I’ve always had that in-between kind of hair: not quite pin-straight, but not quite wavy either – there’s always an awkward bend or kink that never sits quite right. The worst part? It stubbornly refuses to hold a style, too. I’ve tried it all: curling wands, the Dyson Airwrap, hot brushes – you name it, the curls would drop within 10 minutes. For the longest time, I thought I was cursed to only ever wear my hair flat and straight. Then I discovered a miracle: heatless curls.
I admit, I was dismissive when heatless curls first surfaced in the beauty world. I figured if hot tools couldn’t get my hair to hold, then heatless curls didn’t stand a chance. Frankly, the idea of wrapping my hair up at night and then miraculously waking up with bouncy, perfect hair sounded ridiculous.
It was around two years ago when I finally decided to give it a go, and oh, how wrong I was! I haven’t looked back since. Now, I roll out of bed and in less than a minute I have bouncy, blowout curls that last all day.
Not only are heatless curls time-saving, but your hair will thank you, too. Giving up the heat means healthier locks, so you can wave goodbye to frizz and the dreaded split ends. (In fact, every hairdresser I’ve been to has asked me how I’ve kept my hair so healthy!)
If you’ve searched ‘heatless curls’ online, you may have found yourself overwhelmed and confused by all the different methods. There are so many, from dedicated silk rods, dressing gown curls, sock curls (yes, really) and even scrunchie curls. But don’t worry. As a self-proclaimed ‘heatless curl connoisseur’, I’ve tried them all and I’m here to give you the lowdown on each one.
THE SCRUNCHIE CURLS
Curls: 6/10
Ease: 6/10
Comfort while sleeping: 10/10
The method: This one is relatively simple once you get the hang of it, as demonstrated in this online tutorial. To start, I gathered my hair up as if I was making a high, loose ponytail at the top of your head, but without wrapping or twisting the scrunchie. Once my hair was through the scrunchie, I split the ‘ponytail’ into two sections. (My tip: to make things easier, clip one section out of the way for now.) I held the scrunchie open, twisted the first section around it, then repeated with the second section.
The verdict: Initially, I had quite low expectations for this method, but I was left pleasantly surprised. It created lovely curls, although it’s worth noting that they weren’t as consistent or predictable as the other methods. As you can see, I had one rogue strand of hair that was much curlier than the others. However, this one scores a 10/10 for comfort, as it just felt like sleeping in a bun!
THE SOCK CURLS
Curls: 8/10
Ease: 3/10
Comfort while sleeping: 3/10
Yes, you read that right. Sock curls don’t sound the most glamorous, but in truth, they work a charm. It’s all in the name – all you need is a pair of (clean) long socks.
The method: This method sounds simple, but I’m afraid to say I found it was quite fiddly! There are a few different ways to go about sock curls; however, I followed this tutorial, which essentially involved dividing my hair into a top and bottom section, then wrapping each one around a long sock and tying them together. It took me several attempts to figure out how to do it.
The verdict: I was genuinely surprised by the incredible, bouncy curls I got from just using socks! However, this method was much tricker and took a lot longer to get the hang of. In addition, this was by far the most uncomfortable to sleep in – as a side sleeper, having socks dangling down was awkward – plus, I could feel my hair being tugged.
That being said, the results were undeniably impressive. It’s amazing what you can achieve with your basic underwear drawer essentials.
THE SILK ROD
Curls: 8/10
Ease: 9/10
Comfort while sleeping: 7/10
While this is the only method that involves buying a dedicated kit, it works like a dream. The viral heatless curler kit from Silke London isn’t cheap at £42, but for good reason. Made from 100% silk, this rod promises frizz-free and consistent curls – and I have to say, it delivers.
The method: The kit comes with a hair clip, two silk scrunchies and, of course, the silk rod. Luckily, to make things easy, Silke London has an easy-to-follow tutorial.
To start, I had to simply hold the silk rod on top of my parted hair and clip it into place. After that, I began wrapping my hair around the curler, working away from my face and adding more pieces until all my hair was wrapped up. (My tip: try wrapping smaller sections for tight curls, or larger sections for softer waves.) Once I was done, I tied the ends with the silk scrunchies and I was ready for bed!
The verdict: If you’re looking to fake a Hollywood-esque blowout, this is the method for you. I wrapped larger sections tightly around the rod which, when released, created beautiful bouncy waves, just like magic.
Although other methods did produce nice curls, this one felt the most reliable – creating the most uniform and consistent curls of them all. Plus, the silk material meant minimal frizz and maximum shine.
THE BATHROBE CURLS
Curls: 3/10
Ease: 8/10
Comfort while sleeping: 7/10
Bathrobe curls are exactly what they sound like. Just like sock and scrunchie curls, you likely have what you need at home already: all you need is the belt from your dressing gown.
The method: This method is almost identical to the silk rod curls, just a little less slick. Much like the silk rod, I clipped the bathrobe belt to the top of my head, then began wrapping sections of hair around it until every bit was included. That done, I just secured everything with hair ties and forgot about it until the morning!
The verdict: While the idea is great, these were my least favourite curls. Despite using the same method as the silk rod, I found the bathrobe made the curls very angular and wonky (not ideal) – plus, I found it actually made my hair much frizzier. While convenient, it’s not a method I would go back to again.
Overall, for a combination of best curls and comfort, the silk rod was a clear winner. Although the kit is £42, it’s still much cheaper than your average curling wand, plus much less of a hassle!
Out of all the methods, it created the most consistent curls. Let’s just say, if I had a special occasion coming up, this is the only method I would count on.
While not my first choice, scrunchie curls are also a strong contender. I can see myself using this method if I was travelling and needed to pack light, or if I needed to curl my hair during the day, since it’s discreet enough to double as a bun.
Either way, one thing’s for certain: I won’t be picking up a curling wand any time soon!
