But as I am learning, the execution of these styles is harder than it seems!
So I'd like to start posting tutorials.
I need your help to get this up and running... If you have a great style you would like to share, please email me at contro_versial@hotmail.com. YouTube videos are welcome, though I will ask questions to accompany the video.
Fortunately we have a tutorial to start out with today. The lovely Krystal (from http://thefeistyhouse.blogspot.com), is back with a tutorial for using curlformers. Thanks Krystal!
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Hello, hello, HELLO!!!
I've been getting a lot of emails and such about Curlformers so I'm going to try to give a step-by-step breakdown of how I got started and how I get my results.
So when I first heard about Curlfomers, I didn't know whether or not they would work on my hair. My natural-hair-partner-in-crime (hi Candyce!!!!) suggested I watch YouTube videos as proof that they work on kinky hair. (See video here)
Needless to say after watching her video, I was SOLD! But I still had no idea what size to buy, or how many I would need.
I visited the official Curlfomers website and figured my best bet would be the Long & Wide for people with relatively longer hair who want wider curls. Because I was unsure of how many I would need (I have a big head and thick hair) I decided the Starter Kit would be a great investment.
The Starter Kit is about $59 - $65 (depending on location, online vs. in-store). I've only ever seen Curlformers at Sally's Beauty Supply, but you may be able to find them on Ebay or Amazon. Curlers included are 40 Long & Wide, 6 Short & Wide and a Curlformer Hook. I also purchased two extra packs of the Long & Wide @ $11.99 a pack (just to be on the safe side). I think it's always best to err on the side of excess with things like rollers because you'll look pretty bogus if you run out of them in the middle of styling your hair :D
The color of each roller corresponds to the direction of the curl. One curls clockwise, the other counter clockwise. Usually I just put them in randomly, but the last time I did a Curlformer set, I put all the pinks on one side and all the orange on another so that all the curls would be framed away from my face.
The Starter Kit also contains Short & Wide rollers, which I used at my edges and at the back of my hair. A Tip: It's always better to buy longer Curlfomers than shorter ones. Even the shortest hair will curl up in a long Curlformer, but long hair will stick out the end of a short one!
Another Tip: If you do buy individual packs instead of the Starter Kit, please don't forget to buy the Hook!!!! It's sold separately!!!!
After rocking the Long & Wide for a minute, I bought some Long & Narrow and Short & Narrow ones too. They don't come in a kit, but I bought a lot of them because they're smaller curls than the Long & Wide, so you need more of them in order to get your whole head done.
Okay so on to "installation." I do my Curlfomer sets on clean hair. I wash/cowash and detangle my hair and then let it dry some while wrapped in a T-shirt.
Once it's only a little damp, I add my leave-in, seal with EVCO, and then section my hair in four "quadrants".
I set one "quadrant" at a time. I start in the very back of my hair and take out a section to go into the roller. On the entire length of that section I put aloe vera gel, and then put whipped shea butter on the ends. I use whipped shea that I made myself, which is just melted shea butter, water, and lavender oil blended together and refridgerated until it gets that nice "cool whip" consistency.
Then I twist that section around at the root (not like a two-strand twist, more like a bantu knot), slide the hook over that little twist, and pull my hair through the roller. It's really fast and easy once you get the hang of it. It takes an hour and a half at most for me to set up my entire head.
I hate sitting under the dryer, so I sleep in the Curlformers over night. It's not the best sleep, but it's certainly do-able! When I take the curls out the next morning, I get perfect, ribbon-looking curls.
Now I can't be out in public looking "fresh out the pack," so I spend time that first morning to moisturize each curl, seal it with some more EVCO, and then separate the curls in two or three (depending on my mood) to get a fuller look.
Here's the finished product after separating the curls.
To maintain the style, I moisturize and seal every morning and evening. I sleep either in a satin bonnet or with my hair out on a satin pillowcase. I don't like to tie it down with a scarf because then the curls become flat.
The style can last anywhere from a week to 10 days. I'm sure it could go longer than that if you didn't mind the frizz and just pinned it up.
Whew...so there you have it. I already have my eyes set on buying another size: Long & Extra Wide. They're supposed to give really cute waves! That would be a nice alternative to straightened hair in the summer--but alas, I am too poor to spend $12 on a pack of rollers :(
Hope this helped answer your burning questions!
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Email BGLH at contro_versial@hotmail.com with your style tutorials!
17 comments:
i am so sold on this product, it's not even funny. i can't wait to get to a sally's to buy some! Your curls look really cute!
Thanks for the tutorial and the tips, I like the idea of framing the curls away from your face. Starter kit it is-hair can be so much fun!
