Road Test: Hot Rollers 2.0
THE TESTER: Jennifer Goldstein
THE DEAL: Beauty Tribe's Jetset Hot Roller The Volumizer comes with an induction heater that warms curlers individually, so each goes into hair at the optimal temperature. Plus, the roller caps stay cool the whole time, so there's no chance of burning your fingertips or ears.
THE TRYOUT: The weight of my long hair stretches out curling-iron- created waves within hours, so when a stylist friend told me that a "roller set" would last longer, I decided to give these a try. The curlers looked like others I've seen, so I ignored the instructions and popped a curler into the heater. Instead of removing it when the machine beeped after eight seconds, I accidentally hit the button for another induction cycle. Within seconds, I saw smoke. When I pulled out the curler (ends still cool to the touch, as promised!), the center had a bubbling black blister. I threw it out and followed the instructions for the remaining 15 curlers. Five minutes later, I had set my entire head in the (properly) heated rollers, which were easy to secure with the included clips.
THE VERDICT: After another few minutes, the little white dots on the curlers turned red, indicating that it was time for removal. When I let down my strands, the roots had tons of volume, and my hair cascaded down my back in soft, loopy tendrils that lasted two entire days. If you think of these as "volumizers" or "blowout perfecters" rather than "curlers," you will be extremely satisfied—provided you also read the instructions.
Beauty Tribe, $179
BUY IT: beautytribe.com.