My hair has been an endless source of frustration for me lately. It’s not really a cut issue or a color issue – though I could certainly use help in both of those areas, but we’ll save that discussion for another day when I have access to a licensed counseling professional who can help me Express My Hair-Related Feelings and Evaluate My Unreasonable Hair Expectations – it’s mostly a texture issue. I feel like my hair has gotten very fine and very flyaway and very no-I-will-not-behave-for-longer-than-ten-minutes-no-matter-how-much-hairspray-you-use.
Unfortunately, I cannot put my hair in time out.
But OH, IF I COULD.
Anyway, I’ve been frustrated by my hair’s general lack of purpose. It’s a weird length right now – longer than normal but not as long as I want it to be – and I don’t really know what to do with it while I’m waiting for it to (hopefully) reach its style destination. Drying it with the round brush just makes it super flat, and using Velcro rollers gives me spectacular results for a full 30 to 45 seconds.
So.
Yesterday I was in Walmart, and as I made my way to the hair spray aisle, an old friend caught my eye. And in a moment of inspiration or desperation – I’m not sure which – I picked up that old friend and threw it in my cart and $15 later, we’re BFFs again.
TOTAL. BFFs.
LYLAS!
This morning I used every single one of those hot rollers. Everysingleone. And after I took out the rollers and fixed my hair, it took me RIGHT BACK to 1988. Quite frankly the volume was unprecedented. All that was missing was an oversized (detachable) lace collar and some pastel Connie flats. And shoulder pads. And acid-washed jeans.
And Paul Mitchell Freeze-n-Shine.
This morning’s volume was so uncharacteristic that I felt a little bit like I needed to tame the curls before I went out in public. After all, I didn’t want people to feel like they’d been transported back in time to the set of “Designing Women.” But after I worked with it a little bit, I felt like the hot rollers really helped. My hair had way more body than it has the last few months, and it’s actually still a little bit curly right now. I don’t know what to make of this phenomenon.
And you know what else? I always think of the 80s as being a fairly tragic time for hair, but now I’m thinking that the 80s actually taught us some valuable hair lessons. I mean, obviously we’re supposed to discard the part of our 80s hair history where we wore banana clips that matched our outfits and teased our bangs into nests and tied large pieces of tulle into gigantor hairbows. But maybe – just maybe – it’s time for us to embrace our Hot Roller Heritage.
Maybe – just maybe – it’s time for us to admit that hot rollers can take us to places that round brushes cannot.
That’s a hard word, I know. But I speak the truth in love.
And regardless of your hair styling preferences, I hope with all my heart that today brings you big hair and big dreams.
Big hair and big dreams.
Amen.
You are precious, in every way possible. :)
Looking for some new hairspray. I just discovered Aussie Hi Spray Hi Shine. By ACCIDENT! Oh what a find. And I could actually be way behind in this knowledge. But anyway, It holds my newly cut bangs straight back with my pony tail with no clip. I mean, I just hold them back and spray and THEY DONT MOVE. Woah, wish I had this in the 80’s.
Help! I’ve always wanted to use them, BUT I DON’T KNOW HOW!
I was 9 when the 80’s moved on to the land of the lost, and I don’t know how to use me some hot rollers.
Help a girl out, Boomama!
So that my hair may be used for His Glory,
Brittnie
Oh Freeze-and-Shine – that smell would zap me back instantly to 1986.
My plan is go grow my hair out just so I can hot roll it.
You know who inspired me? Gretchen.
I still have my hot rollers, and though I am a thrower-away-of-things, I don’t think I will be able to ever get rid of them. I haven’t used them in 10 years, but they will always have a place in my bathroom cabinet. Because you never know when you will need a little Designing Women.
LYLAS – oh my, I had not heard that since the 80’s…
Missed you this weekend – Melanie said it was your husband’s birthday – missed your sweet smile and your curls.
I love the post. I love even more that there are 106 comments as I write mine. Hair issues unite us all.
something must be wrong with me, because every time I use a round brush, I tangle my hair to the point of tears… and ALMOST to the point of scissors.
why?
I haven’t used hot rollers since I know at least 1988 (based on pictures of me getting ready for high school graduation). I’ve wondered lately… what if? would they? could they?
Interesting you posted this brand. I’ve wondered seeing them at Target and Walmart lately what’s a good kind nowadays.
I’ll give this some serious thought….
