Using Foam Rollers in Vintage Styles

So many people have asked me to do another tutorial in 'real-time' of myself rolling my hair into a foam roller setting. I guess I sometimes forget that even the basics aren't so basic to those who are just starting out.

Therefore, I created the following tutorial, which is a bit lengthy and chatty, but which really tries to do just that...walk you through the basics of the foam roller set.

In it, we'll discuss a few of the following Frequently Asked Questions, which I will also answer in the most simple way here, but I do hope you'll also watch the demonstration since it's pretty important to the final process:

1. Why foam rollers instead of a curling iron? In southern United States humidity, as in many other tropical and humid parts of the world, a heated set just doesn't cut it...especially on straight hair. Foam rollers are one of several overnight sets I depend on to give myself that retro vibe without having to work too hard. It takes me about 15 minutes to roll up a haphazard set (about 20 to be more precise) and literally 5 minutes to style my hair after I unroll it the next morning. Now I don't do super complex styles for every day (or really ever) so this is the easiest thing I can do to my hair while still keeping it healthy!


2. Is a setting pattern important for every day hairstyles? Probably not. You'll find that rolling you hair a certain way will likely become your favorite when it comes to the final outcome. But a 'setting pattern' is not necessary for a basic every day style.

3.Do I roll hair wet or dry? I see people do both! As a rule, towel-dried, straight-out-of-the-shower wet hair will be more trouble than it's worth! Not only is the hair more delicate when it's wet, thus risking breakage when you lay down to sleep on the rollers, but it most likely WON'T dry by morning, especially if your hair is wet! Even for the thinnest hair, I recommend starting with dried hair, prepped with a styling lotion, and spraying each section damp before you roll it, concentrating on the ends.

4. What setting lotion do I use? My all time favorite setting lotion was the Sahag Sculpt Mousse, which has been discontinued. Try to find a similar foam mousse that is good for crushable styling (get recommendations from your stylist perhaps) or go with the old standards: Motions Foaming Wrap Lotion and Lottabody Setting Lotion, both available at beauty supply shops. The former is more moisturizing so keep that in mind, and the latter has to be diluted and can sometimes make the hair a little 'crunchy' so use it sparingly.

5. How tightly Do I wind the curl? Pretty tightly! Start at the end of the hair, wrap the ends first. Then tightly roll upwards to the scalp before claiming in place. A tight roll guarantees that the curl will keep its shape as the foam base relaxes and the hair dries.

6. Do I protect the curls as I sleep? With what? I use a chiffon hair scarf OR a hair net interchangeably. The net has more 'give' but also holds nicely and won't slip. So it's probably the best choice. It's also a good option for protection other roller sets. Not a good option for pin curls,however, since the clips will likely tear the net.

Other questions and concerns are discussed in the following embedded video. Thanks so much for sticking around, Dearies!!


xoxo,
Ashley