Choosing hot rollers can be a daunting task as there are many models on the market today. You also have to think, will this product work for my hair? Yes, the marketing hype will tell you that every model will work perfectly for your hair, but in my experience, that is not always the case.
I was pleasantly surprised by the result I got when using the Caruso Heated Rollers in my fine, and sometimes, very limp shoulder-length hair. First I did my whole head with the jumbo curlers and boy did I get va-va-voom volume. Then I tried the large rollers on top of my head with the medium rollers at the sides and I was rewarded with a perfect fringe, with soft curls around my face. Let’s take a deeper look at what made these hot rollers a thumbs up for me.
This post contains some affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I’ll earn a commission, at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.
What’s in a brand?
The Caruso brand products are budget-friendly, without losing quality in the process. The rollers are a beautiful red and the steam setter works very well and doesn’t take up much space.
What differentiates the Caruso Professional Steam Hot Rollers from other models is that it uses steam instead of dry heat. This is gentler on your hair without losing any of the bouncy curl or volume you require.
They come with 30 foam rollers in different sizes which gives you more curling style options. Included in the set are 6 rollers of each the following sizes: petite, small, medium, large and jumbo rollers.
The base is smaller than most hot roller sets because you heat each roller as you need it. This space-saving device is great for when you want to go traveling. They are available in a traveler set and a regular set.
The handy carrying case is great for storage and travel.
Key Feature of the Caruso Steam Hairsetter
The Caruso Hot rollers have ONE key feature that sets it apart from other hair setters. Let’s take a look at this feature.
They only use steam
The Caruso modular steam hair setter’s soft foam rollers are imbued with steamed moisture. This results in long-lasting curls and volume while keeping hair in great condition: shiny and healthy as it does not use salt in the water. The tiny molecules of steam penetrate the hair shaft, improving and reforming the chain bonds in the hair.
They are less hot than conventional rollers and therefore considered safer for your hair. This means less static and frizz, your moisture, and shine are retained and it only takes 15 minutes to curl your hair (well, depending on your hair length and texture).
Interestingly, when you use hot rollers in your hair, the rollers break the hydrogen bonds of your hair’s cortex. This is just a fancy way to say that the attraction between the negative and positive poles are broken in the outer layer of your hair. But, if you wash your hair or wet it, the bonds reform again, which leaves you with your natural-looking hair.
Advantages
- It’s quick. It only took me 30min from pouring in the water in the steamer to heating up the rollers, to placing them in my hair, to having curly hair.
- They work very well in natural and synthetic hair extensions and wigs.
- The rollers do not burn your fingers as you hold them on the plastic edge as this part does not get hot.
- It conditions your hair as it steams it. Hair is softer, more conditioned but keeps the curl.
- The dual voltage allows for the Caruso Steam Hot Rollers to be used in any country with 110V to 230V.
- They are reasonably priced and won’t break the bank.
Disadvantages
- There is not an on-off switch on the steam unit, which means you have to switch it on and off at the wall socket.
- The roller sizes are embossed on the roller in the same color as the roller. It makes it difficult to read the petite, small, medium, large, or jumbo names. You have to hold the roller at a certain angle until the light catches it before you can read it.
- It doesn’t have an automatic shut off, which means once you have finished using the unit you have to switch it off manually.
- It does not offer variable temperature settings on all the models.
Caruso Steam Rollers Tutorial
So now that you know the key features and its pros and cons, you’re probably wondering how to use it. I mean, it’s not like your typical hot rollers, right? Hopefully this Caruso Steam Rollers instructions will help guide you to mastering the Caruso in no time!
In this section, we’ll discuss how to use the Caruso hot rollers, with a special section on how to use it for short hair. Let’s face it, putting SHORT hair in rollers can be tricky! We’ll also show you how to clean these things – we wouldn’t want our hair products to build up and shorten the life of our steam rollers.
FAQs
How to use Caruso hot rollers
This is how easy it is to use Caruso hot rollers. Unplug the unit. Fill the steam unit with distilled or tap water to the line marked “water level”. Don’t overfill. Rejoin the steamer top to the water reservoir.
Remove the comb clips from the rollers before heating. The clips should also be heated with the steam to get quicker, longer lasting curls.
Plug the unit into an electrical outlet and wait for 1 minute until the steam appears. Section your hair. Place the roller onto the steamer. The time you leave the roller on the steamer will depend on your hair type and hair thickness. For fine hair, the suggested time is 3 to 5 seconds, for medium hair 5 to 7 seconds and for thick hair 7 to 9 seconds.
