How many Saturdays or Friday evenings did you run to the salon to get a roller set for the weekend? While my hair was relaxed I had a 9am standing appointment at my hair dressers house, my mom would go with me sometimes and we would chat and laugh all the while growing tired of being there, and glad to get it over with once it was done.
Now that I am natural, those are fond memories but I have no desire to relive it, at least not on a weekly basis. Roller setting my hair now requires a lot of patience but as I practiced there are some things I perfected and learned making each experience easier and easier; for example I cannot roller set my hair if it is tangled in any way.
Tangles often lead to quitting in the middle of the process and bidding adieu to the rollers until I felt like looking at them again. If you can find your stride with roller setting you will discover that there are many benefits to this old fashioned style, the number one being that it can be a healthy way to stretch your curls without the direct heat of a flat iron*. Other benefits are that the style lasts for days, it is great for holiday hair and you get to enjoy your length, somewhat.
There are some tips that we must point out that can be considered critical to a successful roller set.
1. Load up on the moisture – Make sure your hair is thoroughly moisturized before adding your styling agents so that you are able to maintain that moisture for the length of time you decide to wear your style.
2. Detangle – Section your hair in workable sections and detangle each one completely so that you have a smooth finish.
3. Use holding products – Use some kind of styling agent to help keep the hair smooth and tangle free. Setting lotion is popular but your can also use gel or a light holding cream which just keeps your hair in place and performing the way you want it to.
4. Use the proper tools – The reason we tend to use magnetic rollers* more often than other types is because the plastic allows the hair to stick to it when wet, hence the name ‘magnetic’. For best results we would suggest using that type of roller. Other great tools include a denman brush*, a rat tail comb*, and roller clips* to keep them in place as you set your hair
5. Set the bar – If you have the proper foundation for your hair there is no need to add oils* or anything to your hair as your wear the style daily. What this means is make sure your hair is clarified, conditioned, deep conditioned and moisturized before adding your rollers.
With that said, below we have a start to finish demonstration on how to do a roller set from YouTuber Blessedtresses, check it out.
Have you tried a roller set? If so what has been your experience we would love to hear!
Tressedforsuccess on YouTube has a great method of roller setting that I tried and for the first time ever, had great results. She puts her hair in several pony tails and then puts a couple of rollers on each ponytail and sits under the dryer. When done she removes the rollers and ponytail holders and then lightly flat irons only the dents left by the ponytail holders. This worked really well for me and I will be using this method again.
I roller set my hair using extra large rollers each time I wash it. I find that roller sets give my hair the best stretch. I’ve never added Eco Styler Gel, so I may try it the next time I wash my hair.
i can’t sleep in rollers, so i always pin curl with bobby pins and set it with a light hairspray and satin scarf
It look better on natural hair
The Real Person!
She IS natural!
I love it.just took my rollers out.And im in my transitional stages,the rollers make my hair look so healthy.
Just saying roller sets work better on natural hair. Didn’t say she wasn’t
are people just catching on to roller setting ? lol I been doing it for years on my natural hair.
I have been doing rollers plus dryer after hair treatment for over three years now and it really helped my hair stop shedding and easy styling ever time with great fullness and bulk.
I agree Miriam Correa I have been doing this for the last 15 year’s that the only way I do my hair. Just like that wrap rihanna wore is old school also
It’s a great way to cut back the heat. If your hair is thick make smaller parts and make sure your hair is fully dry
I love a rollerset it’s a healthy way to wear your hair. No worry about heat damage with this one.
I did something wrong mine was a mess
I love my rollersets and their are also different ways to do them which add versatility. My hair is fine so they make my hair look fuller.
Can you really roller set natural 4c hair? Would you use heat?
You certainly can love, 4c hair is typically really thick so it will look alot fuller than other hair types. The key thing is to keep your hair very moisturized as you do the set. Also using a styling foam, or gel helps your hair to hold the style. Keeping your hair taut as you roll makes sure your hair gets a good stretch and finally make sure your hair is completely dry!
never heard of roller set black hair.
I so want to try this. I may have to give it a go over the weekend!
I’ve been roller setting my hair for over 30 years, Love it. Smooth style and great curls.
When my hair was short and layered, my roller sets looked pretty good but as it got longer I didn’t like how my roller sets turned out. It’s probably my lack of knowing how to adjust my technique for my longer hair, so I just stopped doing them.