The Ultimate Guide to the Best Velcro Rollers and How to Use Them

By: | Last Updated: February 3, 2023

The one thing our Grandmother’s always had was perfect high volume hair with big sexy bounce. Grandma’s dirty little beauty secret doesn’t have to stay stashed in the past.

Velcro rollers are still here creating awesome volume, screen worthy curls, and wonderful waves.

These underrated hair care tools come in a variety of sizes and are affordable enough for any budget.

Stop burning your fingers trying to use your flat iron for fancy waves. No more fighting for floor space with curling iron cords in your bathroom. Forget unplugging your nightlight to make room in your outlet for another appliance.

Velcro rollers are low maintenance and here to stay.

Check out this ultimate guide to the best velcro rollers and how to use them.

This post may contain 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.

Looking for a velcro roller? Check out the Kitsch Ceramic Thermal Hair Rollers – the set comes with 8 rollers in 3 different sizes. Just pop them on, blow dry your hair, let it set and watch bouncy curls unfold when you take them off!


Best way to use velcro rollers

velcro rollers in different sizes – Curling Diva

While you can create any look you want with your velcro rollers, there are some best practices to follow that will make using them easier no matter what style you are going for.

You need to consider how long, how thick, and how healthy your hair is.

Velcro rollers are awesome for all hair types, and knowing which size roller you need for the style you want will save you a ton of time! Read on for some of the best ways to use velcro rollers.


Can I use velcro rollers on wet hair?

Velcro rollers actually work best with wet hair. Not dripping wet, as this will dilute your styling product and take forever to dry. But, damp hair that has been untangled will shape the best and give you the longest lasting results.

After you’ve toweled your hair dry, comb through it to remove tangles. Massage in your setting lotion and get to work.

All styles will require small sections of damp hair to be wrapped around your roller either toward or away from your face. For most looks, you’ll want to start at the ends of your hair and roll in toward your roots.

You can also use magnetic hair rollers if you’d rather not use velcro. They also work great on slightly damp hair.


What about the rest of the process?

As you create hair sections and prepare to set your rollers, you want to give each section a comb through to make sure it hasn’t tangled up again.

You want smooth hair to go on your roller so when you take it out it’s smooth and well curled. Starting with a mess will leave you with one!

Leave velcro rollers in until your hair is totally dry. You can speed the drying process up with your blow-dryer if you need to. Make sure to feel hair closest to your roots and your roller to make sure the thicker pieces are dry.

It might be a good idea to practice with your velcro rollers a few times once you’ve bought a set. You’ll get to know how dry to let your hair get when you start and how long it takes for your hair to totally dry.

Don’t make yourself late for work by avoiding a dry run with your rollers. If you’ve got a lot of hair it could take a while for your hair to set. You’ll also be more confident as you learn what sizes to use in your hair to create more styles.

The easiest way to capitalize on time spent waiting for your velcro rollers to dry is to do your makeup while your wait!

I love setting my rollers and then applying my makeup or painting my nails until they are ready to go. I don’t feel like I’m wasting time, and it goes by a lot faster!

Velcro rollers are a super easy way to create a different look each day. Have fun with them!

READ: How To Roller Set Hair By Yourself


How do I get my hair out of velcro rollers?

Once your hair is dry and your curls are set, you’re ready to unveil your style!

Avoid tugging or pulling on your roller when removing it. This can turn your curls into a frizzy, fluffy mess.

Take the ends of your roller and slowly unwind it, away from your face. When used correctly, your velcro rollers shouldn’t cause you any heartache at all.

How to use velcro rollers – Curling Diva
Photo Credits: Kendra Aarhus via LiveAbout.com

Can I sleep with velcro rollers?

You can sleep with your velcro rollers in, but you may find it uncomfortable.

You’ll want to use a hair net or other covering to make sure your rollers stay in place while you sleep. You don’t want to wake up with a mess and have to start from square one with your hair!


Do velcro rollers damage hair?

Velcro rollers are a great, heat free alternative styling tool. Unlike traditional curling and flat irons, you don’t need any heat to create big style.

While you can speed up your beauty process by drying your hair with your blow-dryer, it isn’t necessary, unless you have a time crunch.

Since you don’t have to use heat to get these babies to perform, there’s little to no risk of damaging your hair by using them.

If you are consistently yanking out your rollers you might start seeing issues like excessive frizz and split ends. But that’s more on you than the roller.

Making sure you are using high quality setting lotions and sprays will add an extra layer of protection to your hair. They will also help smooth flyaways and give your shine a boost.

Let’s dig in to some products!


Best velcro roller for fine hair

Velcro rollers are a perfect tool for fine hair. Because there’s no heat, your hair is safe from damage that other products might cause.

The best velcro rollers for fine hair are these Self Stick, Self Grip Holding Hair Rollers. They are a smaller roller and will hold larger sections of fine hair for good results.

When using velcro rollers on fine hair, start at the crown of your head and work down to the nape of your neck, and then do the same from your face to the back of your head on each side.

Allow them to dry fully before unrolling them in the same fashion you set them.

