How to Wrap Your Hair

Preparing Your Hair for the Wet Set

Apply products to clean your hair before wrapping. Use your regular shampoo and a deep conditioner. Starting with clean hair will make it easier to wrap your hair. Then, apply a leave-in conditioner and a foam wrap-setting lotion from roots to ends. Foam wrap-setting lotion should improve the PH balance of the hair. It can also help it to stay moisturized.

Consider applying a natural oil, such as argon, jojoba or Moroccan oil, to each section individually. This is best for natural and very dry hair. If you're using this technique to maintain dry hair, this step is optional. However, if your hair feels dry, apply a pea-sized dab of oil to the ends of your hair.

Section Wrapping

Detangle your hair. Use a wide-tooth comb to make sure your hair is as smooth as possible before you wrap it. If you have thick hair, start at the nape of your neck and work your way up in small sections, combing from your roots to your ends.

Create a horizontal part across the highest point of your head. Use the tip of a cutting comb to divide your hair across the apex, which is the very top of your head. Don't bring the part down onto the sides of your head—it should line up about with your temples. Comb the hair in front of the part down over your forehead. Smooth the hair behind the part down onto the back of your head, and comb the sides of your hair neatly down over your ears.

Comb the back section in the direction you want to wrap it. Hold the ends of this section so your hair is taut, then comb it down and around in a circular pattern, moving in the direction of the wrap. For instance, if you're wrapping your hair to the left, you'd start combing on the right side of this section. Comb that section circular pattern, first going downward, then up around your hairline. Work from your roots and working toward the ends, and make sure all of your strands of hair are as smooth and taut as possible as you do this. Tuck the bottom section of your hair under the side section in the direction you're wrapping. For instance, when you're wrapping to the left, the ends of your back section will be under the section that's combed down over your left ear. Hold the comb so you're working from the top of the section, rather than coming up from the bottom. This will help you get a smoother finished result.

Wrap the next side section, going in the same direction. If you're wrapping to the left, pick up the left side section of your hair with your comb. If you're wrapping to the right, pick up the section that's combed over your right ear. Starting again at your scalp, start by combing downward, then bring the comb in a circular motion around the front of your hairline.

Continue with the front and remaining side sections. Keep wrapping your hair with the same smooth circular motions until you've gone all the way around your head to the back. Remember to comb your hair so it's as flat and smooth as possible. The foam wrap lotion will help keep your hair in place as you do this.

Apply a neck strip to hold your hair in place while it dries. Place a neck strip or a wrap strip at the back of your head, then pull it forward and tie it in front of your forehead. This will help hold your wrap in place so it will set while your hair dries. You may need to overlay 3-4 strips so they'll be wide enough to cover the ends of your hair all the way around.

Drying Your Wrap

Sit under a hooded dryer for 45 minutes to dry your hair. If you started with freshly-shampooed hair, it will still be wet when you finish wrapping it. Use a hooded hair dryer for 45-60 minutes. If you don't have a hooded dryer, use a hand-held blow dryer on medium while you wear a dryer cap. You can wrap your hair while it's dry to maintain this style. In that case, you don't need to sit under the hooded dryer.

Wrap a satin scarf around your wrapped hair before you go to bed. The satin will help to smooth the hair at night and avoid excess breakage. An easy way to tie a scarf is to lay the square scarf on top of your head. Pull all corners towards your forehead and tie them all into a single knot to hold them in place. Consider placing a pair of clean pantyhose over the scarf as you sleep. This can help to keep the wrap intact. Place the trunk section of the pantyhose over your head. It should be tight but comfortable. Wrap the legs around to the base of the neck. Tie them in place.

Wait until the hair is completely dry to remove the wrap. Depending on the length of your hair, it may take several hours or more to dry completely. You should keep the wrap in place for at least 20 minutes to 1 hour after it is dry. As the hair cools, it will become smoother. Use minimal clips on your hair after you take off the wrap. Clips can leave indentations on your hair.

Removing Your Hair Wrap

Do not remove the pantyhose and scarf immediately when you wake up. Keep the hair wrapped until you are ready to comb and style it as usual. Removing the hair wrap too early can cause your hair to get messed before you even start getting ready.

Cover your head with a shower cap and shower. Then, wait until you are no longer in the humid bathroom and remove all the layers. The hot, damp environment of a shower can cause your hair to get wet and end up frizzy.

Unwrap your hair by unpinning and unwrapping the hair sections. Comb the hair in the opposite direction that the hair was wrapped. Combing the hair back will help eliminate any annoying cowlicks that can come from wrapping hair.