Having fine hair doesn’t mean you have to miss out on those voluminous curls and hair styles you often seen Hollywood A-listers sporting in films. You may have spent many hours upside down with a blow dryer trying to add volume that you feel like you have vertigo. And a trip to a salon sometimes involves sitting under a heat hood trying to set the curls a beautician has created for you.
But you can achieve those big bouncy curls at home, without damaging your already fragile, fine hair. There’s no need for masses of hair spray and volumizing mousse, or spending hours staring at the floor with a blow dryer in one hand and a brush in the other. Hot rollers are one of the most effective styling devices available and there are many that can work wonders for your fine hair.
Hot rollers use the application of heat to break down the hydrogen bonds in the cortex of each hair resulting in big curls and bouncy waves. You may worry the heat will damage your fine hair but knowing how much heat your hair can take and choosing the most suitable hot rollers can help lock those curls in, even with the finest hair. The best hot rollers for fine hair are often different to other products for thicker or other hair types. Hot rollers will add texture and body to hair that would otherwise be boring and flat in its natural state.
- 12 velvety flocked jumbo rollers (1½")
- Nano titanium rollers generate far-infrared heat for faster styling
- 12 butterfly clips and 12 color-coded metal clips
- Instant heat 20 ceramic flocked rollers
- Features argan oil fusion for conditioning and less frizz
- Instant heat for 2-minute heat-up
- Includes 30 molecular foam rollers - 6 petite, 6 small, 6 medium, 6 large, and 6 jumbo - with 3 comb clips for shorter hair
- Delivers 3 times the steam of regular steam setters
- The only patented steam hair setting sytem with worldwide dual voltage
- Ionic Conditioning - Frizz-free and beautiful! The ceramic rollers activate ionic technology to seal the hair cuticle and...
- 10 Rollers - A full set of clips for a head full of beautiful curls.
- Two Sizes - This set includes five medium (1") rollers and five large (1¼") rollers.
- Twenty multi-size, tangle-free rollers; Eight 1/2-inch (small) , Six 3/4-inch (medium), Six 1-inch (large)
- Compact plastic hairsetter
- Ready signal - lights up red when hairsetter is on and ready to use
Different Types of Hot Rollers for Fine Hair
There are many different brands of hot rollers but they all fall into one of three main categories:
Ceramic or Titanium Infused
These types of rollers tend to work best on fine hair as they use ionic technology and/or far infrared heat to protect the fine hair from overexposure to heat. Ceramic is much more common as it’s cheaper but titanium conducts heat much better and is also significantly lighter. Most rollers of this type heat up in one to two minutes and are ideal for use on both fine or damaged hair as the heat they produce is more gentle. The resulting hairstyles are shiny, frizz-free and locked in curls.
Wax Core Rollers
For hair more difficult to curl or fine hair which needs longer to set, wax core rollers are an ideal choice. The wax in the roller holds the heat generated for much longer periods than ceramic or metal. This can result in much firmer set styles but prolonged exposure to heat may damage some finer hairs.
Sponge Rollers
For ladies in a hurry, sponge rollers can be a great choice. These rollers use steam to heat up swiftly and are capable of providing shiny curls within 10 minutes. The moisture can lead to damp hair and sometimes these styles are better followed by a gentle blow dry.
The Size of the Rollers
Most hot roller sets come with a variety of roller sizes, usually ranging from the smaller 0.8-inch rollers to larger 1.5-inch rollers, (jumbo rollers of 1.75 to 2 inches are also available). The size of a roller can be an important factor for what type of curls are produced and how long they last.
The smaller hot rollers make tighter curls and are generally more suitable for use on shorter hair. Larger rollers result in many more waves and add volume to the hair. Using a combination of different-sized rollers at the same time can help achieve a unique look and give you just the right amount of volume.
When considering hot rollers for fine hair it’s important to look at how many rollers are included, what different sizes are included and how easy it is to order spare rollers. Unless your hair is very long or dense, 10 rollers of varying sizes should be enough for most styles.
