Costing a fraction of expensive hair styling tools, this curling trick works while you sleep, with users swearing they are “never using heat again”.
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Going to bed with straight hair, waking up with curls — it sounds too good to be true.
But that’s exactly what a heatless curling headband will do, with the added bonus of costing a fraction of the price of heat styling tools that can also lead to hair damage in the process.
It’s taken off on TikTok as well, where the hashtag #heatlesscurls has racked up a whopping 1.5 billion views and celebrities like Abbie Chatfield have documented themselves trying out the trend.
“They literally look like my roller curls, I’m shook,” @lilyvanbrooklyn shared in a before and after video that’s been viewed 7.8 million times.
“Honestly never using heat again,” another TikTok user @kayli.boyle said in a video of her jaw-dropping results.
But does it pass the hairdresser test? According to Jaye Edwards, EdwardsAndCo owner, founder and colourist, yes it does.
“Heatless hair curlers have gained popularity as post covid hair health has become a huge priority for people,” he told news.com.au.
“Now that we’re all back at the office and time poor, it’s super time saving, as you sleep with them in.”
Read on for our expert guide to using one to get the best results.
This is the most common kind of heatless curling headband you can find and best if you want your curls to resemble a wavy blowout.
MH MOIHSING Women Girls Silk Ribbon Hair Rod, Amazon Australia, $14.40 (RRP $21.99)
This is Amazon Australia’s best-selling heatless curling headband and promises to deliver perfect wavy curls.
The four-piece set includes a 98cm ribbon made from ABS and silicone, two satin scrunchies and a plastic claw clip to help you secure the ribbon headband at the top.
“I was going to buy a $50 set of these heatless curlers but jumped on Amazon instead,” one five-star reviewer writes.
“Lucky I did, these work so good, after I wash my hair I dry with a blow dryer or let it air dry then add some styling mousse and wrap my hair around the headband.
“When I wake up in the morning I have beautiful curls, my hair is very long – 24 inches – and I have no issues using this product, it also is super comfortable to sleep in.”
Smarban Heatless Curling Rod Headband, Amazon Australia, $17.99
This heatless curling headband comes with a 96cm rubber rod headband that won’t deform over time.
The pack also includes two satin scrunchies, a satin hair tie (to secure your hair back) and two hair clips.
Footloose Hair Curler Rod Stretchy Labor-Saving Soft Heatless Curling Headband, Catch, $18.10
Using a spongy headband roller that’s roughly 90cm long, this curling headband is another affordable alternative to heat styling.
The pack includes two satin scrunchies and a plastic hair clip to keep your hairstyle in place while you sleep.
Pintaur Heatless Hair Curler, Amazon Australia, $14.99
This heatless hair curler headband is made from sponge, which Pintaur claims is durable enough to spring back into shape 100,000 times.
The pack includes the headband, two satin scrunchies and a claw clip. Shoppers say this heatless curler is “so so easy to use and comfy to sleep in too”.
BEST OCTOPUS HEATLESS CURLING HEADBAND
This heatless curling headband is its name because of its long, tentacle-like fabric ribbons that hang from the elastic headband that sits on top of your head like a crown.
In a TikTok video that racked up more than 100,000 views in May, Abbie said she was “obsessed” with the results after sleeping in an octopus heatless hair curler overnight to style her hair for an early morning photo shoot.
Her only caveat was that it curled more the ends of her hair, making it better suited if you wanted curls for a half up hairdo.
IEHOME Heatless Hair Curler, Amazon Australia, $15.79
This budget hair curler features (you guessed it) eight satin “hair sticks” to curl your hair while you sleep.
The heatless hair curler is made from soft cotton and has an adjustable headband to make sure it sits comfortable on your head.
Octopus Heatless Hair Curler Headband (Blue), Catch, $15.60
This satin octopus-style curler has eight curling rods and an adjustable headband to make wearing comfortable.
To use, simply wrap damp hair around each rod and sleep in overnight to have curly hair that’s fuss-free to get.
HOW DO YOU USE A HEATLESS HAIR CURLING HEADBAND?
One of the great things about a heatless hair curling headband is that they’re relatively simple to use.
To use a standard heatless curling headband, start with hair that’s 80 per cent dry, placing the curling headband in the middle of your hair.
Starting from the top wrap your hair around the curling headband, adding more hair as you get to the bottom.
If you’re using an octopus curling heatless curling headband, you’re going to instead divide your hair into eight sections.
Wrap each section around the cloth piece, securing the ends in place with the elastic band at the end.
The next step is simple: Sleep.
“Brush them out in the morning with your fingers or a wide tooth comb, work through a light serum to defrizz any flyaways and set in the curls,” Jaye said.
As well as using a serum, you could also use products on your damp hair to help the curls set overnight, Jaye said.
“You can apply a defrizz cream or a curl enchanting cream to your damp hair before the heatless curler, this will help lock in moisture and shape,” he said.
BEST PRODUCTS TO USE WITH A HEATLESS HAIR CURLING HEADBAND
ELEVEN Smooth & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum, Adore Beauty, $24.95
Containing argan oil to smooth and nourish hair, this hair serum has a delicious watermelon scent.
95 per cent of Adore Beauty shoppers who purchased it recommend this serum, with one five-star reviewer describing it as a “staple in my hair care routine”.
KEVIN. MURPHY Killer Curls, Adore Beauty, $52.95
Designed to defrizz while helping to define curls, this cream is lightweight and ultra hydrating for hair.
It contains Australian fruit extracts, aloe vera leaf juice, watermelon extract and baobab seed oil to leave you with smooth curls when you hair dries.
ARE HEATLESS CURLS AS GOOD AS HEAT STYLED CURLS?
Jaye gives heatless hair curling headbands the thumbs up for being not as damaging, but points out that you won’t have as much “control” over the final curl.
“It’s a great alternative for those concerned with hair health, however, it does depend on the occasion and the look you are trying to achieve,” he said.
“Heat stylers give you a lot more control, so if you’re after a specific look, they are the better option.”
But expect to have hair curled through the heatless method to last longer than when styled with heat.
“They’re a lot more of natural look, as heat curls create very perfectly structured curls,” Jaye said.
“I find they also hold better as the curl forms from wet to dry.”
Want more beauty content? Check out the $69 hair straightener that “beats my GHD”, as well as the hair curler supermodel Bella Hadid likes to use.
If you’d like a cheeky discount on your next shop check out news.com.au Coupons with discount codes for big brands like Adore Beauty and Sephora.
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