I love this product! It is easy to use, convenient, and EFFECTIVE. This is coming from someone who can't even do braids/plaits because I am so clumsy with my hands. Attached is the results after the FIRST time I used it, and then the second is how my hair looks when totally wrapped and pulled back (and dried). I got this in March 2022 and it has been going strong; now in the beginning of August. I use it almost every single time I wash my hair, which is at least 2x a week, since I got it, so about 50+ times. I'm a fully white female, my hair type is 2C (likely 3A but I have damage) and extremely porous - I mean it takes a full 24 hours nearly to dry. This is the only issue I've had since using this, is that my hair dries so slowly, so it takes time to plan my washing/curling routine. I've managed to do it fine and find work-arounds and other uses, though. If your hair dries quickly then this would be great, too! My hair is medium-to-long length and hits right below my shoulder blades. Pros: - SO easy to use - Easy to pack on trips - this has completely replaced my heated curling rod AND BLOWDRYER on trips, I don't even bring it along anymore! - Comfortable - Effective with both dry and wet hair - Can use while sleeping! - Works splendid on day old or day 2+ hair if you cannot wash frequently/have a dry scalp - Most importantly, great results! Cons: - Can take longer to dry your hair than normal, which can be an issue if your hair already dries slowly - Possibly longevity issues, but again, I've used this 50+ times in 5 months, so I think that's to be expected. The little pearl 'button' on one end broke off at about 3 months of use, so one of my ends is open and frayed, but I am not expecting it to look pretty, anyway. - The "break-in" period before it becomes more comfortable/flexible is a bit difficult. - It doesn't effectively curl the back of your head - but this is fixed by certain hairstyles. As a note - if you use this on dry hair, leave it in for a few (4+) hours so it can take, or apply a little bit of heat via a blow dryer, then hairspray before removing the rod. It'll probably fall out into nice waves over the course of a few hours but it is still nice. My routine: I go two (sometimes three) routes with this. One with wet/damp hair, before the fuzzies on my scalp start to dry, and one with mostly dry hair with just a touch of moisture left in it. My best success is as follows: 1.) Use a sulfate free shampoo and a GOOD conditioner (my hair is prone to be very frizzy, and I have had hair loss which is growing out, which means I have SUPER short re-growth... more on that later). 2.) Part hair down the middle and detangle it thoroughly. I also like to comb through the individual sections before I wrap them back, too - it makes a more even curl/prevents kinks. 3.) I use a leave-in conditioner OR OGX Curl Defining Cream (in a blue bottle with a white cap and gold accents - NOT the Coconut Curls) if I am only letting it air-dry. If I am doing a blowout first, then I use John Freida root boosting volume lotion (green bottle, skinny spray cap), then Chi x Barbie Silk Infusion, THEN my OGX Curl Defining Cream or leave in conditioner. Important note: when I use OGX Curl Defining Cream, my hair (unless blown out) dries a bit "crunchier" - this is easily fixed over time. It also makes your hair EXTRA curly with a lot of extra hold, especially when air-dried. 100% recommend this product too, except it can be hard to find. 4A.) If I am letting it air dry, I wrap my hair after a few minutes of drying without the rod (because my hair takes 24+ hours - not exaggerating). I spray with water the "fuzzies" that pop up around my scalp... they're not baby hairs, just frizz and regrowth. If I spray them down then they will wrap up easier with the rest of my hair and stick out less. 4B.) If I blow it out, I will get extra volume but less of a long-lasting curl, but minimal frizz. So lately I have been doing this, with the products mentioned, since it helps tame my re-growth best. My curls fall out over a few hours but still result in a very natural looking wave which I like. So, I will blow out my hair (I use a FoxyBae blowout brush I got in a subscription box, but I am sure a regular blowdryer + frequent brushing to tame the hair will work), making sure I blow dry upside down for the lift. Then I will wrap my hair when it is ALMOST dry - meaning, I do not feel wetness dripping when I run my fingers through my hair, but my hair gets slightly cold quickly because of the excess water. If you've experienced this then you know what I mean! 5.) Then I take each pigtail looking end and twist the ROD ITSELF in the direction of my curls, away from my face. I do this with each side and tie it back in a "ponytail" using a large, thick headband (need this for the extra size - a regular pony tail holder won't do because it will be too small, and it will also be too thin and leave crimps on the hair)... I got my thick headband from the Dollar Tree lol. It is the hot pink in the photo. This part is crucial since I often used to sleep with it in. It takes adjusting and a break in period before the rod is soft enough to be more comfortable to actually lay on... my neck did hurt the first few times. I don't often sleep in it now because with my hair loss re-growth, tossing and turning at night gives me bad frizz, even with a silk cap. Once I have them tied back into a "pony tail" I give them an extra twist in the same direction to tighten up the curling on the back. It doesn't curl the halo of hair left, but I wear my hair pushed totally back with a headband (like in my photo) with the "bump", or I push my hair so far on one side. This way my curls on either side cover up the halo on the back. Occasionally I take a heated curling rod and curl that section in the back, but I've honestly only done this once or twice. It's not noticeable with how I wear my hair. I often also remove the clip at this point as my hair will keep it in place. This might not work if you have fine hair. 6.) (I'm not done!!) Optional: If I have my hair wrapped while wet/damp, I have recently taken to ordering a hair drying cap so I can actually dry the curls and apply moderate heat to it while it is wrapped. If you're not familiar, they are large caps you secure on your head with a long tube to attach a hairdryer to at the other end. I got mine from Amazon and it works splendid. I'd put on this, turn on my hairdryer on medium heat, and sit back and relax for 20-45 minutes depending while my hair gets mostly dried this way. This way I have the added benefit of the curling rod being in while damp (results in longer hold) and a bit of heat (which also results in longer hold). Be warned though, if you do this you will get Shirley Temple curls if your hair is like mine. The only con is that it can result in some frizz because of the air movement, but if you know how to tame yours then go ahead and use a frizz serum or oil. 7.) Before removing from the rod, I will often spray lightly with hairspray and let that set, instead of spraying after I remove it (will result in tangles). All in all a fantastic idea and product. I wish my rod hadn't been so stiff in the beginning, and I do regret that it is falling apart a bit now. I plan on ordering another in black to better fit my hair color/be less noticeable. I wish they had this in brown actually. I have worn this in the airport, on a flight, and connections while covered in a bonnet - it was on my head a good 18 hours - so I'd have nice hair when I arrived from my trip! I can't even braid my hair and I was frequently burning myself and my hair with curling rods. No more of that. It takes about 5 minutes or less to actually wrap my hair and the rest is up to how I want to style it. I haven't used a curling rod in months on my hair (with the exception of fixing the back once or twice). My hair is finally healing from damage I got years ago after a super intense bleaching and my hair breakage has stopped!