How to Wrap & Set Hair

A wrap and set smoothes hair with minimal heat.

For women of color with relaxed or curly hair, a wrap and set is an expert technique used to smooth hair with minimal heat. By using your head as one giant roller, a wrap and set straightens the hair gently using heat from a hair dryer. With a few styling products and a steady hand, you can easily wrap and set your hair at home and avoid your monthly trip to the hair salon for styling and maintenance.

Things You'll Need

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Setting lotion
• Wide-toothed comb
• Rat-trail comb
• Hair clips
• 2 large-sized rollers
• Pronged clips
• Hooded dryer
• Paddled brush

Instructions

1. Apply shampoo and conditioner to hair. Leave the conditioner on the hair for a maximum of five minutes to add moisture to the hair shaft. Rinse hair. Do not towel dry.

2. Add setting lotion to wet hair, completely saturating it. Using a wide-toothed comb, evenly distribute the setting lotion from the root to the ends of the hair.

3. Section a handful of hair at the crown. Roll the hair taut with two rollers; stacking the two rollers one underneath the other. Secure the rollers with clips.

4. Use a rat-tail comb to wrap hair in a circle. Divide the remaining hair into four sections with the comb. Wrap each section of hair clockwise in a beehive or circular pattern around your head. Smooth the hair with the comb until you combine all sections together. Secure the hair at the nape of the neck and around the crown with clips.

5. Sit under a hooded hair dryer for a minimum of 45 minutes to one hour. Depending on the length or thickness of your hair, you may need to take the hair down and wrap it in the opposite direction to dry the underneath sections for an additional 30 minutes.

6. Take your hair down using a paddle brush to release the wrap shape. A paddle brush loosens the set without canceling out the natural bend created by the wrap. Ensure that the hair is thoroughly dry before you disturb the wrap and set.

Tips & Warnings

• Women with short hair can omit the rollers in Step 3. Brush the hair around the crown and secure with clips.

• Always set and wrap hair after a fresh haircut. The set works best with trimmed ends.

• A rat-tail comb gives you greater control to keep the hair's wet strands smooth and tight around your head when wrapping.

• To maintain the wrap and set in between washings, wrap the hair around your head in a circle before bedtime. Secure with clips and a silk scarf to prevent frizzy and disheveled hair.

References

• Black Hair Media: How to Sleek Wrap Hair