C.J. Braden • 2 Minute Read
How To Use Sponge Rollers for Big Hair
If you lived during the 1980’s, you will be very familiar with using sponge rollers. They are also called foam rollers. I used to sleep on them all the time so I could wake up and have gorgeous banana curls in my long red hair. As an adult, I wondered if they would still produce curls that I could manage and style, so I bought some to test out.
Read on to learn how to use sponge rollers for big hair.
I bought a set of Conair neon sponge rollers in various sizes. I got them for just under $10. Instead of the banana curls I wanted as a child, I wanted large, voluminous curls, so I opted to use the largest roller in the pack on most of my hair.
Start with clean, wet hair
I first washed my hair and allowed it to air dry for about 15 minutes. If you have more fine, straight hair (mine is thick and wavy), you may not need to air dry at all. You could alternately sponge roll clean, dry hair, but to make a curl last, you should spray your hair with a water bottle before rolling to dampen it.
I used Conair sponge rollers for my big hair
I then combed my hair with a wide tooth comb and started rolling. I started at the front of my head and sectioned out a 2-inch wide piece of hair, then started rolling my hair from the end down to the root. I rolled a bit on the loose side to produce big, loose curls.
Watch my sponge roller process in my one-minute YouTube video below or on my channel @carolynjbraden.
I used all the large curlers on the top and sides of my head, then used the medium-sized roller on the underside of my hair.
Sponge rollers are actually comfortable
The rollers clip together and stay in place fairly well. If you have shorter hair, I’d recommend wrapping the hair a little tighter than I did to help them stay in your hair.
I tested out laying down on my pillow in these rollers to see if they were as comfortable as I remember them being as a child and they actually were. The sponge part makes them soft and cushy. My thick hair would take the entire night to dry, so if you do not have the overnight amount of time for these curls to set, you could try drying your curls using an alternative method. If you choose to sleep in the sponge rollers, you could wrap your hair in a bandana or sleep bonnet.
A bonnet hair dryer can dry curls fast
I found an old bonnet dryer in my in-law’s basement (as I completed this article during our Hurricane Ian evacuation) and tested it out as a method to dry my sponge roller curls. I sat outside to use it as it smelled a bit weird when I first plugged it in. It is very old and had not been used in years, so I wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to catch on fire, lol! After a few minutes the smell subsided and I sat under it for about an hour to fully dry my thick hair. You could alternatively use a hair dryer to dry your curls.
Half up curly hair style
I then removed the sponge rollers and revealed very BIG hair! I shook my curls with my hands to loosen them. Then I tamed my curls using a Spornette boar bristle brush, gently brushing the curls in a downward motion. I then smoothed some Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream through my curls to tame and smooth them.
After my sponge roller curly hair tutorial
I could have left my sponge roller curled hair loose, but I decided to style it a bit further. I pulled back my front section of hair and secured it with a ponytail holder. I then wrapped my ponytail holder with a piece of hair to hide it and complete the style. See my “how to hide ponytail holders” process in my short 1 minute video by clicking here.
Overall, I like the look of sponge rolled hair, even as an adult. It’s a great heat-free hairstyle if you don’t use a hairdryer. I would recommend you try sponge rolling your hair and see what results you come up with. It may take some practice, but it can be fun. The rollers are super cute and colorful too!
C.J. (Carolyn) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.