Okay, so I’m gonna try to keep this quick and too the point … you know that’s a feat for me … which is why I don’t really Tweet/Twitter!! But, I gotta get ready to head out for Man of Steel and don’t have time to go into deep detail. So, here goes.
This past Saturday, I hennaed my hair, applied mix of Sally’s GVP The Detangler, aloe vera juice and JBCO/EVOO mix to my hair. Then, I twisted it … but first I attempted to set a section of hair with a Curlformer … and I very easily did it for the first time!!!! (I guess all those YouTube tutorials finally sunk in!).
I wore my twists down on Sunday and in an updo for work from Monday-Thursday. I have an event this weekend and decided I was going to finally give it the old college try and attempt a Curlformer set. I watched Naptural85’s Updated Curlformers Technique tutorial and MahoganyCurls Curlformers on Natural Hair: My First Impression again. Then, after work, I got to it.
My hair was still moisturized from being in a twisted updo all week, so I didn’t feel a need to re-moisturize. It was also almost perfectly sectioned and essentially detangled due to those same twists. So, the products and tools I used were very minimal.
Products
Water in a small spray bottle
ORS Lock and Twist Gel (I♥ this gel and originally purchased it b/c of the GORGEOUS flexirod set KaiRox’s achieved with it.)
Tools
Curlformers (Extra Long & Wide 40 pack [20 clockwise & 20 counter-clockwise] for hair up to 22″ long)
Hair clips
My 10 Fingers
Process
- First I secured all but the bottom left twists of my dry hair up with hair clips.
- Working from the back left (nape), I separated each twist and grabbed about 1-2″ sections (usually 2-3 per twist).
- Once I had the section I wanted to set, I would prep a pink Curlformer on the wand.
- Then, I spritzed the section of hair with water until it was slightly damp (not soaking wet) and smoothed a nice size dollop of ORS lock and twist gel down the length making certain the hair was detangled.
- Next, I twisted the roots of the section to make it small enough to get the hook of the wand around all of the hair.
- Finally, I hooked the wand over the root (not too close to the scalp), pushed the curler up over the top of the wand, and pulled my hair through the curler.(If the curler twisted wrongly, I fixed it to form the correct shape.)
- I repeated this process on the left side and then completed the right side using the orange curlers.
- The entire process took me about 1 hour 30 minutes, which wasn’t too bad given it was my first time.
- I can’t remember how many Curlformers I used now!! But, I think it was about 38 … and, get this … there were at least an extra 6 pink curlers in my kit!!! #WINNING
Things I Learned
- My hair is longer than 22″ in some sections?!?! Go figure. So, I had to pull a lot of the Curlformers down about an inch to make certain my ends were fully enclosed in the curlers.
- I could have twisted the roots first so that the section out of the curler still had a wave to it (but, even though I didn’t do that, my roots were very smooth).
- They make “Spiral Curls” Curlformers for super long hair up to 29″ now!! But those jokers are $73.95!! I’ll stick with pulling mine down from the root since that worked perfectly fine!! LOL!!
The setting went very easily. I only had to start over on two sections because the hair wouldn’t slide through smoothly. I decided to set my hair only slightly damp with the hopes that it would dry overnight. So, speaking of overnight, let’s talk about sleeping in these. I followed Naptural85s suggestion and secured the front sections with hair elastic. Then, I split them down the back and laid on my back to sleep. Yeah … I’m a side, fetal position sleeper and didn’t get much sleep that way. So, finally, in the early hours, I flipped on my side, threw the curlers over the edge of the pillow and balled the corner of the pillow up under my chin to elevate my head a little. That worked a lot better for me.
The Take Down
The next morning (about 8 1/2 hours later), I removed the curlers and set my curls in buns for my morning workout following Naptural85’s technique for stretched curls.
