Heatless Curls with Balloons ^_^*

[MINAKO]

Hi y'all lovelies!

I found some interesting and fresh video on a curling technique i never heard of, quite creative i must admit and i will definitely try this to prep my hair for the next time i straighten it. Usually i use two silk scarfs and dry it in braided pigtails. Can't figure out how anyone could sleep with rollers in their hair, but at least it looks like its super gentle and doesn't overstretch the hair while it dries... Opinions or tweaks?! :blossom:


https://youtu.be/Y6ndZ4XvvKw

[meteor]

Ha-ha! That's pretty cool, actually :thumbsup: ... (though the balloons wouldn't really be reusable, and I kept imagining what would happen if one of the bobby pins pierced and burst one of the balloons while sleeping on them, he-he! :lol: )

[MINAKO]

I bought the long modelling ballons she tried at first and was wondering if i should just fill them with cotton to make then resuable. Would be more like normal rollers but i like the grippy yet smooth surface of the rubber and imagine they would hold quite well.

[meteor]

I bought the long modelling ballons she tried at first and was wondering if i should just fill them with cotton to make then resuable. Would be more like normal rollers but i like the grippy yet smooth surface of the rubber and imagine they would hold quite well.

A-ha! Great idea, MINAKO! :D I haven't thought of that. I think making them reusable like that is a great idea. As long as they don't burst easily, I don't see any issues. :)
I'd also cover the roller-set with a silky smooth scarf for the night: it can make a big difference in smoothness and frizz reduction, I find.

[meteor]

Also, I forgot to mention that since your hair is so long, the short shape of the balloon/roller can be a bit of a problem from the point of view of potential tangling. Doing braids or really long bendy rollers/flexi rods/scarves/etc works better for great lengths because the roller has extra length, bigger surface area for the hair to wrap around. So for long hair, I think I would want to try those long twisty balloons that clowns use for making shapes. But I don't know - they are probably easy to pierce and burst, no? :hmm:

[MINAKO]

Yes i would cover them with some stretichy net like satin fabric i have to maintain straight hair. I dont move alot when i sleep but better safe than sorry. That being said i could probably do without any of these techniques cause my hair straightens wuite easily now but maybe good preparation can help reduce the heat setting further.
I have to said that there are still moments where i think i'm going back to long bob, although my hair exceeded my expectations in terms of health an quality by far. So i'm keeping myself entertained enough to be willing to put the work in lol. Just really tired of buns recently.

[littlestarface]

Also, I forgot to mention that since your hair is so long, the short shape of the balloon/roller can be a bit of a problem from the point of view of potential tangling. Doing braids or really long bendy rollers/flexi rods/scarves/etc works better for great lengths because the roller has extra length, bigger surface area for the hair to wrap around. So for long hair, I think I would want to try those long twisty balloons that clowns use for making shapes. But I don't know - they are probably easy to pierce and burst, no? :hmm:

Loool I can just imagine your hair wrapped around a giraffe balloon :laugh:

[MINAKO]

Oh yes i don't think it would work at my length with round ballons at all, but the long ones give quite a few options when it comes to the way you roll the hair up, i think it would be even possible to bend them in the middle to pinch the hair in and then wrap around the doubled up balloon. Sure as hell there's no way i could leave the house while having them in or i might get the straight jacket treatment, haha

[poli]

What about the static from the rubber? My hair would totally just stand straight up if I touched it with a balloon.

[MINAKO]

That could be indeed a problem Poli. Especially when sleeping and the balloons rub more against the hair. I have ine of those antistatic brushes which would come in handy if i just curled it. For me however it would just be the first step as i use a straightener after so most likely it goes away then anyways.
I will let you know how my hair behaves once i tried it.

