Natural Hair is extremely versatile. Braids, Twists, Bantu Knots , cornrows, extensions, straightening …the possibilities are endless. You may be wondering can you roller set natural hair?
Yes you can absolutely roller set natural hair. Natural Hair roller sets can be done using perm rods, magnetic rollers, curl formers, or flexi rods. Roller sets on Natura Hair l can be done with or with out heat. Rollers sets can be done on wet or dry hair.
Keep reading to learn more about the different techniques to roller set natural hair to decide which one might be right for you.
Heat vs Heatless Rollersets on Natural Hair
Heatless Roller Set on Natural Hair
Sleeping in rollers is uncomfortable and I avoid it at all costs. If I am trying to achieve a heatless roller set I do it on stretched hair that is damp or dry. I’ve tried heatless rollersets on soaking wet hair and they NEVER dry.
Against my better judgment, I’ve slept on perm rods and after more than 10 hours the set still was not dry! I’ve also done I use styling foam or mousse for a flexible hold.
Bottom line if you want to do a heatless roller set I recommend starting on hair that is at least 50% dry. There is nothing more frustrating then carefully roller setting your hair only to have it turn in to a big puffy mess because it did not have time to dry completely.
Safely Use Heat for Roller Sets
Some naturals avoid heat because of the potential for heat damage. I’ve never experienced heat damage from the indirect heat. Using heat helps to speed up the drying time for roller sets.
There are soft bonnets that can be attached to most standard blow dryers. This is what I use to dry my hair and for deep treatments. I like the soft bonnet dryer from curl formers. It is the largest one I can find and even that can sometimes be a tight fit over roller sets.
Perm Rod Sets
Perm Rod Sets are hands down my favorite type of rollerset for my natural hair. Installing Perm Rods are quick and easy. Permrods are very affordable. I am able to achieve good results consitently with perm rods.
I’m able to find perm rods for about $2 per dozen at my local beauty supply store. They are a little pricier online, but they are available
Perm rods make spiral curls, that look great on natural hair. I like perm rod sets because they look great on textured hair, or if you want a more sleek result we can stretch your hair prior to doing a perm rod set.
Magnetic Roller Sets on Natural Hair
Have you ever visited a dominican salon? They have probably used magnetic rollers for roller sets. Most Dominican salons set your hair on rollers before they blow dry the roots.
Dominican hairstylist make this look so easy and they are able to install magnetic rollersets effortlessly…I have yet to master this technique.
My main issue with magnetic roller sets is getting my hair smooth without using heavy styling products. I can’t seem to apply the rollers with enough tension to smooth my hair out to achieve my desired results.
Flexi rod Set on Natural hair
Flexi Rods are fun! They are long flexible rod shaped rollers that can be used to set natural hair. To be honest I’ve only used flexi rods on sew-ins. I haven’t attempted on my natural hair because I don’t think they can get the root of my hair smooth enough.
I plan to experiment with flexi rod sets in the future.
Curlformer Sets on Natural Hair
I’ve gotten my most sleek results from a roller set using curlformers. Curlformers are expensive and aren’t always easy to install.
The set of curlformers comes with a hook that you have to use to pull your hair through the curlformer roller. Getting the right amount of hair on the hook can be tricky.
But once the rollers are in, the mesh like material on the rollers allows the hair to dry evenly and quickly. There is a gentle tension that helps to keep the hair smooth. This is why curlformer sets are popular in the natural hair community.
These rollers can get heavy on the head. If you are going heatless keeping these rollers in your hair for hours can get annoying .You may want to consider using a bonnet attachment for your blow dryer to speed the process along.
I love the results of curlformers but the process is long, and I haven’t perfected the technique. I don’t do curlformee sets often. I may try one again soon .