Tips for Using Hot Rollers for Fine Hair
If used correctly, you to can get those supermodel hairstyles even with fine hair. Professional stylists often use hot rollers to create long lasting styles and take great precaution not to cause any damage to the hair.
You should always ensure your hair is completely dry before using any hot rollers. Adding to wet or damp hair will just put the hair through too much heat for little results as styles won’t last.
Even though many of the hot rollers we’ve looked at have adjustable temperatures or heat the hair gently, taking extra steps like a heat protection spray before use is advisable. In addition, make sure you tuck in the ends of your hair as you curl to avoid split ends or the formation of a crease.
A fixing hairspray can be a useful addition to your hot rollers as styling fine hair can be relatively difficult when trying to keep curls in for a long period. Learning the right techniques will enable you to apply your styles quicker, using less heat. The following YouTube video looks at how to use hot rollers to achieve more volume and curls in your hair:
The Best Hot Rollers for Fine Hair
We’ve looked at many of the top-selling hot rollers available today and searched for features that make them safer to use on your delicate fine hair. You want a roller that can give big, bouncy curls or simply adds volume to otherwise lifeless hair without using too much damaging heat. The best hot rollers for fine hair should use ionic technology or advanced materials including ceramic or tourmaline to protect fragile fine hairs.
BaBylissPRO
Jumbo Roller Hairsetter With delicate, fine hair being more prone to heat damage this nano titanium hairsetter from Babyliss uses far infrared heat that penetrates the hair from the inside. This allows you to style your hair much quicker and is more gentle on the hair. Ion technology and titanium rollers work together to give beautiful curls while keeping the hair safe and healthy. Although bulkier and heavier than many similar units, the Babyliss Nano Titanium is dual voltage and ideal for use both at home and overseas. The included 20 flocked velvety rollers make it ideal for different styles for both thick and finer hair. Also included are butterfly clips and color coded clips for everything you need for a great finish.
Conair
Infiniti Pro These Tourmaline ceramic flocked rollers feature 12 different temperature settings suitable for all types of hair, especially thin or finer hair. If your hair is super fine, it’s advisable to start with the lowest of settings before experimenting to see how much heat your hair can take. The unit heats all 20 rollers in less than two minutes so you can start styling even faster. Tourmaline ceramic rollers evenly dispense the heat with no hot spots and are argan oil infused to ensure that your hair is properly conditioned without frizz or flyaways. Many customers with difficult to curl fine hair have been impressed with the abilities of these rollers and feel safer with the adjustable temperatures. The main issue with this unit seems to be the clips which can be tricky to manage or keep in place but this can be easily resolved by replacing with other easily available clips.
Caruso
ION Steam Hairsetter This ion steam hair styler claims to produce three times more steam than other popular brands due to the use of molecular steam and ions. Molecular steam particles penetrate each hair strand giving a healthier and shinier curl with more bounce and vitality. Molecular steam also conditions and moisturizes the hair as you set your curls, ideal for fine hair which needs the extra moisture, although women with slightly thicker hair may find it weighs the curls down too much. The Caruso comes with an attractive carry case and 30 rollers so you can style all your hair in one go. The unit makes a clicking sound as it fills the rollers with ionized steam and curls take only five minutes to set but can often last days even weeks in some cases.The first time using this product can be quite time consuming and confusing, but with a little experience you should be able to achieve great results and keep your hair healthy at the same time.
Remington
Compact Ceramic Hair Setter What makes this product stand out from many other similar priced hot rollers is the dual voltage abilities and ceramic ion technology it uses. Normally dual voltage rollers would cost so much more than these compact rollers from well-known, reliable brand, Remington. A compact carry case is ideal for storage or simply putting in your suitcase for vacations. These ceramic rollers have cool-touch ends to avoid burning fingers or scalp and use ionic conditioning to seal the cuticles and repel static and humidity for a frizz-free and smooth finish. A mixture of five medium and five larger rollers should enable you to cover all textures of hair and employ a color-coded clip system for confidant styling. A J-Clip system is specially designed to securely hold rollers in the hair without denting or creasing, which occurs so often in finer hairs.
