Able to do it! How to replace the foam on the Caruso hairsetter system!

You find a product you like right? Then they discontinue it or a part of it wears out and you can only buy the whole piece not just the replacement part you need.  That is why God gives us insight.  I recently started wearing my hair curly.  I can roll it on rollers and dry it, take it down and it is as straight as the seams on a 1940's pinup model's hose within an hour.

But if you have ever used the Caruso steam hairsetter you know that this puppy will hold it for hoooouuuurrrrsss even without hairspray! That is wonderful.  Wonderful that is, until the thin foam around the rollers gets too compressed and/or starts crumbling.  Now don't get me wrong, they have certainly been worth the money I paid for them, lasting many years.  The problem I encountered was when I went to buy the replacement foam.

As I googled I found others saying what I just have.  "They are wonderful but my foam has worn out and you can't just replace the foam, you have to buy new rollers!" You can still use your old steam base but the rollers for a small pack is around $15-$20.

So I put on my thinking cap and considered using crafting foam, yes it is in sheets thin enough, but it is not porous enough to allow the steam to get in quickly. (This process only takes seconds to heat 1 roller up so I needed to keep it that way.)  My neighbor said he had some foam tape, but I think the glue of the tape would have been like tar to the steam, keeping it from getting through to the foam. Plus the steam would have made it gummy and it would not have stuck long I suspect.

Then it happened! That repurpose side of my brain kicked in! I thought about it and decided to try my idea! So tonight I went to Sally's Beauty Supply and got the items to try and see if this was a viable solution!  It was thicker foam but it works great! I purchased 1 pack of medium and 2 packs of large regular foam rollers. 

 I then opened them and took the foam off. Then I pulled the endcap off of the Caruso hair rollers (Thank you Lord that they came off! May they always be made that way!) I peeled off any old gunky foam pieces on there. On the medium size (pink) they slid over the post perfectly, no adjustments needed. 

On the large (gray) the opening in the foam roller was too small so I took a serrated knife and at first I made an x in the opening but with a bit of experience under my belt, I found that just an " I" cut works better because it gives a tighter fit!  Now I realize that they are not as long as the rollers.  I usually wrap my hair right around the middle section anyway so for me that is not an issue. But if you want to cover the entire length of the roller, just cut off the necessary amount from another foam roller and it will slide right on top of the other one and stay just fine! :) 

To get the foam on the plastic pole, place the cap side down onto something solid and then slip the foam cover over it like putting on a...well, 1940's pantyhose!  Just snap the cap back in place and you have a new set of rollers!

 The cost?  I paid $1.99 each for 3 bags and I have 8 rollers left over!

Now..what to do with the centers of the foam rollers I pulled out.  (Bonus!)  Maybe a vegetable or herb marker for my garden, or a small photo holder for the refrigerator or a gift tag for Christmas. Do you have any ideas? They come apart. (see the photo).  I would love to hear from you with your ideas for them!

Well here's wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving and be mindful of how blessed we are to have our friends and family in our lives.  Never take that for granted and don't forget to tell them that you love them!



Remember, it's all fun and games until somebody gets an idea! :) 
It is EZ4U2DO!