The Best Roller Set Tips with Mielle

One of the most popular set styles for both natural and relaxed hair is the roller set. As a child, and well into adulthood, I’ve gotten my hair styled using rollers to give my hair a new look. It’s a classic and versatile style that allows you to create curls in various sizes. If done right and well maintained, a roller set can last a couple of weeks. Here are five tips that will help you get the best results from your roller set.

1. Ensure your hair is tangle-free.

Since natural hair is textured, you want to ensure that there are not knots or tangles, because once the hair is dry, those tangles will be locked in. I smooth and detangle each section with a comb or brush before rolling the hair on the roller. Using a good organic leave-in conditioner will help with any tangles that remain before you begin to set your hair. Mielle’s Pomegranate & Honey Leave-In Conditioner penetrates each hair strand, adding moisture and sealing it in. Not only does this product add shine, but it also prevents frizz without weighing down the hair and aids in detangling.

2. Use a setting lotion or mousse.

Setting lotion and mousse tend to be very lightweight products, and they also can provide lasting hold. This makes them perfect for roller sets, because the curls will be bouncy, voluminous, and long-lasting. Mielle’s Brazilian Curly Cocktail Mousse is the answer to curly girl's dream of having soft, defined, frizz-free curls. This organic hair mousse contains a blend of organic Brazilian oils like babassu, buriti buriti, copaiba oil, and muru muru. This super combo of Brazilian oils absorbs into the hair shaft, locking in moisture and providing ultimate definition.

3. Make sure your hair is completely dry before removing the rollers.

This is probably the most important tip! If your hair is not completely dry, then it will continue to shrink and frizz up until it is completely dry — and that is how your hair will be set. If you want your hair to air dry, then you’ll need plenty of time, and you may need to sleep in the rollers overnight to make sure they dry. You can also use a hooded dryer to speed up the drying time or a combination of time and a dryer.

4. Roll your hair in small sections.

If the section of hair you are working with is wider than the roller, or too much hair is on each roller, then you may end up dealing with longer drying times, less defined curls, and frizz. Working in small sections and selecting the correct roller size will help.

5. Make sure the hair is taut around the roller.

If your hair looks smooth and taut over the roller, then it will set smooth. If your hair is slack over the roller and has visible texture, then it will set in that way, and while you’ll end up with stretched hair, your roller set will not be smooth.

These five tips have been the key to helping me ensure my roller set is smooth, voluminous, and lasts for at least a couple weeks. If you’ve been struggling with the style, check your process for these important steps, and I’m certain your style will turn out better. If you have a tip that I missed, let us know in the comments!

To find the products I’ve mentioned in this article, along with a few other goodies for wash day, styling, and more, explore Mielle’s collection of organic hair care products today! We have worked hard to fit our formulas to the needs of women with thick, curly hair and use organic and all-natural ingredients. Bring home your favorites today and we bet you’ll notice the difference!