You guys may remember but, not too long ago, I decided to take my journey to the next level with regards to my hair's length. Nothing would make me happier than to have low-mid back length hair. I understand, though, that I'm at somewhat of a disadvantage. Unlike others who are focused on gaining and retaining a length, I am a self-professed non-protective styler. Everyone knows that ever since the days of Wanakee, the general rule of thumb regarding healthy hair is to protect the ends from the elements.

Since I don't consistently hide my hair, I have to overcompensate with an intense weekly wash and set ritual. While my wash routine does wonders to re-create the moisture/strength balance in my hair, there are also aspects of my routine that frustrate the heck out of me. The most concerning step for me is the roller set. While I love rollersetting and the wonderful results that comes with it, I'm not at all happy with the amount of hair I lose during the process. Sometimes after a rollersetting session, I'm puzzled at the size of the ball of hair staring at me.

So this week I took some time to sit back and contemplate what I was doing wrong with regards to my roller setting practice. Better yet, I really wanted to find a better way to complete the process without experiencing as many casualties as I had in the past.

I'm happy to say to you that I've made a slight modification to my rollersetting routine the other day and the results were a huge improvement! This past week I lost 1/5 the amount of hair I normally do during the roller set and all I did was make a slight modification. So let me share with you my secret.....

For as long as I can remember, my rollersetting routine has been as follows:

1. Step out of the shower

2. Apply creamy leave-in

3. Take a section of hair.

4. Spray water/leave-in on section

5. Comb section with wide-tooth comb

6. Comb section with small tooth (if needed).

7. Roll hair

8. Repeat steps 3-7

Last week, however, things were different because I was reminded of one of the golden rules of healthy tresses:

"hair when wet can lose up to 50% of its strength."

What I realized was that I was manipulating my hair the most when it was the weakest. Once I made this realization, I immediately knew something had to change. There was no way I could continue to put my hair through such a tramatic process week after week. One thing you should know is that I have a hard time producing a decent result when air drying so that was not an option. What I decided to do instead was to shift the steps of my process to look like this:

1. Step out of the shower.

2. Apply creamy leave-in

3. Allow hair to begin to air dry under silk scarf

4. Remove scarf when hair is 70% dry.

5. Take small section of hair.

6. Comb section with wide tooth comb

7. Apply water/leave-in (to moisten the already detangled section so it can lay smooth against the roller).

8. Roll section

9. Repeat steps 5-8

So if you look at the two variations of my routine closely, you'll notice that I allow the drying process to occur before I start the heavy manipulation. For me, hair that is slightly damp is so much easier to detangle than hair that is soaking wet. By only making that small change in my routine, I was able to cut down the time it takes me to rollerset. Not too mention that I was all smiles when I checked out the amount of hair lost during the process. My sligthly damp hair withstood the combing so much easier than my hair soaking wet. I've only used this process once but I can't imagine going back to trying to detangle soaking wet hair...it's just to risky.

This slight changed produced a pretty dramatic change for me. I can imagine the thickness and length I'll preserve if I am able to continue this trend of only losing a small amount of hair each wash. I thought I'd share this little tip in case any one else is battling with excessive breakage during the roller set.

Thanks for listening.

Today I'm presenting the third installment of my youtube video series. Rollersetting can sometimes be difficult to perfect. You have to worry about perfect parts and flawlessly smooth hair in order to get the look you want.

If you are struggling with trying to perfect your rollerset, try this underhand method and see if you like the results.

I thoroughly enjoy the results of a perfectly executed rollerset. In just a few short hours, my hair can go from being a tangled and dry mess to soft, silky, bouncy curls. One of the quintessential aspects of creating your own rollerset masterpiece is utilizing the perfect leave-in product. The perfect leave-in could mean the difference between dull or shiny curls. The right leave-in could also be the deciding factor to whether you love your rollerset results or think the results are just o.k.

So in my quest to help you reach your hair perfection, I put a list together of some fabulous healthy hair boosters you can add to your spray bottle for rollersetting (or for your braid outs, or flexi rod sets, or whatever).

1.


Distilled Water
Hard water is a mofo on relaxed hair. Calcium and mineral build up works against all of your efforts. What you are left with is dry and lifeless tresses that doesn't respond get the optimal benefits of most hair products. If you live in a state which has hard water (like I do) you can't afford to let just sit back and let that evil water have its way with your hair. If you opt to add water to your spray bottle, make sure your water of choice is distilled water. Distilled water is soft water. If you do not have a soft water filter at your disposal, distilled water is the next best thing. When you use distilled water in your spray bottle, you are not spraying on mineral deposits to your hair. Imagine how light and healthy your hair will feel when you use a water that does not have the potential to create build-up.

2. Rosewater


If you haven't done so, you must try some rosewater in your spray bottle. This product is known for its moisture enhancing properties and its faint rose scent. You can use rosewater as a substitute for just plain ole water in your leave-in blend. Mix rosewater with glycerin for an even greater moisturizing effect.



It was said that Cleopatra's bath was heavily laced with rose petals. Creating her rosewater bath was said to keep her skin moisturized and beautiful and helped her to seduce her Roman lover Anthony. Let's create seductive, sexy hair with the help of moisturizing effects of rosewater in our rollerset.



3. Silk Amino Acids(SAA)
Just the sound of that word alone sounds healthy. This product is the perfect friend to your spray bottle. It practically looks just like water and its odorless. The light feel of the product means that you won't have to deal with heavy, unwanted build-up. Not only is the consistency perfect for rollersets, it also contains wonderful properties that make your hair fabulous. Silk Amino Acids have exactly what our hair needs, strength and moisture. Because silk amino acid is technically a protein, it will bond with the fragile areas in our hair shaft working to make it stronger. Not only that, silk amino acids also demonstrate moisture enhancing properties. According to Dermaxime.com, silk amino acids have powerful water binding properties which enhance moisture levels of the hair.

