The 5 Best Hair Rollers for Top-Tier Volume, According to a Hair-Obsessed Beauty Editor
Achieve that supermodel look without the expensive appointment.
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If you've ever been envious of a big, bouncy blowout à la a '90s supermodel or the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway, I have amazing news: those angelic waves are not difficult to recreate. So yes, you can channel your inner hair muses like Cindy Crawford or Bella Hadid without a salon appointment. And no worries if you don't have the skills of a professional celebrity stylist (because I definitely don't); you can still achieve tons of volume with the right hair routine.
All it takes is a solid blowout routine with a multi-styler, heated round brush, or blow dryer, complete with a set of hair rollers. And as a long-haired beauty editor who loves nothing more than the way my hair looks after a bouncy salon blowout, I've tried pretty much every type of hair roller out there to DIY those same silky waves. Plus, expert hairstylists share how to properly use these volume-inducing tools, below.
Ahead, the best hair rollers for bouncy, voluminous blowouts—no salon appointment necessary.
These ceramic velcro rollers are perfect for achieving that bouncy blowout look. They come in three different sizes so they work around the head for different sections and layers, with the smallest being perfect for angles and bangs. And you also won't have to worry about these rollers falling out of your hair, since they're made with a self-grip surface and don't require any clips.
Features at a Glance
| Number of rollers | 9 |
| Sizes | 3 |
If you're constantly on the go and need a few rollers to keep in your bag, this six piece set from haircare brand Mane comes in a perfect travel-ready case. The barrels are also self-gripping so you won't need to bring around extra clips. It's ideal for adding all-around volume, apropos of the larger circumference size.
Features at a Glance
| Number of rollers | 6 |
| Sizes | 2 |
If you've got a lot of hair (consider yourself blessed), you might need more than the standard 6 to 9 set of rollers. Luckily, this easy-to-store kit has 18 of them. It also comes in a long and short hair size, so if you've got short and thick hair, creating the perfect curls and waves will be a breeze.
Features at a Glance
| Number of rollers | 18 |
| Sizes | 2 |
If you wanna get that XXL volume without the process of blowdrying your hair, a set of heated rollers is a one-and-done way to get the look of a defined blowout on already-dry hair.
Not only do the T3 hot rollers have a dual temperature setting, but they have a coolgrip on the top and bottom, so you won't burn your precious fingers while setting them in place. It even comes in a sleek case and has an auto-off setting so you don't need to question if you left them on while you're mid-out to dinner.
Features at a Glance
| Number of rollers | 8 |
| Sizes | 2 |
Sure, you can sleep in hair rollers, but if you're looking for a a comfy method that will ensure tons of volume and gorgeous waves, look no further than Kitsch's Heatless Curling Set.
It's made of soft satin, so there's no pulling or tugging unlike velcro rollers, and it comes with two matching scrunchies to hold your hair in place overnight. So when someone compliments your hair you can literally say "I woke up like this."
Features at a Glance
| Number of rollers | 1 |
| Sizes | 1 |
How to use hair rollers?
Each hair roller is different, and each hair type will require unique steps. However, it's a good idea to keep these general tips in mind from expert hairstylists if you're looking to achieve a bouncy blowout at home:
"The way your curlers and hair sets is the way that it is going to flow," explains Tippi Shorter, celebrity hairstylist and Mizani Global Artistic Director. "Place the rollers at the crown of the head and roll your hair under the curler, that way, you will get more volume and body."
Joseph Maine, celebrity stylist and Artistic Director of Color Wow Hair, suggests using a brush and rollers that are on the larger side in order to achieve a smoother bouncy blowout. "The smaller they are, the more curls they're going to leave in your hair."
Use a diffuser attachment on a blow dryer to gently heat the rollers back up after every roller has been placed. This will ensure that they are set perfectly explains Eric Vaughn, stylist and owner of REV Hair.
What type of hair rollers are best?
In short: There’s no one-size-fits-all roller and each type serves a slightly different purpose. You probably have seen quite a few throwback pics of supermodels getting glammed up with velcro rollers, but times have changed, and that means rollers have evolved too. Hot rollers and heatless curls can also be used to create the effortless and bouncy look you're going for—it just depends on the size of the roller and the process you use.
And remember, the bigger the roller, the bouncier the hair, and the smaller the roller, the tighter the curls will be.
What are the best products to use with hair rollers?
"Most people need to have ultra moisture in the hair in order to get a hair roller style to stay," says Maine. To ensure that your hair is preperly moisturized, a blowout mousse, spray, or leave-in conditioner will do the trick.
If you're working with curly hair, Maine recommends about 60 percent moisture in your hair before styling, versus if you have straighter hair, where you would only need about 10 or 20 percent moisture.
"At the end of the day, curly and straight hair are the same, the curly hair just requires a few extra steps to finish the look," says Shorter. She also recommends running a hair oil through the hair for those with all types of curls.
Meet the experts:
- Joseph Maine is a celebrity hairstylist and Artistic Director of Color Wow Hair.
- Tippi Shorter is a celebrity hairstylist, Mizani Global Artistic Director, and founder of the Textpert Collective.
- Eric Vaughn is a Houston and LA-based stylist, owner of REV Hair, and Global Artistic Director of Bellami Hair Professional.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan who writes about everything from the best hair products and tools, to all the biggest celebrity hair trends. She's tested dozens of hair rollers in her years as a beauty expert and narrowed it down to the best five based on ease of use, price, results, and more.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
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