If I’m being honest, I have to say I wish I knew how to use rollers properly, as my experience with them only taught me that hair can look like crazy spiders with twisted tweaked legs, and honeyjustDON’T.
So I don’t know…part of me wants to rush out and buy some because HELLOOO you introduced me to John Freida’s volume spray, but the other part of me fears I’ll grow a pair of teal leggings with STIRRUPS if I give in immediately.
Sigh. I’m conflicted. I’ll need to pray on this one.
ahhhhhh….banana clips…those were the days!
So glad to hear I’m not alone in my hot roller addiction. It’s the ONLY way to go for thin hair!
Leaving for Kenya Tuesday. Still need to find a way to connect at church!!
brilliant.
until a few months ago, i hadn’t used curlers since my mom would put them in for me when i was in about the fifth grade. but my hair was starting to HATE my straightener.
SO
i went to my parents’ house and got the SAME ones from my childhood.
and they have made ALL the difference :)
The person who wrote this could be me:
Bringing back some great memories… I remember hotrolling my hair in the 5th grade. 5TH GRADE!? Did you go so far as to tuck little tissue squares under the ones by your ears so as to not burn them? Classy.
Except I was definitely hotrolling as early as 1st grade in 1986. Well, my momma was doing it for me.
This post was great! Made me laugh AND I can sooo relate! I was having this exact same problem about 6-8 months ago. I found an AMAZING product. It’s the Back to Basics hairspray. It’s kinda expensive, but I believe soooo well worth the money. I usually get it at Ulta when I have a coupon so it isn’t quite so bad. You really should try it at least once. I’m not normally a product person, but this one….you MUST try at least once. It changed my hair-life!! :)
What I love most about this post = LYLAS.
I would like to applaud you for bringing that back into my life. (: KIT.
Amen Sister! Preach on! I just bought my 1st set of hot rollers since 1982 at wal-mart last month. They are fabulous! I have come home too! I identified with ALL your hair frustrations! It’s good to be home.
I am so happy flat lifeless greasyish looking hair is out and volume is back!
I was just contemplating hot rollers the other day. I was super excited to read your post.
Sally Hansen here I come!
Hilarious! Pictures, please, to inspire my uncoordinated fingers to maybe, just maybe, try the rollers again. I’ve embraced my straightness for the moment. Kind of.
Salon Selectives. Crazy high-to-heaven bangs. Acid-washed jeans. Banana clips. I’ll be smiling for awhile!
Oh my word. Big hair is NEVER something I have to work at. I have ultra thick, curly hair so BIG just kinda comes natural.
Now, when I chopped it all off to my ears, THAT was tragic.
You always make me laugh out loud!! I’ve actually still got my hot rollers from the 80s…and they work…and my teenage daughter has tried them!
Cracked me up. . .loved the post. . .LOVED my hot rollers back in the day–I never upgraded to the fancy velour covered ones. . .I had the three sized, hard plastic with the rubber coated pins–peach, mint green, and light blue.
BTW–it was Stiff Stuff on my bangs when I was in college and Dippit Doo all over my head when I was a little girl.
Just seeing the words I can smell the Paul Mitchell Freeze and Shine–takes me right back to 8th grade.
Dippity-Doo do they still make that stuff?
Givin’ a shout out to big hair and big dreams! Oh, and a picture please of your hair after curlers. :) I go through seasons, particularly when I have longer hair, of using hot rollers…I like ’em. But today, sadly, was a flat hair day. In fact, I don’t even know if I even looked in the mirror though to see what shape it was in. It was one of those kinda mommy days. :)
I feel like I’ve been living in a time warp. I’ve been using hot rollers in my hair since 1977 when I finally got it cut in a shoulder-length shag and never got it to look ANYTHING like Farrah’s do. I guess I’ve never learned to use anything else! It’s the only thing that puts any volume at all in the thin, fine, straight mop that grows out of my skull.
You are too much! I have, however, finally discovered the trick to managing my unruly hair at the ripe old age of 41. Now if I only had my 80s body to go with my great hair (haha). But never completely surrender your round brush – nothing else works as well for a pretend microphone!
Went out and bought some today. And my hair looked great last night. Thanks!
Meant to say bought them yesterday!
I remember my first. Given to me for Christmas, 1969, by my mom’s coolest friend, they thrilled me to my roots–literally. I’ve never been without a set since. On the (very) short list with a good-fitting bra and a best friend who tells no tales, they are among life’s essentials.