- Working from the front left first (pink curlers), I held the end of the curler near my roots and stretched the curler straight (this can be a little tricky as the Curlformers are firm and have a lot of “recoil” action, which help smooth the hair and retain their shape after repeated uses, I think).
- Then, I squeezed each end of the curler to make it open and pulled the curler down the strand, keeping a grasp on both ends.
- I “corrected” any curls that twisted/flipped by twirling/flipping them in the proper direction with my finger.
- Next, I applied a little Shea Decadence Sweet Marmalade Pomade to my ends to seal the hair and add shine. (Yo. I’ve been using several items from Shea Decadence for about a month now. LOVE them and have to get you guys a full review soon as it is soooo overdue!!)
- Repeated on next section. (I had one section that didn’t fully dry, so I just pin curled it and left it that way until I released all of my hair.)
- Once I had two sections free, I combined the curls. (I did not clip the ends as my curls stayed together without one and I didn’t want my curls to stretch too much.)
- I repeated until the left side was one big “twist” and then did the same on the right side.
- Once both sides were done, I loosely wrapped and bunned them at the back of my head using hair pins.
- Then, I tied my hair up in a satin scarf and donned a sweatband for day 117 of my #365daysoffitness (30 min. progressive incline walking on the treadmill … decided to not run to try to reduce the amount I sweat … yeah … I still sweat a lot. But, health over hair.)
So, yeah, I removed the sweatband, but left the scarf on my hair (and actually added a second thinner one around my edges to absorb more sweat) until I got to work. When I uncovered my hair, the scarf and my hair were still damp :(. But, I released my buns anyway and gently separated the curls. I left the roots alone to try to allow them to air dry.
And, by the early afternoon, after it had long since dried, I played around with the part to get it more to my liking (meaning, I needed to create more volume at the front!).
Final Thoughts:
So, what do I think of Curlformers? I LOVE them! They weren’t whistling dixie when they said these get the hair soooo smooth like a curling iron! I was also soooo impressed that even though I had to leave the first inch of my hair out, my roots still looked smooth and silky (until I worked out ;))!!! Though the curls looks similar to my perm rod sets, I think my hair is a lot smoother and more stretched. The application process went very smoothly for me, which was my biggest concern and why I didn’t try these things for 2 years!! The removal was also pretty easy, though I didn’t do it quickly to make certain I didn’t snag or ruin a curl. My hair didn’t get snagged or pulled out in the curlers during the application or removal process (I only removed shed hairs that I saw … no broken hairs from the curlers).
Now, the cost of Curlformers may be prohibitive for some at $50-$75 for most complete kits. But, if you can swing them, I would definitely recommend!!! Sally’s carries them on the ground, and you might be able to catch them on sale and use the 15% discount if you are a rewards member. Oh, and if your goal is to grow your hair long, I’d suggest getting the longest ones you can afford so that you don’t outgrow a shorter set and have to spend more money for longer kit. In the alternative, if you just can’t see yourself spending that much on “rollers,” I know that there is a knock-off brand called Magic Levarag. It’s sold on eBay and Amazon for at least half the price. However, that brand doesn’t have the length options that Curlformers have and I’ve read mixed reviews, so I’m not co-signing on it at all and would suggest that you do your research first.
Alright … it’s obvious I don’t know how to write a short post! I started this yesterday an hour before heading to the movies (BTW, I HATED Man of Steel) and had to finish it this morning!! Oh well … at least I’m thorough … right (humor me please ;))?!?!
To wrap this up … Curlformers get four hearts out of five (I took one off for the high price tag ;)).
