I Bought This Heatless Curler Set Because Of Social Media, And I’m So Glad I Did

(Bianca Guzzo)

My favourite way to wear my hair is with curls or a slight wave, and I usually rely on hot tools to achieve that, typically a curling wand or flat iron. The only problem? Even with the right heat protectant, you can’t completely avoid damage. As someone who loves a good hair day, I’ve been on the hunt for a heat-free alternative that actually delivers on its promises.

Over the past year, TikTok has served me countless videos of people using heatless curling methods to style their hair overnight, sans-iron. The most popular seems to be with a satin rod. Enter this Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set. With an affordable price tag and thousands of reviewers singing its praises, I knew I had to give it a go.

My experience using the Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set

I’ll start by saying I’m no stranger to DIY beauty treatments or hairstyling hacks. I’ve been styling, cutting, and colouring my own hair for years, so I wasn’t too intimidated by the thought of trying a new tool. After watching my fair share of tutorials, I felt ready to test out the Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set.

The satin curling rod is 34 inches long, so it’s suitable for a wide range of hair lengths. It’s much squishier than I was expecting, and has a similar texture to memory foam. This gave me hope that it might actually be comfortable to wear overnight. It also came with two matching scrunchies to keep my hair in place.

Before wrapping my hair, I lightly mist it with water. I find my hair holds a curl better when it’s slightly damp. By the time I wake up and unravel it from the foam rod, it’s completely dry, and eight times out of 10, I’m left with soft, bouncy waves or curls. How tight or loose the curls turn out depends on how closely you wrap your hair around the rod. The tighter the wrap, the tighter the curl.

There are two main techniques for using a heatless curling rod. The first is to wrap each half of your hair around it like wearing braids or pigtails on each side of your head. The second is to wrap both sides of your hair around it with the curling rod running along your middle part (dubbed the unicorn technique). They both do pretty much the same thing, but give you slightly different results.

The pigtail technique is pretty easy to get the hang of, whether you’re wrapping your hair in one direction (I recommend away from the face) or criss-crossing it like a lazy braid. It gives me nice loose curls, with most of the texture concentrated at the mid-lengths and ends of my hair, leaving the roots pretty flat. The unicorn technique is not as easy for me to wrap.

The first time I tried the unicorn technique, it took me almost 20 minutes to get a secure wrap. It is much more comfortable for me (a side sleeper), which is why I’m determined to make this technique work. It also gives me more texture and volume closer to my roots, which I prefer.

After trying both techniques, I’ve found that my hair tends to hold better through the night with the unicorn technique. I think it’s because I’m a side sleeper who tends to toss and turn. The added friction when I have the rod in pigtails causes it to loosen before I wake up, leaving me with wonky and uneven waves. It’s not uncomfortable, and it still gives me a curl, but it’s uneven in certain places. This is fine if I’m just spending the day at home, but I wouldn’t want to go to a dinner or an event with my hair looking like that.

If sleeping in it seems like it would be too uncomfortable for you, I have tried an alternative method where I wear it throughout the day while I work, clean, or do chores around the house, and the results are the same (it’s the length of the time you wear it, not when you’re wearing it that matters!).

Is the Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set worth the hype?

In my opinion, the Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set is well worth the hype. Although there is some trial and error with the styling process, it’s easy to correct or do-over in the moment, so the stakes are pretty low. I think it’s an especially great option for anyone looking to save time in the morning.

You should get the Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set if…

• You want to style your hair without using heat
• You’re looking for an affordable alternative to classic hair tools
• You wouldn’t mind sleeping in a curling rod, or wearing it for a few hours around the house

You should not get the Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set if…

• You find sleeping with things on your head too uncomfortable
• You want to be able to style your hair fast
• You want control over how each curl or wave looks

What reviewers are saying about Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set

The Kitsch Satin Heatless Curler Set has an average rating of 4.1 stars across over 31,000 reviews. Users like that it gives them big, bouncy curls without heat damage, and say that the rod is comfortable to sleep in, though some note that if you move around a lot, it can take some time to get used to. A few flag that if you have fine or very thin hair, this might not be the styling product for you.