One of the hardest parts of a hair journey is length retention. You spend so much time moisturizing, sealing, deep conditioning* and protecting all so that your hair can be healthy and ultimately get longer.
As if there weren’t enough challenges to retaining length those of us who prefer straighter styles have to square off against heat styling tools which, when used too frequently, cause more harm than good.
This begs the question: how can I get my hair straight without the use of direct heat?
Although nothing will ever take the place of your beloved flat iron, blow dryer* or favorite straightening tool for sleekness, roller setting comes in at a very close second providing straight-er locks at half the cost to your hair.
It’s almost like getting a designer bag you love at half the price. Of course there are some cons to that; you had to wait longer for it to go on sale and maybe it wasn’t the exact color that you wanted, but you still got your bag.
Obviously, roller setting will not get your hair as straight as direct heat would, but it does the trick. Plus, it is healthier for your hair.
It’s worth a mention that for highly textured natural hair, roller setting won’t be enough to achieve flat iron straight results, however it is a great way to stretch our your curls without resorting to using heat. Looser textured naturals, texlaxed and relaxed ladies should be able to get straight hair with roller setting alone.
If you’re reading this and still aren’t sold on the benefits of roller setting as opposed to using direct heat, here are the top five reasons to choose roller sets:
1. It reduces the risk of heat damage
Direct heat is any heat applied right onto your hair like a blow dryer* of flat iron. It can be potentially damaging because your strands are directly exposed to these high temperatures at close range.
With or without a heat protectant* too much direct heat exposure is a big no-no. Roller sets provide an indirect method of heat usage.
While hot air is still technically blowing onto your hair if you choose to sit under a hooded dryer* after applying the rollers, it is an indirect more diffuse source of heat which means that when said heat hits your hair, the temperatures are cooler and as such your strands are more protected.
2. Better moisture retention
The reasoning behind using heat to deep condition or for oil treatments is that by lifting cuticles this allows the product to penetrate your hair shaft. Unfortunately, this cuticle lifting is also basically what makes direct heat styling so drying to your strands.
Direct heat from blow dryers* and flat irons* will lift your cuticles allowing moisture to escape as you dry and style. This leaves your hair more brittle and as such more prone to breakage.
Bottom line is that hair that’s dried via roller set versus direct heat styling is almost always softer because of the superior moisture retention.
my next hair style !
Is the best way I say , if you got time
I offer basic roller sets at my salon. Young people think they are for old ladies. If you have a nice cut the set turns out beautiful. Great for those with fine hair cause it plumps it up
Not if u use those Velcro rollers in that picture! Breakage!
I tend to favor magnetic rollers myself. They are pretty gentle.
Tiffany Anderson great point. I hv never rolled my natural hair but I would think the velcro rollers would break the hair.
Im sooooo glad Black women are using their own hair and not all that fake stuff. I say if GOD didn’t give it to you through your own DNA it wasn’t meant for you to have and these type of women are changing what GOD had already done.
Is there a brand of magnetic rollers that anyone can recommend?
I’ve known this for years!
Thank you .
Tamika you can buy an entire set at Sally’s. I also recommend lotta body setting lotion.
nIce
Kericare foam wrap lotion helps smooth natural hair to roll. I’ve been doing it for years on my clients. Roll and wrap it. Body, bounce and shine.
Magnetic rollers are pretty much all the same. Go to Sally Beauty Supply and buy a complete set. It will have all the sizes you need. Velcro rollers pull hair out. Sponge rollers are not the much better as people tend to pinch their ends and cause fish hook ends or it curls larger and fuzzy at the ends…not a uniform curl. Magnetic are best, but be prepared to sit under dryer or air dry. If you have a texture if you don’t relax and need to get some style, try braiding first to naturally straighten some curl out, then lightly press or flat iron and roll. You must use a heat protectant to protect from the intense heat. Depends on the texture, but one good rule, if you condition well with both a moisturizer and a strengthening treatment you will find that hair will respond better.
I remember those days, loved the result from rolling and sitting under dryer, just hated to be under there for an hour
Yes, but the results are so worth the time under the hood dryer!
C
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Love my roller set!
This is crazy!! Unless you are black w/a nice grade of hair. The hair rollers will do nothing but give you a crazy looking afro!! I’ll stick to the flat iron, occasionally. Ppl, don’t agree w/everything written in an article, have some sense! Rolling my nappy hair wet or dry only keeps my nappy hair nappy. ?
It’s already made pretty clear in the article that for ‘highly textured hair’ roller setting will not be enough on its own for super straight results. Still Dominican salons often use roller sets prior to blow drying and even 4c hair will get straight with this technique.
It will be curly if it’s not relaxed with a roller set.
BlackHairInformation.com and Jackie McDougald: I’ve been natural for 15 years. My hair is pretty nappy. Now unless the hair rollers have some kind of built in straightening system, this does not work, just saying.
Join the discussion…I have fine natural hair. when I flat iron, after 2 days hair looks thinner. When I roller set, my hair looks fuller. I been natural for 1 year & 4month. My hair likes the roller set. I don’t have the real nappy hair. Yes I black. Bless with good grade of hair. I stop listen to people and start listen to my hair before I become bold.