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If you're the savvy type who wants a healthier approach to rolling up your 'do, you'll pick up an old-fangled roller and stash away the hot irons and heated rollers whenever you can. Yep, the heated way is so convenient, but unless you like splits and breakage, the non-heated styling approach is a smart way to get mega curls for days! You don't want to roll up with conventional curlers that snag and rip your hair out from your head, so look for the softer rollers without teeth.
Sponge Rollers
You may have had your head rolled up in these pink little delights as a kid -- or may still use them today. Sponge rollers are womankind's gift to a good night's sleep. Whoever invented sponge curlers obviously endured one-too-many sleepless nights perched on hard plastic torture devices. These rollers have a smooth, soft spongy base with plenty of give; you can roll up super-tight for a smaller curl, or loop your hair lazily around it for a standard curl. Each sponge roller has a fold-over plastic clasp that holds the roller in place. Best part: When your hair is dry, these babies fall out without pulling your precious strands out with them.
Foam Rods
The big sister to the sponge curler, foam rods take it one step further; you can wrap any width of hair around the rod so you can get longer curls. They're also usually skinnier in diameter, so if spiraling cascades of curls are your thing, this is the roller to use. One added attraction to the foam rod is that there's some magical wire buried deep inside that affords flexibility. You can bend and fold them any which way, which is exactly how they stay in place. When it's time to unveil the curl, simply unfold the rod and roll it out of your hair. No tasty teeth to bite.
Satin-Covered Rollers
Satin-covered rollers have a nifty layer of satin which surrounds the core of the curler for a heavenly smooth roll-up. Hair wraps around the roller with ease, and slips out without pulling even a trace of stray hair. The trick to the satin roller is that there are no teeth to get tangled around.
Rag Rollers
Some might call rag rollers the poor woman's way to do up your 'do, but consider them for what they are: cheap, effective, recycled and comfortable. Rag rollers are strips of an old T-shirt or an old sheet that hold the hair in place by being tied at the scalp after the hair has been wrapped around. When the hair is dry, simply untie the knot to reveal the gorgeous springy strands. Since there's nothing hard or pointed on the roller, the hair doesn't get pulled out.