Don’t pull too much on your curls after you’ve released your rollers. Too much tugging will pull your style out, and leave your fine hair looking limp and sad.

You can learn more about how to use velcro rollers on fine hair here, where I’ve written about it more extensively.


Best size velcro roller for volume

get big hair and volume with velcro rollers – Curling Diva
Photo Credit: Elizabeth at BeautyBets.com

If mega volume is your plan, stick with the largest roller that makes sense for your hair.

Short hair will take best to medium-sized rollers, while long thick hair will need large to extra large rollers.

Place them first at your crown and work vertically down the sides and back of your head to get your hair as high as possible.

READ: How To Put Rollers In Short Hair For Volume


Best Velcro Roller for short hair

When you’re shopping for velcro rollers for short hair, there are a couple of things to take in to account.

First, what size velcro roller do you need for short hair? Like the barrel on a curling iron, the shorter your hair, the smaller tool you want.

Using small to medium-sized rollers for styling your short hair will give you the best looking results. These will leave plenty of room to roll your curler a couple of times toward your head after you have wrapped your hair around it.

If you choose to big a roller, you could end up with silly, straight up and down styling that is more Halloween than girl’s night out.

Next, consider how to use velcro rollers in your short hair.

For big volume, place your first medium sized roller at the very front of your head and roll it down toward your face. Work in smaller sections to the back of your head, with medium rollers, winding these away from your face.

Continue at the sides of your head by creating vertical rolls from your crown to the nape of your neck. After your hair is has dried, unroll your curls!

For more curl than volume, do this process with small rollers.

The best velcro rollers for short hair is this set of 16 Self Grip Holding Hair Rollers. This is a full set of medium rollers, to give you big volume in your short hair.

Read: The Best Hot Rollers For Short Hair if you prefer heated rollers


Best velcro rollers for long hair

When styling long hair with velcro rollers, you may need more than one set to get the job done. You’ll want large and extra large rollers to handle the length and thickness of your hair.

While velcro rollers are designed to be self sticking, you may want to consider roller clips to hold your hair in place.

Using clips instead of pins helps avoid kinks in your curls when you let your hair down.

When you have more hair wound around a velcro roller, they don’t always hold as well as they should. Clips keep them in place and make the time you spent winding all those sections worth it!

best velcro rollers for long hair – Curling Diva
Keep long hair in place by using hair clips!

One of the best velcro rollers for long hair is this jumbo set. They’re big enough to handle long hair and have a strong grip.

To use your velcro rollers for long hair, start by parting your hair into multiple sections.

Splitting at the very top, in the middle, and on each side makes it easiest to work with.

Start at the bottom of each section and work your way to the top. This helps avoid tangles and makes your rollers easier to set. You should end up with several rows of rollers around your head.

After 20-30 minutes, your hair should be dry and ready for waves! With long hair, it’s especially important to check for dryness all the way to your scalp. It will take longer to set your style if you have more hair.

Unroll your rollers slowly and use your fingers to separate your waves and get the shape you want!


Alternatives To Velcro Rollers

If, for some reason, you can’t use velcro rollers, there are other hair rollers to try.

For heatless curls without the damage, try any of the following alternatives:


How to get beach waves with velcro rollers

Beach waves are all the rage. They always have been, and they probably always will be! You can use velcro rollers to get runway style with little effort and zero risk of heat damage to your hair.

Start with sections of hair that are about 2 inches wide. These will be smaller if you have longer hair.

Varying sections from 1-3″ will help add dimension to your waves. Make sure, though, that with bigger sections you still have plenty of room on your roller for your all your hair. Avoid overlapping hair too many times on your roller to make sure your hair will fully dry.

Take a section and drape it over your roller, right in the middle of the length of your section. Wrap the bottom half of your hair section around the roller first.

Next, roll your roller under toward your head until you’re 2-3 inches from your scalp. Stop there and move on to your next section, using a clip to hold your roller in place if you have especially long or thick hair.

Once your hair has dried, work to remove one roller at a time. Comb through your hair with your fingers to tousle those waves and rock the runway! Or, you know, the hallway to your office.

RELATED: How To Create the Perfect Beach Waves With A Flat Iron


What other products should I use?

Applying a high quality setting lotion before you set your rollers will help your curls form and hold your style long after you’ve released your curlers.

Work your setting lotion into damp hair according to manufacturer directions. Each product may have a different suggested use.

Once you’ve coated your locks, you can begin setting your rollers and be on your way to romantic Hollywood waves.

The best setting lotion for velcro rollers is Design Essentials Natural Twist & Set Quick Dry Setting Lotion. This product is formulated with natural vitamins and added proteins to add moisture to your hair and create frizz free shine.

After-care of your newly curled coif is just as important as prep work.

Setting sprays lock in your curls for all day hold. The best setting spray for velcro rollers are formulated to prevent crunchy, crispy feeling hair. Go for a product like this CHI Deep Brilliance Flexible Hold Spray.

Shape what your granny gave ya with her go-to styling tool.

Avoid heat damage using velcro rollers and keep your hair looking healthy and happy.

Invest in a set of rollers today to start loving your hair all over again!


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