Rollerset Hot Mess!

[lonelysky]

So I've tried to rollerset my hair TWICE, and both times it came out a HOT MESS! I've been fairly bummed b/c I want to post pics and start my fotki but I haven't been able to post any pics of my hair.

Here's what I've been doing:

COW w/ either Pantene Midnight Expressions or MNT

While still in the shower I pour some (organic) EVOO on the crown of my head and finger comb it through my hair to the ends. I also apply EVOO to the middle and ends as needed.

Blot excess water off hair with towel.

Apply a few drops of my homemade growth oil to the crown of my head (contains MTG, EVOO, Goodman's Pure Peppermint, African Pride Oil Gro) with color applicator.

I then roll my hair with sponge rollers wrapped in toilet paper using my fingers and a shower comb to aid in sectioning. I apply a small amount African Pride Oil Gro to the ends to help seal in moisture (the mixture that I use as a leave in does well in traveling down the hair shaft)

I then sit under a dryer until my hair is 98% dry (which means an hour b/c my hair is thick).

When I unroll my hair, the curls are mostly well formed but quickly become dry looking and fly away. It has decent volume and shine, and it moves, but it is fly away and wont lay down. It pretty much just poofs up and becomse a frizzy looking hot mess.

HELP!

 

[PatTodd]

Sounds like the toilet paper and sponge rollers are absorbing all of the oil in your hair. Try again with some plastic rollers with or without end papers.

 

[tiffers]

Try mesh or magnetic rollers and serum instead of oil. Serum will help keep your hair smooth and frizz free. I also get smoother rollersets when I use a rattail comb.
First, I part a section with my fingers, comb the section out with a wide tooth comb and go back over it with a rattail comb.

ETA: Use a moisturizing creamy leave-in too

 

[LivingDol1]

i agree here.

what's up with using toilet paper? is this a common thing?

Sounds like the toilet paper and sponge rollers are absorbing all of the oil in your hair. Try again with some plastic rollers with or without end papers.

 

[tiffers]

If you wanna use foam rollers, you can get satin covered foam rollers from CVS or Walgreens. That way you don't have to worry about them drying your hair and you don't have to use toilet paper

 

[lonelysky]

i agree here.

what's up with using toilet paper? is this a common thing?

I improvised once when I didn't have end papers and it worked pretty well on dry hair, so that's what I've used since.

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

I agree with the other posters....i think you should try magnetic rollers or mesh rollers.

Here is a youtube link on rollersetting using the mohawk method, this worked great for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNVNxM4Fs7I

Here's another showing the ponytail rollerset method, I like this method as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExYcpfGkWtg

ETA: Youtube links

 

[Tootuff]

I improvised once when I didn't have end papers and it worked pretty well on dry hair, so that's what I've used since.

I would definetly leave that step out. I have never heard of rollersetting with sponge rollers. You should try the magnetic roller, the ones with the covers are easy to use.

 

[lisana]

Maybe you should try setting your hair with water only. Or a little bit of serum added to water. I think you may have too much oil in your hair.

 

[Angelicus]

Everyone has nice suggestions. Way to go, team!

My suggestion is to do the mohawk method as explained in the Youtube.com video above, do not towel blot your hair after coming out of the shower. Do not use oil, use a very small amount of serum on your ends.

Please give magnetic rollers a try. Your sets will look very sleek after doing so. Good luck!

 

[Angelicus]

Everyone has nice suggestions. Way to go, team!

My suggestion is to do the mohawk method as explained in the Youtube.com video above, do not towel blot your hair after coming out of the shower. Do not use oil, use a very small amount of serum on your ends.

Please give magnetic rollers a try. Your sets will look very sleek after doing so. Good luck!

 

[F8THINHIM]

I agree that the sponge rollers are definitely not good. I also spray my hair with plain water as I section it and lay the ends on the magnetic roller, lifting the hair away from my head and rolling, tugging the hair so it stays straight and I pull it a little taut. My hair has to be wet enough (almost dripping) to hug the roller. It takes longer to dry, but this really made a difference in my rollersets. I add oil after my hair is dry, before I wrap it.
Hope this helps!

 

[lonelysky]

Thank you for all of your advice. I had never rollerset my hair before, and for some reason I have sponge rollers so that's what I went with.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Rollersetting is challenging, no doubt. I've not managed to have a set that didn't leave me looking like a 90 yo lady. Best of luck, OP. Let us know how the tips given in this thread help you.

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

Here's a link to the rollerset support thread here as well:

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=196977&highlight=rollersetter+support

 

[vainღ♥♡jane]

i think sponge rollers are best used on dry hair. try magnetic, mesh, perm rod, anything but sponge rollers next time if you're gonna rollerset on wet hair, and don't blot off the excess water. you need it.

 

[BrittanyH26]

I agree with other posters.. try other types of rollers, magnetic or satin covered.

 

[PhonyBaloney500]

While reading I forgot that the title was "hot mess" and was thinking wow it worked with all that oil!

Yeah sounds like oil overload! And the rollers should be magnetic or mesh too.

I recently rollerset for the first time in years using a leave-in (I think Kinky Curly), roller setting lotion, and an anti-frizz serum (Giovanni) and it came out pretty well. I used both magnetic rollers (with bobby pins) and the kind with the snap on cover.

 

[lonelysky]

To clarify: I used a lot of oil products, but my hair wasn't really that oily, if that makes sense. I only used a few drops (literally like two or three) of oil. and the smallest amount of the AP Oil Gro (which is like grease except not with petroleum) possible.

Why don't sponge rollers work?

 

[yamilee21]

Why don't sponge rollers work?

Sponge rollers work for me, but I only air-dry with them. I don't think they were meant to withstand the heat of a bonnet dryer.

 

[Miss*Tress]

Why don't sponge rollers work?

- Sponge holds and retain water
- Sponge doesn't hold shape when wet
- How long did it take for your hair to dry again?

 

[lonelysky]

- Sponge holds and retain water
- Sponge doesn't hold shape when wet
- How long did it take for your hair to dry again?

It took a little over an hour, which is nothing out of the ordinary for me b/c my hair is so thick.

 

[Miss*Tress]

It took a little over an hour, which is nothing out of the ordinary for me b/c my hair is so thick.

That's really fast!

 

[lonelysky]

That's really fast!

That's good. I had it on the highest setting (which I don't like to do) and it is also an ionic dryer, which for me seems to do the job a little quicker. Typically I would do it on the med setting which take 4 eva

 

[SmartyPants]

Rollersetting is challenging, no doubt. I've not managed to have a set that didn't leave me looking like a 90 yo lady. Best of luck, OP. Let us know how the tips given in this thread help you.

I'm familiar with the 90 yo lady look... You probably need to use larger rollers than the ones you are using.

 

[lisana]

magnetic or mesh rollers
end papers
water
leave-in or serum (in very small amounts)

That's really all you need, I've done t this way and have great sets all the time. The women on this board who have great sets usually follow this recipe too. I think that hair products get in the way of having a smooth set...so they should be used sparingly for most people.