls.
Is it best to do heatless curls with wet or dry hair?
Neither wet nor dry hair, actually. Damp hair is best, says Rivera. She doesn’t recommend using heatless curls on wet hair because it “is vulnerable and expands, so wrapping or braiding wet hair and sleeping on it can cause breakage,” she explains. Rather, she says, using heatless curls on damp hair “allows the hair to dry and mold without tension, which gives the curls more definition with longer longevity.”
How do you get heatless curls to last?
When you’re not heat-styling your strands, frizzy or curly hair sometimes wants to revert back to its original state. Before removing the curlers, make sure your hair is completely dry. “If any dampness is left in the hair, it will cause your curls to straighten out,” says Rivera. And we don’t want all that hard work to go to waste.
“After the hair is completely dry, run your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to separate the curls and let it be,” Rivera says. “Try not to run your hands or fingers through your hair throughout the day. The natural oils from the scalp and your fingers could potentially straighten out the hair.”
What is the best heatless curler?
While our Glamour editors have tried all the hair-curling hacks, we prefer a heatless curling ribbon or rod for shiny, bouncy, full curls. Specifically, we love the Heatless Hair Build Your Own Curling Ribbon Kit.
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The heatless hair curler, which retails for as low as $46, comes with the 100% silk curling ribbon, two silk scrunchies, and a matching claw clip. The technique is fairly straightforward: Start with damp or dry hair, and place the ribbon over your head like a headband, using the clip to hold it in place. Twist sections of hair around the ribbon, adding a little more to each section as you go, and tie off the sections at the bottom with the scrunchies. Sleep, hit the gym, or hang out for a few hours, and then shake out for perfect curls. Seems easy enough.
Read on for our honest Heatless Hair reviews.
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Bella Cacciatore, former beauty writer
Not to brag, but I have great hair (don’t worry, my skin more than makes up for it). It’s somewhere between straight and wavy, and does pretty much whatever I want it to with minimal fuss, so I figured I’d have an easy time with the Heatless Hair curler. After halfway blow-drying my hair and applying some Pantene smoothing serum, it took me two tries to get what I felt like were even sections of hair—I’ve never been a good braider. Getting them wrapped tightly enough around the ribbon also took a few tries, but once I figured that out, it was easy enough.
The next morning I found the side I slept on had almost totally fallen out, while the other remained as tightly wrapped as the night before. I actually liked both results—bouncy but not prom-y curls on one side, looser beach waves on the other—and both only looked better as the day went on and they got a little more lived-in. I just wish both sides matched, so from now on I’ll be popping this on for a few hours during the day to circumvent my side-sleeping ways.
Anna Moesleine, deputy editor
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My hair is stick straight and has a mind of its own—most mornings, I just air-dry and let it do its thing—so I was a little skeptical going in. That said, you always want what you can’t have; I’ll try anything that promises to deliver beautiful waves without heat damage. The instructions were clear, and I was able to get my hair in place without too much issue.
I kept it in overnight; in the morning I woke up to the bounciest curls of my life. I looked as if I had just walked out of the salon. But! I made the horrible error of not using any product or hairspray, so my hair was flat again within the hour. I’ll use this again, and learn from my mistakes.
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