Lifestyled by Paula Joye

I am all about hot rollers.

If you’re completely hopeless at DIY hair styling then you need to make these your friend. Immediately.

Rollers do much more than curl. They give volume, create waves – they eradicate the need to blow-dry.

Every woman with non-curly hair needs a set for home and a set for travel.

Once you start you can’t stop…

My Hot Roller Tips.

- Wash your hair and let it air dry. Or blow dry quickly. Keep volume in the crown.

- Turn the rollers on half an hour before you want to use them. Hot rollers need to be HOT not luke warm.

- Divide your hair into sections (this depends on length and thickness) but for my hair it’s three down the bottom – one under each ear and one at the nape of the neck. Then four around the crown.

- Curl under. Curling out is good for the two front top sections only.  When the curl is tucked under it lets you do much more – tousle, pile in a ponytail, etc.

- Let them go stone cold before you pull them out. The longer you leave them the stronger the curl will be.

- For Big Hair: Use large barrel rollers. When cold take them out, tip your head upside down and blast with hairspray. Use your fingers to position the curls.

- For Waves: Use a smaller barrel roller. Don’t roll the roller all the way to the part line – finish just above the ear. remove the rollers carefully and spray each one with hairspray. Use your fingers or the end of a tail comb to carefully separate and tousle. These look great on second day hair.

Hot Buys.

CLICK TO BUY: 1. BaBylissPRO Jumbo Ceramic/Titanium Hot Roller Set, $109.95; 2. Remington Express Set 10, $33.95; 3. VS Sassoon Classic Salon Setter, $39.95; 4. Cloud Nine O Pod, $299 plus O Rollers (4 pack), $29.

The Styling Essentials.

CLICK TO BUY: 1. Schwarzkopf Extra Care Strong Styling Mousse, $4.69; 2. ghd Heat Protect Spray, $24; 3. L’Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Diamond Hold Hairspray (400ml), $9.99.

A Note On Velcro Rollers.

If you want a slightly less intense curl then Velcro rollers will do the trick – you can also wear them on aircrafts. They don’t have metal in them which means you can walk through the detectors without issue. I have done this. In fact the shot above is me in the foyer of Sky News waiting to go on air. I have no vanity when it comes to rollers in public. I don’t have time and these things save me it.

I often take Velcro rollers to the hairdresser with me – ask for a round brush blow-dry and get them to leave them in my hair. I’ll take them out at home just before I head out the front door. Literally tip my head over and shake them out. You can use the same technique at home. My girlfriend rolls them in when her hair is almost dry (just moist) and then leaves them in all day to get a cool, barrel finish.

CLICK TO BUY: Priceline Velcro Rollers, from $4.99.