Oh, honey. HONEY. I just LOVE me some hot rollers…medium, large, extra large. I totally rock them on a regular basis! It’s the easiest way to get my hair to behave for a good 2-8 hours, depending on what it’s mood is each day.
I’m so excited to hear you’re back on the bandwagon! Rock on, roller girl!
Soph…
I have the same exact hot rollers and Lurv them almost as much as I lurv reading your blog. Big hair will never die. Never.
The end!
Amen!! I went to a “Steel Magnolias” party last April and we all dressed accordingly. The funniest part of it was that I thought my hair looked the prettiest it had looked in years. I think my sense of beauty has been forever affected by being a teen in the 80s (class of ’88, thankyouverymuch). While I never had the sense of style others had (read that as the ability to handle hair and makeup… still don’t have it, my sister got those genes), my brain seems to have been permanately altered. Big, soft hair = pretty. Even if I don’t live it.
Rock on, rollers!
I’m only 19 but I’ve a set of my Aunt’s heated rollers from the 60’s and I swear they are the best ever! They only take about 15mins to work in my hair, control all the frizz and actually make my mad hair shine!
That was the funniest post EVER!
LYLAS! love it.
Oh, no, you did NOT say ‘LYLAS’!!! HAHAHAHAAA!!!
Ahhh, the memories. Hair rollers, tons of hair spray, using my vented brush and hair dryer on the sides of my hair at the hairline above my ears. Great post!
Oh and by the way, you can still get Paul Mitchell Freeze and Shine! Saw it in the “beauy shop” at Wal-Mart the other day.
I, too, have been in distress over my tress. I’m in that ‘inbetween stage’, and no…the flat iron, flat brush, curling iron, nor the round brush could make heads or tails of my mane.
So, a few months ago I took myself down to the WalMart(s), like you did for yourself, and pick me up a new BFF, too. And do you know that I’ve gotten more compliments on my HOT-ROLLED HEAD than I ever did with either iron?
So now, mine are plugged in and warming up while I drink my coffee and catch up on my blog reading this fine, cold Sunday morning.
“I mean, obviously we’re supposed to discard the part of our 80s hair history where we wore banana clips that matched our outfits and teased our bangs into nests and tied large pieces of tulle into gigantor hairbows. But maybe – just maybe – it’s time for us to embrace our Hot Roller Heritage.”
Amen, Sister, Amen!
“LYLAS!” ROFLOL!!!!!!!
I lllllooooovvvveeee hot rollers!!! I am one of those people that CANNOT have flat hair. I try but it’s just NOT me!! I love the fact that you can roll your hair and basically do NOTHING else! You can calm it a little or leave it be! you GO girl!
First time here and love it :)
Kristi
I just read this and had to comment because your post took me back even further than your memories. I’ve used electric rollers (as they were called when they first came out) since the ’60s–by Clairol–and the best hairspray of all time–Final Net! :)
Oh, I bought a set of hot rollers last month (my first ever) because I’m having the same problem as you! However, the darn things DO NOT stay on my head, they keep sliding off. I tried them a total of ONE time. It was enough for me. Now I have a new set of Connair Instant Heat hot rollers (with 4 jumbo size rollers) that I don’t know what to do with. Maybe I’ll have a “give-away”.
I have coarse, thick, curly hair and when it starts to get long, the only thing that makes it feel smooth and soft is a few minutes in my Caruso Molecular Instant Hairsetter (I am thinkin I’ve had a double set since the late 80’s), which is basically sponge rollers that are steamed. I can go from a gentle lift and smooth to a tight ringlet curl depending on which size curler and how tightly I wrap the hair around the curler. So not only do hotcurlers work for those with fine limp hair, they also work for those of us with hair that needs taming!
no lie, i did the EXACT same thing several months ago in a very weak moment. bought the EXACT same rollers from target and therefore probably spent several dollars more. i didn’t work out so well, maybe i should have bouth the PM freeze and shine too like the good old days!
I love hot rollers! I get compliments on my hair every time I use them. Now go to Target and buy you some L”Oreal Elna hair spray. It’s a tall gold can. Go for the extra hold. Not stiff at all. keeps the style, blocks the humidity you can comb through it later in the day and the style stays good. worth every penny. Just bought my first can 3 months ago and won’t change brands for a long long time.
Trust me on this–
g