Conair
Compact Hot Rollers This compact and travel-friendly set of hot rollers is the ideal solution for a weekend away, very affordable yet not too cheap or flimsy. These soft rollers use ceramic technology that requires just two minutes to heat up and releases negative ions that condition the hair and lead to an amazing shine. This hot roller set comes with 20 different sized hot rollers so you never have a roller size missing whatever your hair type requires, whether it be fine, thick, short or long. The Conair is very simple to use, with rollers holding the full volume of hair in their diameter and clips that don’t leave marks on the hair, like many other budget systems can. This is one of the best compact hair roller systems available with curls that last for hours, and it’s pink!
our #1 rated
Pros
Far infrared heat is much more gentle on your hair than direct heat.
Very quick to heat up—all 20 rollers heat up evenly together in efficient base unit.
Titanium has the greatest ionic ability of materials used in many rollers.
Different sized rollers
0.75 inch
1 inch and 1.25 inches
allow for many different styles.
Dual voltage
safe for use in every country.
Cons
Very bulky and heavy compared to many other roller sets.
Split in rollers where they sit over heating unit may catch your hair as you remove.
Clips are not the best quality.
our #2 rated
Pros
Tourmaline ceramic offers better protection and improved ionic abilities than traditional ceramic.
Heats up very quickly.
Choice of 12 temperature settings means you can experiment with less heat on delicate
fine hair.
Three roller sizes (0.75 inch
1 inch and 1.25 inches) allows for a variety of hairstyles.
Argan oil infusion conditions the hair and prevents frizz (even comes with a bonus bottle of argan oil).
Retractable cord makes for easy storage.
Cons
Clips included with set are difficult to put in and rollers often drop out of place easily.
Seams on rollers can get caught in hair.
May not be suitable for thicker hair—rollers aren’t large enough and argan oil may leave hair feeling a bit oily.
our #3 rated
Pros
Very portable with beautiful case included.
Very effective on fine hair—molecular steam reduces the amount of time needed to curl and how long fragile hair is exposed to heat.
Curls tend to last longer.
Much more steam than other models.
Easy to use—even for teens.
Good build quality
clips are great at sectioning the hair.
Affordable mid-range price.
Cons
Learning curve to use
may take a few attempts before getting best results.
Can only heat one roller at a time
but they do heat up very quickly.
Guards on rollers can leave unsightly dents in the hair.
Curlers aren’t color coded and can be hard to tell the difference between large and jumbo rollers.
Can be noisy
clicking sound when in ion mode.
Red light only lights up in ion mode.
our #4 rated
Pros
Compact
lightweight and dual voltage make these ideal for traveling with
especially overseas.
Ceramic technology ensures consistent high
even heat and professional performance.
Ionic technology reduces frizz.
Easy and safe to use
cool-touch ends of rollers protects fingers.
Affordable price.
Cons
Limited number and sizes of rollers—may not be suitable for people with very fine or very long hair.
Heat is evenly distributed but no lower temperature setting
extra-fine hair may burn.
Clips can weaken over time and rollers fall out of hair easily.
our #5 rated
Pros
Very portable
weighs only 2.6 pounds and size is 6 x 7.4 x 12.9 inches.
Ceramic technology ensures heat is dispersed evenly through the hair preventing hot spots or burning.
Negative ions prevent frizz and flyaways
Features over 20 rollers for all different types of hair.
Heats in short time and easy to use; dual heat feature.
Cons
Rollers and clips can get too hot to touch
need to wait until they cool.
Customers have reported burnt plastic smell on first few uses.
Dual heat settings may not offer enough control for extra-fine hair.
For something so portable it’s very disappointing this unit is only single voltage.
Our Choice
Just because you have fine hair doesn’t mean you should miss out on all those voluminous styles you see other women enjoying. Any one of the five hot rollers sets we’ve looked at, if used correctly, can give big luscious curls to the finest of hair. With its use of infrared technology and being specifically designed for fine hair, the Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium Hairsetter is, in our opinion, the best hot rollers set for fine hair. From one of the leading names in hair beauty products, these hot rollers will enable you to achieve great-looking hair and protect the health of your hair at the same time, and all for just over 50 bucks.
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