Conair Jumbo Instant Heat Jumbo Hair Setter
Every time I use my Conair Jumbo hot rollers, I wonder:
Why the hell don’t I do this more often? It is so low-effort for such nice results; definitely gives the illusion that I took more than the 5-10 minutes it takes to put these in.
If we’re being honest, I can spare 5-10 active minutes most mornings for my hair to do itself. I just conveniently forget that when I’m slapping the snooze button.
The Conair Jumbo set isn’t fancy like a Caruso steam set or, “sexy,” like the T3 rollers are. My rollers cost me about $35 when I bought them several years ago. Right now, they’re available on Amazon for around $27 – but also have a $5 off coupon. Be sure to choose the Amazon-exclusive set for the additional $5 off.
Why Hot Rollers
Don’t get me wrong, curling irons and wands can and do provide amazing results, but I don’t have time for them most mornings. They aren’t as forgiving, and the entire styling time is active – you’re sitting there operating the device the entire time. It is also easy to burn yourself!
Once you figure out how to part your hair for your preferred results, you can throw jumbo rollers in your hair in ten minutes (or less if, unlike me, you are coordinated).
Aren’t they Old Fashioned?
Perhaps, but just because it’s an old school approach doesn’t mean we should overlook it. I had never given hot rollers the time of day until Belle over at The Work Edit advocated for them at some point years ago (and regularly revisits the topic).
For professionals or anyone who just doesn’t have the time to give to fussing with their hair to a great extent every day, they’re foolproof for looking put-together and save precious sleep. If that makes me old fashioned, so be it. I’ve been called worse things.
Using and Securing Them
I start by sectioning my hair into three vertical sections. Think of a mohawk-like section straight down the middle, about the width of the curler, then equal sections on each side. You then subdivide each of those into four sections. For the top-middle, I use the four largest rollers in a line front-to-back. The sides get four each of the smaller (but still jumbo ones). (The Work Edit links I shared earlier provide some great resources for tutorials. I am not qualified to give a decent tutorial!) Secure, and then let them sit for 10-20 minutes. The longer you can let them sit, the better your results will be.
I personally prefer using the metal pins to hold them in place over the plastic clips. As far as I can tell, though, that’s a personal preference thing; I find the pins easier to use and less likely to crease, but others have had the opposite experience. I’m not entirely sure if the discounted model comes with both the clips and pins, but even still pins can be had relatively cheap.
As far as product goes, I use a mousse – this inexpensive (drugstore), one from Pantene is what I use regularly, but if I need my hair to withstand humidity or wind, I reach for Root Pump. I use whatever hairspray I have laying around.
The Bottom Line
If you want or need your hair to look more presentable than wash-and-wear but can’t be bothered to make a fuss – hot rollers are worth a shot. At $22-27, it’s a low-risk investment that you could regift or donate if they don’t work out for you.