How to Make a Hair Roll

Reviewed by Jasmin Todd

Last Updated: May 6, 2022 References

Hair rolls can transform your hair and create a glamorous look. There are several hairstyles that incorporate hair rolls, some that evoke classic Hollywood, others that are modern, elegant styles. You don’t need any high tech equipment to create these hairstyles, just a few basic tools and some patience.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making Victory Rolls

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Before rolling hair, apply a generous amount of mousse, about the size of a ping pong ball, to your hair or the hair of the person you’re styling. This will make hair easier to shape and style. If you skip this step, the hair will be more likely to fall out of the roll.^{[1]
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Use a comb to part the hair down the middle. Then part the hair from ear to ear, so that you have two sections of hair framing the face, and one section of hair in the back. Put the back section of hair into a bun or ponytail to keep if from mixing with the front sections.

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Use hairspray to spray the two front portions of hair. Then take one of the front sections of hair, hold it straight up, and tease it by backcombing through your hair from tips to roots. This gives the hair the volume needed to rock this hairstyle.^{[2]
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Take one of the two free sections of hair and pull it straight out to the side of your head at a 90 degree angle. Take a foam roller and put it to the tips of the section of hair you're holding. Hold the tips of your hair to the roller with your fingers and then begin rolling inward toward your part so that more and more hair is wrapped around the roller. Roll until the roller is a few inches from your head.
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Remove the roller. When your hair roll is about three inches from your head, remove the roller from your hair roll, making sure not to undo the roll. Finish rolling your hair until the hair roll is piled on top of your head on one side of your part.
- Make sure that you are rolling your hair inward toward your part as opposed to out away from it.
After you have finished rolling the first section of hair, use bobby pins to pin up the hair roll. Put one prong of the bobby pin inside the roll, and slide the other prong through the hair close to the scalp, so that the roll will stay in place. Repeat with several other pins to make sure your hair stays in place.^{[3]
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Using the same process, roll the other section of hair inward towards your part and clip with bobby pins. This should give you two tall hair rolls on the top of your head. This style is called a Victory Roll, and was popular in the 1940s.
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Arrange the back section of hair as you wish. One way you can deal with the back portion of hair is to create additional rolls on the back of your head, below the top rolls.
- You may decide to do a half-up look with the hair rolls, and leave the hair in back down. Use a curling iron to curl this hair if you wish.
- You can also clip the back section of hair up. Rather than making additional rolls, just clip this hair up under the rolls for a sleek look.
Take hairspray and spray, focusing on the hair rolls. This will set the hairstyle and make it less likely that there will be flyaways or major mishaps.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making a Bottom Roll Style

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Before you put hair in bottom rolls, make sure to use a generous amount of styling mousse or cream. This will help the hair to stay put in the rolls. Apply the styling mousse evenly throughout your hair.
Make a central part down the middle of your hair. Then create three sections of hair: one in the back, and two in the front. Take one section of hair and tuck away the other sections so they don’t get in your way.
Take one section of hair and twist it between your fingers until it is twisted around in the same way that a rope is twisted. Make sure that the twist is neat looking, with no flyaways. Then coil the twist by holding the base of the hair against your head with one hand and circling your twisted hair around it with the other to create a roll. Pin this roll behind your ear. Make sure that you pin in such as way that the hair doesn’t uncoil.^{[4]
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Take your other two sections of hair and twist and coil. Pin the sections next to each other This should create a neat updo, with the hair rolls blending in together so that you cannot easily see that the roll is made of three separate sections. The hair rolls should look like one roll in a line over the nape of the neck.^{[5]
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Spray the hair rolls liberally with hairspray. This should reinforce the style so that it stays put. You can also add additional pins if you’re worried that the hair will fall down.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Creating Rolled Bangs

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Use styling mouse, paying attention especially to the hair at the front of the head, framing the face. This is the hair you will be using to create the bangs roll, so you want it to receive a good portion of the mousse.
Use a comb to make a part that from above looks like a U pointed towards your forehead, giving you a large section of hair right above the center of your forehead. Comb the hair forward so it is hanging in front of your face.
Take the section of hair in front of your face and hold it straight up. Take a comb and backcomb the hair by combing softly from the ends down to the roots. This will give your hair more form and support, so that the hair roll will be easier to make.
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Roll the hair section. Take the section of hair in front of your face and roll it starting from the tips. Make sure to roll it down, not up. This will create the roll lower down so it will look like bangs.
- Consider using a hair donut or a small amount of padding to give the roll extra support and more volume.
Take several bobby pins and pin the hair roll in place. If you are using a hair donut or additional support for the style, pin these in place too, making sure that they are completely covered by the hair roll.^{[6]
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You have unlimited options for how to style the rest of your hair. One classic way to style with rolled bangs is to make rolls on either side of the head using the front hair, and then letting down the hair in the back. However, you can also just do the bangs roll and leave your hair down for a 50’s Rockabilly vibe.
After you have styled the rest of the hair, go over the roll softly with a brush to smooth down flyaways. Use a hard-hold hairspray and focus on the bangs roll, and any other rolls you may have put in your hair.^{[7]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Doing a Twisted Ponytail Roll Style

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This style of roll is one of the easier styles and doesn’t strictly require styling cream. However, you may find it useful if you have especially fine hair or hair that is prone to flyaways. After using the mousse, brush your hair thoroughly.^{[8]
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Take a comb and make a clean, even part down the middle of your hair. Tie one of the sections of hair into a pigtail to keep it out of the way as you are styling the other side.
Take the very front pieces of hair from the loose section of hair. Carefully twist this section of hair tightly and away from your face. Then, still holding onto the twisted section, take another small section of hair right next to the first section you’ve twisted and twist this section. Make sure you are still holding onto the first twisted section so the twist doesn’t undo.^{[9]
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Take these two twisted sections and combine them into one section of hair. Twist these sections together. Keep adding small handfuls of hair and twisting until all the hair on this side has been gathered into one big twist.
Take a large clip and clip the twist onto the top of your head. Make sure to clip it at the end of the hair, so that none of the twists get undone. Also make sure that you are clipping the hair away from the hair on the other side of your part, so that when you twist the other side the clip doesn’t get in the way.
With one side of your hair clipped up, twist the other side of your hair into individual twists, and then combine to make another large twist. You should now have two twists on either side.^{[10]
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Take the first twist you made out of the clip, making sure it doesn’t unravel. Then gather the two twists into a ponytail. Secure with a hair band, letting hair below the hair tie uncoil so you have a ponytail.^{[11]
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Since this is a modern and elegant look, you will want to make sure that your hair is free of frizziness or bumps. Take a comb and smooth down any messy spots. Clip any fine hair in place with bobby pins. Then use hairspray on the rolled section of hair.

Community Q&A

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Question

What are alternatives to mousse and hairspray?

Owls2014

Community Answer

Try a gel, pomade or other similar product to get a sleek look. If you want a very curly look, use a curl enhancer or sea-salt spray instead of mousse.

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As you're twisting or making rolls in your hair, make sure the ends don't tangle or knot.

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Be patient. Hair rolls can be difficult to do the first few times. If you become frustrated, you could ask someone else to do it for you.

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Another way to make a twisted ponytail would be to put your hair in a low ponytail, securing it with some type of band. Using the end of a comb or your fingers, lightly separate the ponytail into two sections above the band. Proceed to flip the ponytail through the slot made from the part. Add hairspray for extended wear or leave as is for a looser look.

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