Trials and Tribulations with Hot Bendy Sticks

It was time to experiment today with the bargain Nicky Clarke hot bendy rollers that my beloved picked up in a car boot sale for £2.50. I have been after some hot sticks for a while but haven't won any on Ebay, and I wondered if the hot bendy rollers would be as effective as hot sticks are supposed to be. My heated rollers don't work so well now that my hair is this long - but I have to say they worked a treat back in July for my sister's wedding, the curl was gorgeous and stayed in all night (pic below), though I'm not sure it was really an authentic vintage look.

So, on to the hot bendy rollers. First, a 'before' picture (excuse the awful expressions and shiny face, I'd just returned from a power walk!):

I have watched the videos on hot sticks by both Fleur and Lisa Freemont Street, and followed the advice to roll under and up, pre-treating my hair with mousse. The hair wasn't freshly washed - a day old.

Then a mid-way picture:

They were fairly easy to use, quicker than the hot rollers I think. The tricky part for me is that I have layered ends, meaning I do get some escapee strands and have to spend a bit of time getting them rolled up too. The bendy ends do a good enough job of keeping the hair in place, but again I did get a few escapees and had to re-roll a few strands.

Then an 'after' picture, with no brushing out:

I was disappointed. It seemed a bit haphazard, with some bits of hair that had curled well, and others that were still straight!

Finally, after brushing out:

It really didn't work out for me this time. It looked a bit straggly and frizzy, so I ended up throwing it up into a ponytail. It did work quite well to get some volume for a '50s style ponytail, lots of bounce.

To make myself feel better after the disappointing outcome,I went to Penarth with my lovely housemate Laura, to my favourite local place for afternoon tea, the Blue Pelican Cafe. I had a nice pot of Earl Grey and a stack of pancakes with berries and creme fraiche. Just the ticket after a hair disaster. I'll report back after I've had another attempt.