Roll the steam-infused roller onto your sectioned hair. Steam the shield for 5 seconds before placing it on the roller at your scalp. You can do your makeup or make a quick phone call in the 15 minutes it takes for your hair to curl. Uncurl the rollers once they are dry. Please make sure they are dry by unrolling a test section. Once your hair is dry, you will have beautiful curls or volume or waves, whichever style you chose.
Caruso Steam Rollers For Short Hair
Using the Caruso Hot Rollers in short hair is easy and fun. Follow the instructions above under the heading: How to use Caruso hot rollers.
Decide which curl you want. If you want your style very curly, use the petite size curlers with medium to tight tension. Once curled, use your fingers or a comb for the top and the back and brush the sides to create a smoother wave at the sides of your head.
For a more wavy look, use the large and medium rollers. Place the large rollers on the top and use the medium rollers at the sides of your head. Use medium to lose tension for this style. Once the curling is done, brush your hair for a more wavy look or use gel for a more textured look.
How to clean Caruso Steam rollers
We all need to clean our beauty products for hygiene purposes. From the brushes we use for our make up, to the hot rollers we use in our hair. How to clean Caruso steam rollers you ask?
Occasional cleaning, (after every 20 uses), is required due to various minerals that may be present in the water that could cause a build-up in the steamer. If there is a build-up the steamer will not work properly and you won’t get the best results. You may have to do it more often if you live in an area with hard water.
To clean the steamer, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water. Allow it to steam for one complete cycle. Unplug the unit, wait until the water is cooled and remove all the water.
To clean the exterior of the steamer, unplug it, wait for it to cool down and use a damp sponge to wipe the outer enclosure. (Please do not immerse the unit in water or place it under running water. It will break.)
To clean the rollers, simply take the roller apart. You do this by pulling off the end-cap and sliding the foam off the core. Use mild detergent and lukewarm water to wash the foam and plastic parts, pat them dry with a towel and allow to dry completely before putting it all together. This is very important because there can be a build-up of hairspray or hair lotion which could impede your hair from getting that perfect curl.
Replacement foam for Caruso Steam Rollers
The hot roller foam lasts for years, but when it becomes clear that it needs to be replaced, you have two options. Buy new ones or buy regular foam rollers and just replace the foam-like Debbie Brooks Riffel did in her blogpost.
All you have to do is pull off the end-cap of the roller, discard the old foam and slip on the new foam. Granted, the foam is not as long as the original foam, but it costs less money and Debbie says it works just fine.
Caruso Steam Rollers Results
The results you will get when using Caruso steam rollers will depend on the way you use the hot rollers and it is also dependent on your hair type.
If you wind your hair over the roller, you will be rewarded with a curl that turns under. Start at the tip of your hair, rotate it in an upward motion towards your head, ending by applying the roller shield until it snaps into place. This effect adds volume to your hair and is a great way to frame your face.
Rolling your hair tighter on the roller, the curls you will get will be more intense and springy. Alternatively, if you want more wavy locks, wind it less tight.
By winding your hair under the roller (instead over), it will create a curl or flip that faces out, away from your face as many people wore in the 1970s. Think Charlie’s Angels 1980’s version.
A very popular method to get the less conservative curls is by wrapping your hair around the roller. Start by placing the roller somewhere in the middle of your hair section and wrap the hair either under or over the roller. Roll it up to the scalp and apply the roller shield. This method gives a freer curl than the previous methods mentioned.
In my experience my curls last until I go to sleep. When I sleep on my curls, the definition of the curl is not as it was the previous day, but my hair still has body and it feels really, really soft. These steam rollers work for me. Hope they do for you too.
Hopefully this Caruso Steam Rollers review have helped you decide whether this steam hairsetter is the right one for you. Feel free to let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!
PIN For Later!
All images in this post are copyright of Curling Diva. If you want to use any of these pics, you can use up to 2 images with a link back to this post.
Thanks for the post! I had a set of these years ago and seriously thinking about getting another; nothing else gives lasting volume (meaning til the end of the day, even) like these in my super fine, soft, stick-straight hair.
Wondering tho if you have any idea what if any difference there is between the old “molecular” and the new “ionic” molecular ones? I read different things; my understanding is that ionic devices smooth the cuticle–would that be disadventageous if you have fine, soft hair?
If you have any insights, would really appreciate it. I’ve searched the internet and found nothing but a mix of diametrically opposite opinions in favor of or against the new ones.
Thanks again!