Curlformers Part II !!!

My most anticipated item of the year arrived in my mailbox a couple of weeks ago, the super innovative Curlformers!!! ($11.99 - $12.99  quantity varies between 6-8 per pack, depending on width & length, available at Sally Beauty Supply)

I purchased 4 packs of the Extra Long & Wide and 2 packs of the Long & Wide

I seriously could not wait to rip open these babies and try them out. I was pretty confident that I could figure them out easily. But as I began the process, I found that they were a little trickier than they seemed.



I started with freshly shampooed, conditioned ,and detangled hair. Then I followed the directions as instructed on the package.

I'm glad I did my homework before attempting to try Curlformers with only the above instructions to guide me. Because of several YouTube videos that I watched before making my purchase, I knew to seperate my hair into at least 4 parts before beginning to make the process easier to manage.

After easily snapping together the two pieces of the Curlformer hook ($3.99, sold separately at Sally Beauty Supply). I inserted it into the Curlformer.

I started with the front section (which may have been a bad idea because the back "kitchen" part of my hair takes much longer to dry than the front). Grabbing about a 2 inch section (without clean parts), I combed through again with a wide toothed comb, applied BB Wrapping Lotion Foam and a dab of Proclaim Hair Oil Treatment, and then smoothed the section with a soft brush.

I began by twisting the root of the section as done by every Curlforming YouTubers that I had seen.

 I then grabbed the twisted root with the hook, making sure to hold the base in place.

Still firmly holding the base, I pulled the Curlformer up over the top of the hook, grabbed the bottom handle of the hook, and pulled the section of hair through the Curlformer. 

One section completed, many more to go...

Complete head of  Curlformers

Some Things to Remember When Using Curlformers

1. My hair is pretty darn long (bra strap length in most places on my head) even though its usually kept in shrunken curls. I regret not getting all Extra Long & Wide because I had multiple sections where the hair extended beyond the length of the Long & Wide (as pictured above). I just snipped off the those ends because that's how I roll (I need a trim anyway). However, if you're not sure if you need the longer length, just get the longer ones. I'll probably return the shorter ones or give them away. 
2. Apply the Curlformer to the hook before you start the section!! I forgot this step almost every single time so I would have to let go of my smooth twisted section to prepare the hook. Ugh!! This added about 30 minutes to the process. I had to train myself to do this step AS SOON AS I finished one section so that I would not forget. 
3. Do your research on the best techniques to use. YouTube is a heaven sent when learning about new products and techniques, especially because you can keep looking until you find someone with a hair type like yours. I had a pretty good idea about technique (twisting the root, smoothing the section with a brush, type of products to set with etc.) and was fairly confident my first go round (even though I did still have some setbacks).
4. Curlformers dry pretty fast. If I air dry and don't put too much hair in one Curlformer, I'm usually done in about 4 hours, 45 minutes if sitting under a dryer. I have taken down a couple too early and found that they were still damp. Bummer!! But after resetting and blowing those sections dry for about 5 minutes, they still came out as perfect as the others. Now that's a first for me!!  But it's a must that you let these suckers dry completely.
5. For me, upkeep was not great. I'm not really good at maintaining my hair overnight. However, I have heard from other Curlforming ladies that have had the same experience. So unless I'm re-setting, pinning, or applying some other equally high-maintence routine, I usually need to figure out a new style for the day after. However, my hair is semi-straight post Curlformers, so I like that it gives me other styling options that I don't usually have with my curls, without having to apply heat. 

My curls after removing Curlformers

So!! Overall, I love these babies!!! Minus a few snags and some trial and error, they are pretty much a no-brainer to use. I have shortened my application time from about 1 1/2 hours to about 45 minutes. They take no time to dry on my hair, which usually takes 5 blue moons to dry. I love that I don't have to worry about these things sliding off. Once they're in, they're pretty much not going anywhere until you release them. There is no end wrap or hair pin to worry about. I haven't tried to sleep in them yet, but I imagine that they are not the worst thing I've ever slept on hairwise. I love that it's a different look for me however, I'm not the biggest fan of the baby doll curl look, but because there is still some texture to the curl, I'm scared to pick them out too much for fear of the frizzies. But with time, I'm sure I'll be fearless in playing with my Curlformed curly q's!! 

Curlformers are definitely a great investment for do it yourself curls and a great tool for surviving the winter!! Love em!