Over the years hairstyles have come and gone, but the tools used to create them haven’t changed all that much. In the 60’s it was curler, and those remained in fashion right up to the present day, when the slick look took over favoring the curling iron or flat iron instead.
Hair curlers are still used today, but the hot iron is favored, probably leaning more toward convenience than practicality. The curling iron, or flat iron, is used more for that straight, slick look that is the prevalent style of today. But the old fashioned curlers, with their little teeth that held the hair in place while it was tightly wrapped, and curled upwards, then held with a bobby pin, can still offer some benefit to the hair itself.
Hair curlers came in different styles and sizes, and varied from plastic rolls with the little gripping teeth, to the same kind of roller, but with foam cushioning instead. Although curlers were much more popular then, than now, the advantages offered when used sometimes made them a better choice, especially if you want to have a loose curl that isn’t wound tight; this adds volume and gives the hair an alive bouncy look that is very attractive.
The reason that the curler is still in use today is because of the curling iron or flat iron. The problem arises when you use these tools – the problem being the heat needed to shape and hold the hair. It’s that heat that makes the hair dry and brittle, and can cause a bad case of the frizzies, unless the hair is very well maintained with constant conditioning, so that it retains its luster and body despite the abuse of a hot iron.
Of course, not everyone says the same thing about irons, because everyone has different kinds of hair. Irons now have a strip of velvet to diffuse the heat while in use, so that the iron doesn’t make the hair dry and brittle, but cools sufficiently to decrease the ill effects of direct heat. This is especially true if you have naturally
dry hair that is prone to getting brittle and breaking, but even if your hair isn’t dry, be sure to keep it conditioned, because the heat can still dry it out more quickly.
The pros and cons of hair curlers as opposed to the curling or flat iron vary. Because the style today is a straight, silky look, instead of the mountain of curls, favored before,
curled hair can be dine very easily with the curler, as long as you don’t try to sleep in them, in which case you could end up with the “do from hell”. Irons are used in a downward motion only, which achieves that sleek, straight effect mentioned before. As long as the hair is frequently conditioned, for body and bounce, you should be able to enjoy using the iron without worry.
