Ask & You Shall Receive: What To Look For In Heated Rollers

My sister, who has been growing her hair out from a cropped style over the last few months, recently decided that she wanted to buy a set of heated rollers. Unfortunately she didn't know which ones to go for, so of course she got on the blower to me for advice, which was a bit unfortunate as I don't think I've ever used heated rollers in my life. It took a bit of careful studying of the merits of each potential candidate, but ultimately we settled on a worthy winner*.

If you're thinking of doing similar, there are a couple of things you should really consider before parting with your cash.

How many rollers are in the set?
Some have just 12, which is unlikely to be sufficient to do a full head of hair if your barnet's long or thick. The sister's hair is just about chin length but she has an awful lot of it - wagon - and while 12 rollers would just about cover it, it would be a bit of a stretch and we reckoned she'd probably end up trying to cram a load of hair in to the last one at the nape of her neck. We decided early on to opt for a set of 18-to-20 rollers instead.

What sizes are they?
The bigger the roller, the looser the resultant curl will be. If you're primarily concerned with creating waves and body, look for sets that contain large rollers. For versatility, a set that contains two or three sizes of roller is ideal.

How are they held in place?
U-shaped pins are commonly used to keep heated rollers in place, but butterfly clips are easier to get to grips with. They'll also hold rollers securely in place while you go about your business, without looking like you're partaking in a posture lesson from the 1950s as you keep your head ... very ... still ...

How long's the heat up time?
Given that most heated rollers need to be left in for at least 15 minutes to do their thing, having to waiting around for ages while they actually get hot seems a bit tedious, not to mention time consuming. Some that we looked at gave no indication of their heat up time, while others needed 20 minutes to reach the desired temperature; if time is of the essence to you, seek a set that will be ready to use quickly.

Do you want variable temperature control?
Fine hair that can hold a curl doesn't need to be blasted with heat unnecessarily. A variable temperature control enables you to use the lowest heat setting that your hair requires and minimise the potential for heat damage.

Have you any tips of your own to share?

* Babyliss ThermoCeramic Heated Hair Rollers, €39.99 in Argos