♥♥♥♥
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Have you used Curlformers? What do you think of them?
hairscapades 
I have wanted to try these for so long,i’m always impressed at the results on natural hair. but i just couldn’t bring myself to spend that much money, so….i acquired some bootleg curlformers from ebay, and i will be trying them out today lol
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I feel the same way you do. I never spend that much money on my hair at one time, even when I was getting my hair done at a shop 13 years ago. I love the results though so I may splurge for him for my upcoming wedding (though my dress actually cost as much as a set of Curlformers! LOL
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Yes, I love, Love, LOVE curlformers! I took the plunge and brought them when I first started transitioning to help manage my two different textures. So glad I did! Was able to protect my line of demarcation while getting perfect heartless curls. Now I use them to setting hair after washing. Once the curls start looking raggedy I put them into braids. Braiding to the middle then two strand twist to the ends. This can last me 5+ days! Will never stop using curlformers!!!!!
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It came out great! I have been wanting to try curlformers for the longest. I definitely need to look into it.
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I took mine back to Sallys, now you have forced me to re-purchase, I will try your technique! Thanks Shelli I for creating hair envy once again!.. lol – you look gorgeous doll
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Can you please show us day 2, 3, 4 etc day hair and how you maintained the look? Thank you. Looks amazing!
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sigh….you’re going to have me broke, LOL! I’ve been debating whether or not I should try these and you’re the 3rd person to give rave reviews! Teaundra (on YouTube) has really long hair like yours and she used perm rods on the ends – just a suggestion 🙂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00m_QoCd52Q
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Ooops, I meant this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsLvtGIJ0iQ
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Love Curlformers!!! Do not use them enough though! I use them with Jane Carter Wrap & Roll! Perfect!!!!! Looks great Shelli! Thanks for the hair post!
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I told you!! The only thing I don’t like is sleeping in them. It will never ever happen again! LOL. Your results are so different though but pretty. Looks like you used flexi rods.
congrats on your CD post too. 🙂 See you on Sunday! I’m not getting my hair cut but Kyra is.
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Nice! A friend of mine dislikes Curlformers. So we gonna do product swap. I’ll give this try. I’ll use both yours and Naptural85 Methods.
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Hi Shelli, have you thought of starting with a twist at the root, then pulling the curlformer down the length to the ends of your longer sections of hair?
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Oopsie – never mind, LOL!
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Your hair looks awesome, but is it bad that I wanna know why you hated Man of Steel?
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Hahahahaha!! No it is NOT bad!!! Okay, so this article sums up so many of my feelings on MoS and Hollywood’s propensity to make movies about characters they disdain/find silly.
http://digitalpublius.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-truth-about-comic-book-movies.html
I’ve been posting my thoughts on IG and Facebook … and here’s a snippet of some of my thoughts (without any true spoilers):
I feel that most people who love this movie hate Superman or just like mindless action scenes. If Hollywood hates these characters so much, why don’t they write their own characters with the same powers and leave ones that have been beloved for 60-70+ years alone or, do Punisher and Wolverine (pre- X-Men) movies instead? I felt my chest tighten with tension and frustration as I read comments like … “But at least Lois wasn’t an idiot and figured out that he was Superman behind the glasses.” Well shoot, first of all … she never knew “Clark Kent reporter.” But, more importantly, they just don’t get it … it’s a superhero movie. It’s inherently “unrealistic.”
But, absent all of that … I just don’t understand how anyone liked this movie. I went with two non-fans, my fiance and my friend’s fiance and NONE of us liked it. We were bored to TEARS the first hour. The movie was a disjointed, one-note, boring, emotionless, flat, non-sensical mess. It was devoid of any emotion other than despair and anger. There was no joy or triumph to speak of in our opinion. Even in his victory, Superman is defeated, because he didn’t learn to be any better than the humans he fears.
I didn’t even have high expectations for this film. But, it was so much worse than I ever expected. Why this Superman would want to help anyone, I don’t know. Seems like all he was taught be Pa Kent was self-preseveration, though Pa tried to send a contradictory message that self-preseveration means letting people die now so that you save people in the future?!? How does that work exactly? When I saw the trailer with that part … and never saw Clark the reporter? That’s when I lowered my expectations … but again, this still fell far below those and they were already ground level.