[lapushka]

Oh gosh, what these YTers don't have to do to get some "attention". I think this is overkill. You can imagine all sorts of different scenarios for curling your hair; this is clearly not for me. :lol:

[MINAKO]

Why is your first thought of accusing her to be an attention seeker? I homestly like the idea from a standpoint of looking for a mthod thats gentle on the hair and comfortable to move around or go to sleep with. I wouldn't have posted it just for giggles. Don't reject information because you may not like the way she presents herself. I'm happy people share their ideas.

[Groovy Granny]

That looks more comfortable than the soup cans I used in the 60's :laugh:

[jennareid]

Why is your first thought of accusing her to be an attention seeker? I homestly like the idea from a standpoint of looking for a mthod thats gentle on the hair and comfortable to move around or go to sleep with. I wouldn't have posted it just for giggles. Don't reject information because you may not like the way she presents herself. I'm happy people share their ideas.

I didn't read it as her attacking the poster. It just seems lately that YTers have to be more and more "gimmicky" to get views. (Plus, calling a "tip" a "hack" is a major pet peeve of mine!). Balloons seem like a bad idea because of the risk of popping. I've seen people used rolled up bubble wrap which I think would be more effective - if you pop a couple of bubbles it won't affect the integrity of the entire "curler".

[lithostoic]

There's no way I wouldn't pop them in my sleep. I thrash around. I think the only way someone could sleep with these is if they were passed out or in a coma. Even then they'd probably pop upon waking up (which would be twice as startling as doing it during/after a normal sleep).

However the results are pretty, but I think the same could be achieved by sleeping in multiple twisted buns, and dampening hair after takedown in case they need to be relaxed a little more.

[lapushka]

I didn't read it as her attacking the poster. It just seems lately that YTers have to be more and more "gimmicky" to get views. (Plus, calling a "tip" a "hack" is a major pet peeve of mine!). Balloons seem like a bad idea because of the risk of popping. I've seen people used rolled up bubble wrap which I think would be more effective - if you pop a couple of bubbles it won't affect the integrity of the entire "curler".

Exactly that's how I meant it - in *general*. Boy, you can't imagine what YT'ers these days come up with to get views! And of course balloons tend to pop easy. I don't think it's particularly smart either. I would never try this in a million years, sorry.

[Groovy Granny]

They are placed on TOP of her head though, so only the ends may touch the pillow but not enough pressure to pop.

I wore CANS on top of my head in the 60's and was very comfy and secure :wink:

[lithostoic]

Yeah but you move your head when you sleep. Without a doubt I'd have one pinned against the headboard or under my head changing positions in my sleep.

[MINAKO]

Going by how little air she put inside it would sctually be pretty difficult to pop one unless you roll around in between extremely sharp things. But i like the bubble wrap idea too.
The problem i have with normal rollers is hair piling on top of itself and it never dries cause its just to much. Creating a spiral around a long balloon and then tying it in a loop like you bend up the ends of a flexi rod is what sparked my interest in the first place.

[rhyebud]

This is interesting. Thank you for sharing. I agree with the others about the YTers being gimmicky. This technique is not for me. There are so many ways to roll your hair at night and I would not choose this one. I prefer to use what I have on hand and only buy extra things when I am super excited about them. But, if balloons are getting other people super excited about rolling their hair, I think that's great.

[lapushka]

Besides, rubber, things rubbing on it and hair? Guarantee for static!

[Arctic]

How about curls with maxi pads? *grin*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H54b2FK5aig

[Upside Down]

On one hand I like the idea because baloons are very lightweight and the thickness can be easily customized (the size of the curl).

On the other hand, seems like too much work for what can be achieved with a tshirt turban.

Perhaps if they were comfortable to sleep in....

If anyone tries, let us know.

[MINAKO]

As i said i find this interesting as i was looking for ways to not roll mid thigh length hair in on itself, aside from these long balloons pool noodles are the only other thing ithat comes to mind but much heavier.
I also don't think that every curling method needs to be comfortable to sleep in as i would most likely do my hair in weekends when i'm around the house during the day anyways.
Someone pointed out that wetting the hair before counteracts the static and as we could see in the video her hair came out great which is probably due to her hairtype, but then again my hair is smooth and heavy too.