Thank you for this! I've seen these at Sally's and was wondering how to use them. :)
I really want to get these, but they're so expensive! How do the long and narrow compare in terms of the size of the curl?
OMG i totally forgot about these!!! So that's probably what "naturals" are using...i thought they were still using curling irons & oh the irony...My aunt did my hair growing up & she was an all natur-al kind of woman so she only used setting lotion & these things to give me the greatest curls as a little girl!!!
How did i even forget my own "past-time"?? lol..sad thing is, HAIR, the "natural way" is a "past time" for so many of us!! =/
I'm grateful for blogs like these, they remind us that 'once upon a time' we were "Nappy" & HAPPY ;)
..so on the pursuit of happiness i will be...lol..
Omg..I love it..I will definitely buy them!!
Wow, this is really good. I want to try this too.
SOLD! I wish they weren't so expensive, but oh well. Thanks for this tutorial. The curls are amazing...I love variety!
I'm a 4a/4b and these have worked so well on my hair. I love them!
I really like Curlformers. I bought the long and narrow ones and I do them every now and then first to style my hair in those ringlets, and then perhaps use the stretched out hair when it gets frizzy and make a few twists to get more of a wavy look. If I make sure I moisturize and keep it up, the fruits of a Curlformer set can last me up to about 3 weeks (It could last longer but that's the longest possible time I would ever go without co-washing).
One other thing about the curlformers. Make sure that
-You don't pick up a section that is too big for the hook to pull through the roller. I'm sure the wide ones can hold more hair but after some experimentation you'll realize how much hair the curlformer can hold comfortably, otherwise the hair will just get stuck and you can't pull it all the way through.
-My hair is kinky and I found out that I can't pull my hair very easily through the curlformer if it is dry to some degree,especially the ends. So before I try and pull it through the roller I make sure that my hair has some degree of wetness and slip. The good thing about curlformers is that it has a sort of mesh pattern so the air can circulate easily and dry hair much faster than regular rollers, so I've never had a problem with wet hair in the morning.
- Just a little troubleshooting issue. Sometimes it can get a bit troublesome if you don't pull the hook the right way and it gets stuck in the mesh. Everytime before you pull the hook through make sure that the top hook won't miss the opening of the roller due to the curled pattern. It's hard to explain but you'll know what I'm talking about when you use it.
When I first did them it took me about 3 hours to do my whole head! XD However, now it takes me about an hour and half and that's because I got much more comfortable with using them and don't make mistakes anymore. I prefer them alot more than conventional rollers.
Gorgeous! One question: Does anyone know if they work on dreads?
@ Kamika
Can you do a tutorial on your youtube chanel. We have similar hair type and it will help see the results. How long are you able to keep them in ? tx
@ Wildfiyah i'm by no means a curlformer pro but i did used to have very long locs. for a different look to your locs i recommend (1) braid or twist them, leave them in for a few days then untwist...cuteness! (2) set on flexi-rods (3) wear bantu knots for a few days then let them loose. all these will give you crinkly and or curled locs. it seems like locs would get damaged pulling them through curlformers which seem to flatten, then curl the hair (similar to the action of a curling iron).
i've seen the curlformers and they definitely look nice but i worry about pulling my hair through the narrow opening. i just feel like it would pull my hair out...great that we have options though!
@Wildfiyah: I recommend SoftSpikes for curling locs. They worked really well on mine when I had them. softspikes.com
Re Curlformers: I watched the video you posted and although her texture may be nappy, it's still looser than mine. Fortunately RusticBeauty did a video so I know that (if I had the money) these would work on my hair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oYTLFjlzug
Your curlformer set turned out cute. I've been using curlformers for over a year now. Thats pretty much the only way I style my hair now becuase it's so easy. I feel like a pro it only takes me 30 minutes to put them in.
I used to use the long and wide but that look was a little too Shirley Temple for me. Now I use the long and wide which does give it a wave pattern that's a little more adult for me. I love them.
Curlformers have aided in my hair growth alot. Actually I dont know how much longer I can wear because my hair has grown so much that some hair sticks out of the curlformer because my hair is too long.
Ladies if your looking for a cute style thats heat free and aid in length retention curlformers are the way to go.
wow this is beautiful! i meant to try curlfomers about a year ago, but was worried about the expense to do my whole head! i must revisit this idea!
thanks for the tips karua!
I've been raving to everyone I know about Curlformers! It's hard to find a styling tool that works soooooo well in type-4 hair. And all the curls are PERFECT!
Thanks for letting me participate BGLH!!!!
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