Yeah … DE-SPISED. LOATHED. HATED. Makes my chest tighten every time I read comments saying it was good, great, a “new” Superman and us fans need to “let it go.” *sigh*
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I can get and respect that point of view. When I went to go see it with my fiancé, I walked in expecting Chris Nolan to do to Superman in Man of Steel what he did to Batman in Batman Begins. It was almost as if they went through the motions of an origins story so they can actually get to Superman the superhero bit in the sequel. Hopefully MoS II will be on par with Dark Knight but hey one can dream. And that scene with the tornado and Pa Kent and Clark having that “moment”. That was nuts! So I agree with your point. I liked it, but I don’t remember the original Superman movies too much so this is all I got. But on a funny note, I imbd’d the villain Michael Shannen and he’s the dude from Bad Boys II who went around screaming “I know my rights!!” That made me chuckle.
And I guess I can sign in this time because I forgot to last time 🙂
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Your hair came out great! Love the look on you.
P.S. I saw Man of Steel and thought it was great. There was something there that I never got before. I guess it was different for everyone. Happy Tuesday!
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Looks lovely! I know what my next Christmas gift to myself will be. Flexirods are my usual styling tool of choice, but since going natural I think curl formers will make the process a lot easier.
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I LOOOOVVVEEE your blog…and I LOOOOOOVVVEEE curlformers! I have been natural for about 5 years now…and I recently cut about 6-8 inches off my hair (it was previously below my waist, to the top of my rear, and now it is just past bra strap length when straight)…I have never been good at natural hair styling…I wear it straight, in braid outs (scarf braidouts), blown out, flexi rod, wash n go…and CURLFORMERS….thats all I can do…no updos…no twist outs, no flat twists, no braids…but curlformers are amazing…because I go to the gym, and I have hair that gets tangled very easily…I prefer to wear my hair stretched…and curlformers are low manipulation and they LAST. I cant get enough of them, I recommend them for everyone with any hair texture or length. When my hair was longer than the curl former, I would two strand twist the root a few inches, then apply the curlformer…when I took the curlformer out, I would put the twist apart (and flat iron on a cool temp if I needed)…they still looked perfect. Also, I bought the magic leverage and they work just as well as the original, and achieve the same results, and they have for repeated use. When my hair gets a bit longer and i cant use the size i have now all over, i def plan on getting the 29″….
thanks for the post!
ps…I either use twist and lock gel…or a light oil and a leave in conditioner….i would stay away from regular gel and setting lotions
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Awwwwwwww!!! Thank you so much Michelle!!! I haven’t done them again since this post, but I’ll definitely be using them again soon!! I have an event in a couple of weeks, so hoping to set my hair with them for that if I can make the time.
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Love this!!!
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I just took out my curlformers this morning after using them for the first time and sleeping on them from Saturday to Monday morning and “liked” the results. ( I won’t even get into all that). Since they offered a better special online I ordered the 29″ because like you, I realized some sections were a bit too much for the 22. I used those bendy rod things on my ends but I don’t like that effect. I looked like Shirley Temple today but I want my hair stretched and lovely like your’s and Naptural’s. I think it would work better if I used smaller sections, especially because I have mega thick hair and seeing your hair makes me feel more justified for making a second purchase. I only wish I had waited till black friday weekend instead of two weeks before hitting up Sally’s all broke and sad. I think this has a running shot of replacing my twist outs 🙂
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Why is the “liked” in quotes?? LOL!!! I think it might be better to twist or braid the roots and pull the curlformers to the end vs. keeping the curlformer close to the root and putting rods/flexis on the ends. But, if you already got the 29″ ones, sounds like you don’t have to worry about either :). I should have ordered that new super long set during the Black Friday sale, but I’m spending so much money on the wedding, I don’t need to buy anything else right now!!!
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If I did this style and I deep conditioned the twists with oil would my hair remain detangled when I loosed it out to put the curlformers in?
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