Definitely ZellaComment

Making Waves

Definitely ZellaComment
Making Waves

You guys. You guys. You guys.

I think I've finally gotten the hang of wet sets!

Admittedly, there's nothing inherently difficult about putting your hair up in curlers overnight, but I can't remember it ever turning out very well when I'd try it in the past. If it actually dried (not a given), I always seemed to end up with a frizzy mess, with nary a smooth, rippling curl in sight. Heat styling might not last all that long, but at least the results were both relatively attractive and relatively predictable.

From last April or May. Not good.

From last April or May. Not good.

I don't remember why I pulled out my foam rollers for the first time in nearly a year, but I'm really glad that I did. And I'm not sure why I grabbed my fine tooth comb and combed each section out flat before rolling it, but I'm really, really glad that I did that.

It's just kind of amazing what a difference a small change in technique can make. I'm sure that must have read that I should be rolling ribbons of hair (not clumps) a million times, but it wasn't until I actually did it and saw the difference that I understood how important that step is. After vigorous brushing, one gives me smooth S waves, while the other just gives me frizzy ringlets.

Of course, there are other factors at play here. My hair's a lot healthier than it's been in a long time, and I think it helps that it's shoulder length instead of chin length. I have more patience than I used to for the brush out, and I've seen how people use their hands to shape a style instead of just letting things lie where they will.

It's strange how excited I am by the thought that I can just have good hair, not by random chance, but whenever I want. It's like figuring out how to bake a cake or ride a bike - it seems so difficult at first, but once you figure it out, it's the simplest thing in the world. 

I've still got stuff that I need to sort out, like how to get a good night's sleep with a head full of rollers, and using different setting patterns to create specific styles. But hey, cheers to progress, right?