Texas Hair

I have dubbed this week "Big Texas Hair Week," also known as "The Higher the Hair, the Closer to God Week." Roller sets are quickly becoming one of the most fun things we've done so far.

An update on the setting technique: I still think it's dumb and I still think it makes no sense. When our instructor isn't looking, we like to cheat and roll a couple down the back so we don't have to fuss with the corners of the head row after row after row. Bottom line, I'm very glad that once we get on the floor, we can do our roller sets however we want to!

Just like pincurls, roller sets come in three different varieties too: on base, half base, and off base. In order to move on, everyone in the class has to set three heads of each base type, plus we have to finish styling one of those three heads for every type as well. That means we have to dry it, brush it out, and tease it into the largest, tallest, most unnatural beehive in the world.

For our roller sets we are practicing on the long neck mannequins in the classroom, not because of their neck length, but because of their hair. The long neck mannequins have extremely thin hair and since a lot of the women that get roller sets are elderly and have thin or thinning hair, it is good practice. The only bad part about this is, the long neck mannequins are the creepiest, most alien-like mannequins in the classroom. Yeelch!

This is the roller set I rushed through on Saturday, totally brushed out, but not teased.

The body you can achieve with rollers is just crazy! And once you start teasing, things really get out of hand.

This is my finished style on base roller set. It took quite a lot of technique adjustment before my instructor would approve the teasing I had done and let me move on to half base rollers. But, I did learn something in all that technique adjustment that I can't wait to try on someone for an updo - when you teasing, instead of just raking the hair back and forth, it is much better to hold the hair perpendicular to the scalp (and give it some tension!), then in fluid motions, push the teasing comb or brush from where you are holding the hair all the way to the roots. As you push, rotate the comb or brush towards the scalp, and it creates a very sturdy, teased base that will last a lot longer than simply moving your comb back and forth on a section.

I set my first half base rollers today, which means I have two more half base (one teased) and three more off base roller sets to go!

In theory this week we are still learning about the hair and the scalp. Today we did a hair and scalp analysis on partners to determine hair density, elasticity, texture, porosity, wave pattern, growth pattern, and hair/scalp oiliness/dryness. My partner was Hannah, who works next to me during practical class and who I like to call my hair twin. We both have a nearly identical shade of brown hair, which we part on the right, blow out straight, and wear in long layers. We're even both growing out side bangs, so we get mixed up a lot in class. Our hair was even in very similar condition after our hair analysis, although thanks to some extensive coloring at the salon I used to work at, mine could use a tad more TLC than hers. :)

Tomorrow is our big exam on hair and scalp, and our workbooks are also due. This chapter has been pretty challenging, so wish me luck!