How to Use Spiral Curlers: Beginner’s Curling Guide

how to use spiral curlers

how to use spiral curlers

If you love to curl your hair into well-defined spirals but want to take a break from using your curling iron or want to avoid it altogether, one of the most effective ways to do it is the classic way — curlers! This gives you what you want without causing any heat damage! 

The method may be old school, but the tools have come a long way since rollers were invented. Case in point: spiral curlers! These look nothing like your momma’s curlers.

If you are still not sure how to use spiral curlers on your hair, I have got you covered. In this guide, I will tell you all you need to know about the most healthy way to get perfect curls.

What Are Spiral Curlers?

I get why a lot of people want to curl their hair – curls can look very elegant and stylish, but only if you do them the right way. There are different types of curls that you can get, such as tight curls, regular curls, and loose beach curls that look more like waves. There are different techniques that should be used for each type of curl, but one of the easiest techniques includes the amazing spiral curlers.

The term “spiral curlers” could refer to a couple of things.

  • The beauty and hair care giant Conair has come up with foam rollers and branded them as Conair Spiral Rollers. 
  • The term could also refer to Curlformers® an innovative product invented by the Hair Flair company

Conair Spiral Rollers

The traditional plastic curlers are not that easy to use, and they can cause some discomfort while being attached to your head. This is because they pull on the hair. They can also tangle the hair. On top of this, they might not give you the results you want as curls made with them do not look that natural.

This is where Conair’s curlers come in – they do not cause any discomfort, they are very easy to use, and they give you natural-looking curls. The rod is super squishy foam, but the middle part and the ends are made from plastic. You wrap a section of hair around one of these babies, and then twist to secure them in place. 

Curlformers® Spiral Curlers

A Curlformers® kit contains a number of spiral-shaped curlers, plus one or two hooks that will aid in threading your hair through them. These are a natural, heat-free, and damage-free way of creating spiral curls without the use of a curling iron or rod. They are a wonderful and timely upgrade from your granny’s rollers.

How to Use Spiral Curlers: The Basic Technique

 

Technique is key when it comes to creating good curls with spiral curlers. This guide will help you form the basic technique can be used on all types of spiral curlers. However, when you use the curlers, make sure that you are being gentle with the hair and you are not rushing yourself.

I would recommend trying out this technique only if you have at least five or six hours of free time. That is approximately how long it will take for the curlers to do their thing and the curls to form on your hair. If you have enough free time and you want to get some nice-looking curls, you can proceed to follow the steps of the guide.

Step 1 – Prepare Your Hair

For this curling technique, you do not need your hair to be wet, but you do want it to be at least a little damp. It can be freshly washed, but I recommend letting it air-dry or towel-drying it before you actually apply the curlers.

When washing your hair, make sure to do so using curl-enhancing shampoo as that can really help make the curls look better. You can apply a bit of leave-in conditioner or curling moose, depending on your preference. The conditioner can help you eliminate frizz and keep the hair under control which is very helpful in a case like this.

Once you see that your hair is only a bit damp, you can move on to the next step.

Step 2 – Detangle and Section Your Hair

Having tangles in your hair is not going to be helpful when trying to make curls, so you definitely need to detangle the hair before doing anything else. You should brush your hair thoroughly and make sure it is all smooth and flat.

Next, you should section your hair. Depending on what type of curls you are going for, you can make smaller or bigger sections. I recommend doing smaller sections just because the hair will be able to dry more quickly and your curls will look more natural that way.

Step 3 – Place Your Hair in the Curlers

For Conair Spiral Rollers

When you take one section, make sure that no stray strands are mixing with it. You can use your fingers to gently comb the section again before you wrap it around the curling rod. I recommend starting with the hair that is on top of your head.

Place the rod around the midsection of your hair and start rolling the ends around the roller first, then move the roller towards the roots of your hair gently and slowly. Once you have rolled the entire section, you can take both ends of the spiral curler and fold them towards the middle, securing their place on your head.

You should really squish the curling rod because you do not want it to move and mess up your curl. If you see that the roller is moving, you can try adding some hairspray to hold it or just try to wrap the hair around it once again. Do this for each section of hair.

Watch this demo:

For Curlformers® Spiral Rollers

Prepare the roller by pushing the hook into one end of the roller and out the other. 

Take a section of hair (like an inch) and make sure it’s tangle-free and there are no stray strands. Twist the part of the lock that’s close to the roots around your finger and place it in the hook. Gently pull the section of hair through the curler. Your sections should be small and, again, you should be very gentle with the hair so it doesn’t break and so all the strands get inside the curler.

Repeat this process for each section of hair.

Watch the demo:

Step 4 – Wait It out

Once you cover all your hair with the spiral curlers, all you can do is wait for them to create the perfect curls.

It takes around five hours for the curls to fully form, but you can leave the curlers in longer if you want. You can even try sleeping with the curlers, although that might be a bit uncomfortable. On the other hand, if you want your curls to be looser and to look more like beach waves, you should take the curlers out after a few hours.

If you are worried that the curlers might move around and mess up your curls, you can also try wrapping a towel or a scarf around your hair. My advice is to wrap your hair with a silk scarf – that way, your curlers will not move and the scarf will help eliminate frizz.

Step 5 – Remove the Spiral Curlers

After waiting for the recommended time, you should remove the curlers and reveal your curls. While doing this, you have to be very gentle with the hair and not pull on it as that can damage the curl pattern. Depending on what type of curl you are going for, you can brush through your hair or just leave it as it is.

The curls should last anywhere from a few hours to a full day, depending on what kind of hair you have and if it can hold a curl. If you want your curls to last longer, you can always spray them with a bit of hair spray to keep them intact. The good thing is that even if your curls disappear after a while, you can always repeat this technique and make new ones – the curlers do not damage the hair and are safe for use!

How Often Can You Use Spiral Curlers?

Spiral curlers style the hair without any heat, so they can be used more often than curling irons and similar hair tools. However, they can pull on the hair and cause breakage in the hair strands, so that is something to keep in mind.

I would recommend using spiral curlers two or three times a week. If you have more oily hair and you wash it more often, you can increase the use to up to five times a week, but you have to be very careful not to break your hair with all the pulling and rolling. Still, these kinds of spiral curlers are safer to use than curling irons, so you should definitely stick to using them rather than using hot tools.

FAQs on Spiral Curlers

Now you know the most important thing about spiral curlers which is how to use them on your hair. You are ready to start styling your hair, but I think you could use a bit more information before you get to it. Here is one of the most frequently asked questions about spiral curlers.

How do you use spiral curls on short hair?

I would say that the Conair spiral curlers are great, but they are not quite suitable for shorter hair. If your hair is shoulder-length or longer, they will help you make awesome curls, but if your hair is any shorter, they will not be that helpful. If you want to do spiral curls on short hair, I would recommend trying out another technique.

That’s All You Need to Know on How to Use Spiral Curlers!

If you read all the way to the end of this guide, congrats – you now know how to use spiral rollers on your hair as well as what your alternative curling options are! All of these options are heat-free and won’t cause damage to the hair, so you will be able to protect your hair while keeping it as stylish as ever!

Let me know if you have ever tried using spiral curlers or any other type of curlers on your hair. I cannot wait to read all about your curling experiences so far!

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