Here is an excerpt taken from jajagroup.com about the wonderful effects of silk amino acids.

"After silk protein on the hair dries, it becomes a transparent crystalline protective film. This film can directly prevent the hair being damaged by alkaline materials in hair products. This protective film can increase the hair elasticity and increase the hair’s natural shine. It has a very special protective function in hair products."

Need I say more?




4. Coconut Oil
If you are looking for something with a little more kick to put in your spray bottle, may I suggest coconut oil? You guys already know how much I rave about this oil. Because coconut oil is so light when melted at room temperature, it make for the perfect spray bottle companion. It's said that coconut oil is able to penetrate the hair shaft unlike other plant oils. Your hair will drink up all the nourishing benefits of this oil while under the dryer. In my opinion, this oil is probably the best choice for creating bouncy shiny hair. Again, its liquidy texture will work well with whatever else you chose to put in your spray bottle. If you hair loves the feel of oil, why not try a little bit next time you rollerset?

You can also experiment with other oils, if you choose, depending on the results you wish to obtain from your rollerset.


5. Your favorite conditioner

Just because you washed your conditioner out in your final rinse doesn't mean that you have to store the bottle away until next week. If you have a moisturizing conditioner that your hair absolutely loves, you may want to try diluting some of it in your spray bottle. I remember rubbing a little bit of Suave's Milk and Honey conditioner in my hair before air drying. The results were amazing! Maybe you haven't found a leave in conditioner that meets your needs. Give your best moisturizing conditioner a chance. It may be just what you were looking for.


There are so many other healthy hair extras you can mix in your spray bottle. I wanted to get your juices flowing to think about the endless possibilities. Remember that nothing is neutral, everything either works for you or against you to create exactly what it is you want. Make sure that whatever you put in your spray bottle words hard to create the head of hair you most desire.

*Edited on 8.15.08 to add:
I washed a rollerset my hair yesterday. I actually incorporated all 5 suggestions into my leave-in. It was a mix of mostly distilled water and some rose water, a few drops of coconut oil, some silk amino acids, and some Biolage Daily Leave-In tonic. The results were amazing. I can't tell you how great my hair feels. Usually when I rollerset, I add some moisturizing oil once the rollers are out just to help finish off the style. This time I didn't need to, my hair felt perfect and did not need any other product to enhance its appearance, moisture levels, etc.

When I wrote the post, I did not mean for all products to be used simultaneously but for me it worked out. You can opt to use any combination of these suggestions to create the perfect forumula that is right for your hair.

Now that you have prepared for your rollerset by having your basic necessities, you are ready for the next steps. Start with hair that has been washed and conditioned. Make sure that you avoid tangling the hair during the wash and drying process. Tangles work against you. Tangles add additional time that you can use to do other wonderful things with.

Your hair should be fairly wet. You should also position yourself in front of a mirror so you can clearly see what you are doing. Before even starting you need to keep in mind the key factors that can make or break your rollerset:

*Your ability to make perfect size parts.
*Your ability to smooth out the hair with a small tooth comb.
*Your ability to keep the hair wet throughout the process.
*Your ability to roll the hair tightly against the roller.
*Your ability to keep the roller and hair in place close to the scalp.
*Your ability to use the right size roller for each part.

If you can master these six key factors will make your rollersetting experience much more pleasant. There is nothing worse than spending 2 hours rolling your hair only to have a busted looking set once its all said and done. Believe me....I've been there.

I start my rollerset with a small part horizontal part right at the front of my head (where my bangs would be if I had bangs). Once I make that part, I comb the section of hair with a large tooth comb first, then a small tooth comb once I am comfortable that I have removed all of the tangles. I never use a small tooth comb first. After the section is combed out and smooth hold the hair away from the scalp with a bit of tension to make sure the hair is as straight as possible. Then take the roller and begin to roll the hair around the roller towards the scalp. Pay close attention to the hair as you roll it. Make sure the hair is perfectly smooth around the roller. You should be able to see the sides of the roller. If you have hair hanging over the side of the roller, you will end up with crinkly hair.....you do not want that.
So I keep rollering down the middle of my head until I create a "mow hawk" with the rollers. Then I create similar rows on both sides of my head.

I know that words only paint half the picture so I included this short video to help provide a clearer picture. This is part of a series of rollersetting videos by the same stylist on youtube. Take a look.

Hi All!
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.

Years ago, my hair routine consisted of washing, blow drying, then using a flat iron for sleek smooth styles. The entire process produced the sleek look for several days and I would have to flat iron my ends or roots periodically to help keep that fresh look going. The heat for me was a means to an end. The more heat I used, the better the style would look, then I would have to use more heat to maintain that look. I was living in a vicious cycle that was robbing me of healthy hair.

My mom, on the other hand, would religiously wash her hair every week and roller set her hair before drying. Her hair was always so beautiful, shiny, and healthy but I simply dismissed the process as way that "mature women" styled their hair. All my friends flat ironed so I wanted to flat iron. I gave up the dreaded flat iron after reading Wanakee's pamphlet on acheiving healthy hair. I was converted to the no-direct-heat lifestyle and I seeked a solution for my tresses.

Rollersetting was the key. Rollersetting allows us to eliminate direct heat, achieve bouncy hair, obtain shine, and retain moisture. Gals, these are the main keys to achieving healthy hair. Since starting to rollerset, years ago, I have not ever had to return to using a curling iron or a flat iron. Truth be told, learning to rollerset was not an easy process. In fact, if not done properly, the end result can be disastrous. Stay tuned, I will detail the steps of an awesome rollerset in my upcoming posts.