Rubber Hair Rollers

Old fashioned hair products
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Q: I'm trying desperately to find the "old-fashioned" soft rubber hair rollers. I remember my mom and auntie having these in the 1950s. I recall they were in brown color, it was one piece.
 
Again soft rubber, one piece, maybe about 4 inches long. It had a split about halfway, then a smaller rubber piece that fold over to lock the two pieces together when the hair is rolled up and then the front piece had a circle that fit securely to lock the hair. Am I giving you a clear picture?
 
Hopefully, you can envision my description and advise where I can find these.
 
A: Believe it or not, I actually remember these rollers from my own childhood (going with my mom to the Beauty Shop she favored in my hometown). The stylist used these tools – among others – at different times.
 
Unfortunately, I haven't seen these particular tools anywhere for decades, and I believe that they have fallen out of production. I did a search myself on a number of sites that offer a wide range of hair rolling tools, but have come across nothing matching these rollers.
 
Your best hope may be to visit the online auction sites and look for vintage hairstyling tools. I have seen a number of varieties of these vintage rollers, but not the type we've discussed.
 
Another alternative is to keep an eye out when you visit various beauty supply stores for modern variations on the vintage theme. I wish I could offer more positive suggestions, but my own searches have been fruitless in this regard.
 
Please send me an update if you have better luck.
 
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See also:
 
Vintage hair and hairstyles
 
Roller styling techniques
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