One of the fun things about running this blog is how generous my readers are. Sometimes you share styling tricks with me, and other times you send me things to try. That’s exactly how this experiment started. I shared in an email how I’d been seeing the videos regarding heatless curls, and Becky generously sent me the product because she said it hadn’t worked for her.
Quote of the day: “As far as I can tell, every great advance-whether in an individual life or the world at large-has come from dreams and attempts.
Devise more dreams. Make more attempts.” James Clear
I’m not here to sell you any products, but since I’ve been experimenting with my tube for over a month, I wanted to share some insights.
Women have been trying to curl their hair with different things for decades, right?
And sometimes, technology develops innovative products with better results.
Then again, sometimes not.
But just like everything, not all heatless curls are created equal. And I wanted to share my two cents and what I’ve learned.
Needless to say, I’m not an expert. I’m not a hairstylist. In fact, I think my hair is the least inspirational part of me. (Point in fact, during the span of negative comments on my FB videos, I had many women tell me that I needed to do something with my hair because it was awful).
So if you know a thing or two, please weigh in.
Yet I have written about hair in the past:
–Embracing natural curls
-When you have a bad hair day
–Hair routine when traveling
I wanted to share some insights I’ve discovered, such as which hair types might work best with this tool, and the tips that ChatGPT provided for achieving the best results.
What Are Heatless Curls?
The concept of heatless curls isn’t new. Women have been setting their hair without heat for centuries, right? I’m sure some of you remember rag curls, pin curls, and foam rollers. Heck, my mom talks about curling her hair on a paperboard carton from frozen orange juice concentrate. How do you sleep on those?
What’s different now is the resurgence of this idea, but using modern materials and adding a huge social media push. I kept seeing them on TikTok, which piqued my interest.
The heatless curler that Becky sent me looks like a long, padded tube (unicorn tube) that you place on top of your head, wrapping sections of hair around it. You secure the ends with scrunchies, or other versions have their own method.
Then, after a few hours (preferably overnight), you unravel everything to see if the magic happened.
How It Worked for Me
The overview about my hair is that it is naturally fine and a Type 3 (between a B & C) curly. I think.
Insider tip: If you don’t know the type of curls you have, Good Housekeeping has an overview.
While my hair has grown to mid-length in the last couple of years, it’s not as long as many of the women I saw in the TT videos.
What I wanted was a way to get nice curls without having to blow-dry my hair AND/OR use a curling iron.
The first time I tried, I put it in with damp hair (meaning pretty darn wet) before bed.
When I woke up and took out the curler, I had tight little curls that gave me Shirley Temple vibes. It was not quite what I was going for. Trust me, it was a ponytail day that day.
On the following attempts, I made sure my hair was dry first. Then I also wrapped larger sections, and was more mindful of how I twisted them. This gave me softer, bouncier waves that felt more wearable.
The result for me was very similar to when I had used hot rollers in the past.
Who Do Heatless Curls Work Best For?
Of course, everyone’s hair is very different. I did some research to find out what results different hair types could expect with heatless curlers like this.
- Fine hair (like mine): Works, but expect tighter curls at first. You’ll want to brush through them or style with your fingers for a looser look. Using a lightweight mousse or setting spray beforehand can help the curls hold.
- Medium to thick hair: I’ve heard that this is the sweet spot. Hair with some natural bend or wave tends to hold heatless curls beautifully. You may need to section carefully and dampen hair by spraying with water when wrapping it for the best definition.
- Very straight, heavy hair: This type can be tricky. One of my friends (Laura-you can check out her hair here) said the curls did not last for her.
- Short hair: This length of your hair also makes a difference. If your hair is chin-length, very layered, or shorter, wrapping it around the tube can be awkward. Shoulder-length and beyond gives you much more to work with.
But there are different heatless curl sets available. It’s not a one-size-fits-all.
Middle: Unicorn Type
Right: Individual Curlers
1. Octo/Octopus Style
The Octo style heatless curls have multiple strips to wrap your hair around, thus being better for longer and/or thicker hair.
Supposedly, it lies flatter on the head to make sleeping more comfortable.
2. Unicorn Tube
A single, satin long tube that you twist your hair from both sides and secure.
3. Smaller Tubes
These are individual bendy tubes to use in many separate sections across your head.
Insider tip: I have used my unicorn tube for my bangs only, and just folded the extra in the front. This was probably my favorite for sleep comfort.
Tips & Tricks for Success
Like any beauty tool, there’s a learning curve. So I asked ChatGPT what the tips and tricks would be for heatless curls.
AI is also a great option if you buy something like this and don’t know how to use it. Or search YouTube, as there are a ton of videos that could be helpful.
- Start with slightly damp hair. Too wet, and it won’t dry in time. Too dry, and the curl won’t hold. Think “lightly misted” instead of fresh out of the shower.
My input: Too wet was not much different than my normal air-dried curls. I saw many TT content creators use a spray bottle to wet their hair before wrapping. - Use styling products. A mousse, curl cream, or light hairspray before wrapping can make all the difference in holding the curl.
My input: I found a better result when I combed through my hair with my mousse before wrapping (this is what I’ve been using, but it’s not available now) - Play with section size. Smaller sections equal tighter curls. Larger sections give softer, looser waves.
My input: Not only did I like the larger sections better, but I also saw one creator push the hair up higher on the tube after all the wrapping. Another one doubled the tube for the lower wraps so they wouldn’t be so tight. - Secure it well. If you’re sleeping in it, make sure it feels comfortable and won’t shift around.
My input: My bangs did like to pull out overnight, so I used a bobby pin or two. - Expect to brush it out. Don’t panic if you look like a poodle at first. Curls always relax after brushing or even just running your fingers through them.
My input: I liked using my fingers more than a brush or comb. - Experiment! Like with your clothing style, the first time might not be perfect.
My input: YES. If you bought it, don’t give up. There are a ton of videos available to give you all kinds of different options.
Another step that many creators used was to sleep in a silk bonnet. I have one, but I don’t consider it comfortable, so I didn’t try that step.
However, I do sleep on a satin pillowcase.
One thing I’ve learned is that I’m quite a fusspot when it comes to sleeping, LOL.
Pros/Cons
As with everything, there are pros and cons, right? What is a pro for one person may be a con for another, so take these all with a grain of salt.
Pros:
-Easy to put in. With my thin hair, it really only took less than 5 minutes to put in my hair.
Cons:
–Sleep-I couldn’t sleep comfortably with my contour pillow. Not sure what a contour pillow is? I have shared why I use it. Thus, I had to borrow Rob’s “normal” pillow. (see my updated info below the photo)
While I was sleeping on my back, it was a 7 out of 10 comfy, but it didn’t feel good when I turned to my side.
EXCEPT when I used it for my bangs only. Then I had no issues sleeping.
Insider tip: If you are a side sleeper, this video shows how she changed up using her unicorn tube. I may try this, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep on my back, I expect.
After seeing that video, I decided to try putting the curler closer to my face (in front of my ears instead of behind my ears) and was able to sleep on my contour pillow much better.
Final Thoughts
No woman wants to damage her hair with excessive heat daily, I presume. Sure, the advantage of our curling iron is that it’s a fast option. But daily use can be detrimental, I believe.
Am I ditching my curling iron forever? Negative.
But I do think heatless curls have earned a spot in my styling routine. They’re easy, kinder to hair, and create a different look than hot tools.
Would I recommend them? Yes, no, maybe. It all depends, right? We’re old enough to realize that results can vary.
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