[kganihanova]

All I can think about when I see this is- oh god the static.

[lapushka]

I can't stand balloons popping, now imagine having several of them in the hair and having the risk of that happening when you put pressure on your head to sleep on it. Noooo aaargh, the thought!

I'm sorry, MINAKO, I just overall think this is a very bad idea. :(
But thanks for linking the video!

[MINAKO]

Uhm ok Lapushka, i think i understood your disapproval of this idea about five posts before. Nobody is trying to force you, lol.

[meteor]

Someone pointed out that wetting the hair before counteracts the static and as we could see in the video her hair came out great which is probably due to her hairtype, but then again my hair is smooth and heavy too.

Yes, I've been thinking about that static issue, too. :agree:
On the one hand, wetting/dampening hair or using diluted conditioner or oiling hair would all counteract static. On the other hand, water will evaporate overnight (as expected with wet-setting) and if your hair has already dried in balloons as roller-set and then the rubbing occurs after it's dry, then the static will still be an issue. :hmm: Oiling would help, but the hair may be not very presentable, if killing static requires a ton of oil.

However, my understanding is that you only get static from balloons if you rub hair on them, not if the hair is wrapped and left alone without that kind of movement.

Whatever the case may be, I'd be careful on take-down not to cause unnecessary rubbing as you are unraveling the set in the morning. :)

I'd love to hear how it goes, if anybody tries it. :D

[MINAKO]

Meteor, yes it would probably be best not to rest the head on anything while doing this. Don't think the balloons would cause any friction by themselves especially as they are soft and shift in between the hair rather than rubbing.
I usually take my antistatic brush right after flatironing and also do a few cool shot with an ionic dryer to seal the style and make hair more soft and swishy. Should eliminate the probem easily without any additional product that might weigh doen to much.
I've actually been trying to find giant flexi rods forever, but i think 20mm is the largest i can possibly get. There is some type of cable isolation that pretty much equals a pool noodle. I plan on straightening more often as i'm maintaining now so it would be fun to compare what works best.

[lapushka]

Uhm ok Lapushka, i think i understood your disapproval of this idea about five posts before. Nobody is trying to force you, lol.

So have you tried it yet? ;) :)

[MINAKO]

No, it's not even been washday yet. But the next time i straighten it i will. Given that i stopped being super religious about my hait i might just do it for fun some time this week even if i have nowhere to go with that curtain.

[littlestarface]

This is a good idea if one has alot of balloons around and you wanna use them up, nothing wrong with being creative with left over stuff laying around. I on the other hand wish I was this creative to use whatever is lying around in my hair to make it look pretty.

If someone doesn't like the idea then fair enough no one is forced to see this thread.

[stachelbeere]

Hey Minako,
I'm a creative person and I've been thinking about you looking for curling/straightening thingies with a wide diameter... here are my thoughts:

- I've been using sponge rollers for my art [here is what I mean] (http://s7g3.scene7.com/is/image/ae235/?$p$&wid=281&hei=281&op_sharpen=1&layer=0&size=281,281&layer=1&size=281,281&src=ae235/65323_P) [I even found this bead shaped one] (http://www.gordonbrush.com/images/products/RoofRoller.jpg): They are around 3-4 cm in diameter. They have a plastic rod inside to keep them straight for the roller handle but that can be easily removed (if that's a better option) to make them flexible. Easily accessed in DIY stores in the painting section - the ones I buy cost £6-7 for 8 pieces (too much $$$ for... foam). The foam is quiet dense but I would still use some fabric cover around the rollers.

