Hot Rollers Review: Helen of Troy versus Babyliss Pro

I had two clients that I warmed up "hot rollers" to service over the last few weeks.  One needed a formal updo, but she was short on time.  The other wanted to re-curl her wig.  As much as I really liked the carrying case for the Babyliss Pro hot rollers, they did NOT pack much heat. They underperformed with both clients. 

The Helen of Troy rollers are metal, and you almost need a "finger protector" to sustain the heat of the rollers.  They curl the hair like a "hot iron."  I was too scared to use the Helen of Troy hot rollers  on the synthetic blend wig.  Hands down, the Helen of Troy hot rollers outperformed the Babyliss Pro hot rollers.

Both rollers are smooth.  The Babyliss Pro roller is more hollow, but I believe the plastic does not sustain the heat.  Ideally, I think the Helen of Troy metal hot rollers are overkill, and the Babyliss Pro rollers are underachievers.  I would love a hot roller set that fall in the middle of these two options.  Until then, I will stick with the Helen of Troy as my first choice.

Ponytail Elastics: Metal or no Metal?

I have had to keep my 8 sample SisterLocks bundled to shampoo and protect them from sweat. So I have been experimenting with ponytail holders. So which do you think is less prone to pulling or snagging your hair - metal or non-metal?

On a separate note, rubber bands were definitely not an option, but I did experiment with both of the ponytail holders pictured. One has metal and one does not. Believe or not, I found the metal elastic ponytail holders were more gentle on my hair. The "Ouchless" non-metal elastics seemed to snag my hair at the "rough hard" area on the elastic band. Do you see the raised area on the Goody "Ouchless" bands?

Honestly, the elastic bands with the metal did not pull my hair until the braided band itself started to lose its shape and expose some of the rubber that was used to make it. The exposed rubber snagged my hair, but at that point, I decided to trash it and get a new one.

So I choose the elastic ponytails with metal as my preference for healthy hair and ease of getting on and off.