What I didn’t love about roller sets was how long it would take my hair to dry. Back in high school and college, I opted several times for a roller set during my salon visit. After the first time doing a roller set on my hair, the stylist would try to persuade me the next time to opt for curls with a flat iron. The reason was that even after two hours under the dryer, some of my hair would still be damp, messing up the overall look.
When I tried a roller set at home, it was even more disastrous. I would have to wear the plastic snap-on rollers overnight, which was very, very uncomfortable, so I wouldn’t sleep well and would be tired in the morning. To make matters worse, my hair wouldn’t be fully dry, and my curls would end up frizzy. So it would end up all being for nothing.
I basically swore off roller sets for well over a decade. It wasn’t until last year that I decided to try them again at home. I wanted to use less direct heat on my hair, and I thought that doing a roller set to dry my hair would be a good way to do that.
I bought my rollers and clips and got to work. My first time putting the rollers in my hair was so frustrating and a hot mess. I tried to record it, but about 30 minutes in, I had only about 4 rollers in my hair. I couldn’t get my hair to be smooth on the roller or get the clips in the right position to hold the rollers in place. And the results were just as bad, my ends were frizzy, and not all of my hair dried.
Part of my problem was my technique; my hair wasn't wet enough, my sections were too big, and I wasn't smoothing each section enough.
The other part was the products that I used. I realized I had a lot to learn and did a lot of online research. As I refined my roller setting technique, I also refined the products I used. I learned that outside of water, the products you apply to your wet hair can make or break your roller set. The lighter your products and the fewer there are, the better.
Here are the products that I’ve been using for a little while now that give me smoother, bouncier, and overall better roller sets
Here are the products that I’ve been using for a little while now that give me smoother, bouncier, and overall better roller sets
Heat protectant
Even though I’m not using direct heat, some heat is getting close to my hair, so I have to use a heat protectant, and the Mielle Mongongo Oil Thermal & Heat Protectant Spray has been my go-to. You can read my full review of it here.I spray the Mielle heat protectant onto my wet hair. Typically, I will lightly towel dry my hair so I’m not dripping all over the place before I can start putting in the rollers. Once I’m ready to get started, I spray my hair with some water to get it wet and then spray on some of this heat protectant.
Leave-in conditioner
This is the second product I'm applying. This is a lightweight moisturizer, at least for me, that I apply after the heat protectant spray. I don’t need to apply a lot to my hair, just a few squirts and I’m good to go. There are two that I switch between - The Mielle Avocado Moisturizing Hair Milk and the TGIN Green Tea Super Moist Leave-in Conditioner.Mielle Avocado Moisturizing Hair Milk is formulated to soften and smooth the hair. And it does that for my hair. The
I apply the leave-in conditioner on my wet hair, and then after my hair is finished drying, for extra moisture.
Hair serum
The third product I use when I roller set is a hair serum. I used to always use it on my wet hair after I applied the leave-in conditioner. Now I typically use it on my dry hair as a moisture sealant after I have applied some additional leave-in conditioner.When I first started roller setting, I was using the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum. Mostly because I had it on hand, and it helps to speed up drying time and provides some humidity resistance. Now I use the TGIN Argan Replenishing Hair & Body Serum or TGIN Miracle RepaiRx Anti-Breakage Serum. Both add nourishment to my hair, help seal in the moisture, and smooth my hair.
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