- now I'm not sure what diameter you're interested in but how about a car wash sponge (http://www.shintar.com/upload/2011523143355345.jpg)? The shape could be a winner and they are cheap and huge, you could even trim them. I saw some for £1 in a pound store the other day, I'm sure they should be easily accessed in other European countries (not sure if I remember correctly that you live somewhere in Europe)

- This is the most engaging/ expensive option: I've become a bit of a foam/ sponge expert (not really though) and it's possible to order foam sheets and even rollers from producers that are cut to size. I just did a quick quote with "my go-to foam company" (yep!) and you could have a set of high density foam rollers (very firm sponge - it probably won't 'collapse' when you roll your hair) with your own measurements (I think I put in 5 cm diameter x 4 cm length) for around £9-15 + shipping. Check the calculator on their site: https://www.efoam.co.uk/?shape=cylinder

I could maybe come up with more ideas but I'm just not sure about the specs. Hope this was a bit helpful :flower:

[lapushka]

Not liking this method is not a personal attack on the OP, so please stop acting like it is. :rolleyes: It's "just" an opinion.

[jennareid]

If someone doesn't like the idea then fair enough no one is forced to see this thread.

No-one's been rude about it. OP literally asked for opinions. Some people don't like the method, that's all.

[samanthaa]

My first thought is not static but that there's no way my fine, silky, slippery hair is staying on those balloons all night hahaha

[littlestarface]

No-one's been rude about it. OP literally asked for opinions. Some people don't like the method, that's all.

I never said anyone was as you see in my post, as well if someone doesn't like it then it's fair to leave an opinion but why would someone who doesn't like it keep coming back just to say over and over again they don't like it.

Just saying.

[lapushka]

I never said anyone was as you see in my post, as well if someone doesn't like it then it's fair to leave an opinion but why would someone who doesn't like it keep coming back just to say over and over again they don't like it.

Just saying.

Why not? I mean. I still don't like it, and I hang around all over the forum, so...

[MINAKO]

I was asking about opinions on the technique and how to possibly make it work best. I don't have any interest to discuss a youtubers attitude or whatever. Of course not everything works for every single member on this forum or suits the way they prefer to wear their hair. But i find it rather condescending in a very childish way to keep going on about the dislike of a method from a personal point of view.

[Lavendersugar]

It's very creative.

For me I see it more as possible damage. I'm not at all graceful or coordinated. Heck I often struggle just taking my hair out of a ponytail with a soft band. I could just see myself causing too much friction with the balloon.

I would however love to see what it looks like done with longer hair. I could see how might be more fun than a t-shirt. It's balloons!! And it's hair balloons! Now that sounds like lots fun!!

I agree with MINAKO and Littlestarface, saying once you don't like something is fine and just an opinion but continuing could be viewed as less than a friendly opinion.

[MINAKO]

Lavendersugar, i have coordination problems when handling my hair too, although i'm very expirienced at doing my own blowouts and straightening i can't braid the back of my head for example. One thing i found that helps while practising is avoiding to look into a mirror all the time but rather train your hands to just go by touch and feel what you are doing. Most of the time it turns out much better, we are just very used of wanting to see what we are doing.
I also started detangling my hair like this and do my buns.
Positioning of rollers is pretty important for the end result. I like to place them all horizontal and pretty close to the scalp and wrap the hair in a twisting motion into a spiral rather than rolling it on top of itself.

[Lavendersugar]

Lavendersugar, i have coordination problems when handling my hair too, although i'm very expirienced at doing my own blowouts and straightening i can't braid the back of my head for example. One thing i found that helps while practising is avoiding to look into a mirror all the time but rather train your hands to just go by touch and feel what you are doing. Most of the time it turns out much better, we are just very used of wanting to see what we are doing.
I also started detangling my hair like this and do my buns.
Positioning of rollers is pretty important for the end result. I like to place them all horizontal and pretty close to the scalp and wrap the hair in a twisting motion into a spiral rather than rolling it on top of itself.

Thank you , I'll have to try not looking. I'm horrible with braids. I can't even rope braid. Like you I can do very nice blow outs, that's about all I can do.