As I mentioned before, rollersetting is my primary means of styling after I wash and condition. I've been rollersetting consistently for several years now and I would not have it any other way. Sure, the method is more time consuming than air drying or blowing my hair dry, but I find that this method allows me to maintain great looking hair for a longer time span between washes.
The Basics
Rollersetting involves using plastic rollers on wet hair as a means of setting the hair. If you hair is given the opportunity to dry against a smooth surface, it will conform to the surface. If you hair is allowed to dry freely with no structure, you will find yourself having to use a heat tool to create the smoothness that you so long to have. Heat tools are temporary fixes that work behind the scenes to damage your precious hair.
Before you even begin to rollerset you will need to collect your supplies. You'll need to have proper sized rollers. The proper size will depend on the length of your hair. You want to make sure the rollers you use are not too big or too small for the length of your hair. If you use rollers that are too small, you will end up with very tight curls and your drying time will increase. I use the grey and purple sized rollers at home. When I visit the salon, I see stylists using the same rollers on women with hair at various lengths. If your hair is just at or above shoulder length, you may want to use smaller rollers for a neater set. The right size also help you to have better control when rolling. Don't be afraid to use large rollers in areas where you hair is long and small rollers where you need them.
Hair pins are needed to keep the rollers in place. There are several types of pins available. Try out more than one style of pin to find out what works best for you. You should be looking for the pin that you can use to best hold the roller and hair in place firmly. I prefer the kind that are long and black with the plastic tips but the stylist at the salon use the silver clippy kinds. It just depends on what works for you. If you are nervous about using hair pins, you can use the rollers with the snap top. I have a set of these at home and they are fabulous! These things make rollersetting so simple. You do not have to worry about pins falling out, or pins pulling your hair, or pins burning the back of your neck under the dryer. At first I used them as my "training set" when learning how to rollerset, but I still use these to save time and when I have a ton of new growth. Best of all, they are dirt cheap and come in many different sizes. Next find a rat tail comb. You will be able to part and smooth your hair in a much more efficient manner with this type of comb. You also want to have handy a plastic spray bottle that you will use to keep the hair moist. Finally you will need a large hairnet used to cover the rollers and keep them in place while you hair dries.
The end result of the rollerset weighs heavily on how well you have completed each step so the right tools are essential. These are the basic necessities of the rollerset. My next post will delve deeper into the process.