My Personal Roller Setting Challenge

I'm inspired by Ebony's roller setting challenge.  However, I try not to officially join challenges, because they make me put more pressure on myself than I already do, and usually I can't stick to them for the entire time of the challenge.

Rollersetting is my style of choice after a wash, but my sets haven't been coming out as good as they used to.  I've been racking my brain to figure out why.  I know I have changed products, but I also think that my hair has changed in the past couple of years.  Ebony has done a lot of researching on rollersetting, and I've gotten some great tips from her.

The other day, I pre-poo'd with vatika oil.  I used to worship this when I first started my hair journey, and I can't quite remember why I stopped.  I would have loved to keep it in overnight, but since I had to work the next morning, I put on a plastic cap and left it on for a couple of hours while I worked out, cooked dinner and got my baby ready for bed.  After he was asleep, I washed with Hair One cleansing conditioner.  I decided to try a clear rinse to give me some more shine. I think the henna, along with the weather, has made my hair dry, so I needed a little boost.  I left the clear rinse in my hair for about 20 minutes, rinsed it out, and applied Aubrey Organics White Camellia to my hair for a few minutes and rinsed.  I used a dime-sized amount of Salerm 21 as my leave in and set my hair with Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum.  I used to love this serum for setting, but when I ran out, I bought the Sally's generic version which did not yield the same results for me.  I recently bought the PM serum with a coupon I got in the mail.

When I set my hair, I used smaller rollers than I usually do.  I was trying to get more body, and I wanted my hair to hold onto the curl longer.  I also rolled my hair differently.  I usually do the mohawk method, but this time, I placed the rollers in different places in my head.  I figured this way I wouldn't have parts where I don't want them, and that I could put in more rollers than I usually do.  It took me a little longer to get all of the rollers in, but that's okay.  After about 90 minutes, my hair was dry.  I did the Saran Wrap wrap under the dryer for 15 minutes, flat ironed my roots, put on a scarf, and went to bed.  The next morning, my hair was....okay.  The good thing is that although it was still dry, my hair was not as dry as it has been in the past month.  Also, after sleeping on it cross-wrapped for two nights, my hair looks and feels much better.

Here are my takeaways from this last setting experience:

1. I need a new dryer.  I'm sick of sitting under the dryer for an hour and a half, but most importantly, I think if I had a better quality dryer, my sets would come out better and smoother.  I'm currently using a Gold N Hot Jumbo Soft-Bonnet Hair Dryer.  I loved this when my hair was short.  My hair would dry fast, and I didn't have to worry about sitting uncomfortably, or not hearing what was going on around me.  Now that my hair is longer, it's just not working for me.

2. I'm just about 8 weeks post relaxer.  Post a relaxer that was purposely a little under processed so that my hair could gain some strength.  My roots are thick.  My hair is not going to do what I want.  I will have more dryness.  Every time I get frustrated with my hair, I have to remind myself of this.  I just want to make it 2 more weeks to the 10 week point before I relax again.

3. I don't know how to wrap my hair.  Why do I even keep trying?  Unless I have a fresh relaxer, my wraps come out jacked up on one side.  Always.

4.  I need to pre-poo with vatika oil every wash.  I think this will help me get more moisture.  I may continue to do the clear rinses.  I'm not sure if it helped my shine, but it did help my hair feel heavier, and I want heavy and moist hair!