hair setting lotion

What You Need to Know About Hair Setting Lotion and How To Use It

Get the lowdown on this old-school styling product.

Have you heard of hair setting lotion? Surprisingly, hair setting lotion isn’t a product that you’ll hear bandied around by the modern masses, but it can be a solution for anyone that wants to control and curl their straight mane. Its popularity is often higher in the rockabilly circles – probably because this vintage hair product can reliably make pretty pin curls and retro waves like no other! Have we piqued your interest? Find out more about hair setting lotion below.

What is Hair Setting Lotion?

Well, much like the name suggests, it’s a styling product used to set hair into a particular shape or style. The lotion is similar to a gel; it works by coating the hair and stopping strands from drying out when being set in rollers. And afterward? Once dry, it keeps the set style for a long period of time by stopping moisture from being absorbed by the hair.

hair lotion loose curls
The setting lotion used to be the preferred method to create tight curls sans heat.

How Do You Apply Hair Setting Lotion?

Hair setting lotions are typically applied to damp hair, but be careful: You don’t want to apply the product to thoroughly wet hair, as this will dilute the product and affect your overall look.

We recommend reading the instructions carefully, because while mousses and gels are typically applied by putting the product onto your hands and then rubbing it into the hair, some hair setting lotions are sprinkled evenly, directly onto the hair. Once you’ve saturated your hair with the lotion, you can begin to set your hair into the style you want to create by using hair rollers or curling clips.

The size of the rollers you select will result in different size curls; for looser curls, opt for a larger cylinder and if you’re after a tighter curl, pick a slimmer one. Begin by sectioning your mane for your rollers. Starting from the bottom, wind your tresses around the roller until you reach the top. Repeat this process, working your way around the round the head, until you’ve set all of your hair. Then you can either let your hair air dry or use a hair dryer to help speed up the process.

What Can You Use it For?

With the advent of modern styling products like mousses, gels, and even hair sprays, the popularity of hair setting lotion has decreased in recent years. Granted, it might seem a bit old school, but hair setting lotion is still great for hard-to-curl hair.

If you want a mousse and gel to use in conjunction with hair setting lotion to maintain your style, we highly recommend adding Bed Head by TIGI Foxy Curls Mousse and Emerge Style Goals Gel to your styling lineup. Both products will help you maintain your curls and keep them frizz-free.

Are you thinking about trying out hair setting lotion? Be sure to grab a picture of your curls afterward and tag us over @AllThingsHairUS!

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