Aside from twist-outs and crochet braids, another popular natural hairstyles are perm rod sets. This hairstyle is as beautiful as it’s romantic.
If you’re the type that can’t braid, twist or do cornrows, you’re in luck because perm rod sets don’t require any hairstyling skills.
All you need to do is to wrap your hair around the perm rods, let your hair air dry, and then remove the perm rods after your hair has completely dried out! How easy!
In this post, I will be talking in-depth about perm rod sets, how to get them done, how to maintain your hairstyle so that they last longer, as well as the products and tools you’ll need to get them done.
And as usual, I will be sharing forty different perm rod sets hairstyles on different natural hair textures, hair types, and hair length.
This way, you can have a realistic expectation of how your hair should turn out if you choose to get this hairstyle done.
Are perm rods a protective hairstyle?
Perm rods can be considered a protective hairstyle if you don’t over manipulate your hair and you keep your ends protected so that it doesn’t rub against your shoulders too much.
Since this hairstyle enhances your hair’s natural curls, you can feel confident knowing that your curls will remain healthy while you have this hairstyle.
How long does a perm rod set last on natural hair?
A perm rod set hairstyle can last up to two weeks or more depending on how you take care of your hair at night when you go to bed and how you protect your hair in the shower.
How do you maintain a perm rod set hairstyle?
Maintaining a perm rod hairstyle is easy. All you need to do is to keep them moisturized during the week by using a curl refreshing spray such as Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Curl Refreshing Spray.
It’s important to use a leave-in spray so that you don’t disturb your curls by trying to apply a cream-based lotion directly to your hair.
How do I keep my perm rod curled at night?
At night, be sure to put your hair into a pineapple, which is pretty much an afro puff. This keeps your hair up, so that the curls aren’t disturbed while you sleep at night. If you have short hair, you can just put your hair into 2-4 loose mini puffs, so your curls stays together.
To keep your curls together, use a satin bonnet, and sleep on a satin pillowcase in case your bonnet slips out at night.
For more tips on a nighttime routine for flexi rod set hairstyle, please check out this video by Daye La Soul where she detailed her ten days night routine.
How do you do a perm rod set on natural hair?
There are so many video tutorials on YouTube that shows how to do perm rods. You may need to choose a tutorial with a vlogger who has a similar hair texture and length as you, so you can have a realistic expectation on how your hair will turn out.
But after scouring YouTube, I can confidently recommend this tutorial by Jasmine Janae who shows how to get the best perm rod sets in a step-by-step tutorial using Cantu coconut curling cream.
A good perm rods set hairstyle starts with a good wash day. You want to make sure you wash and deep condition your hair prior to styling. This pictorial summarizes how to get the best rod sets hairstyle.
You can use whatever product you have in stock.
In case your hairstyle didn’t turn out to look great the first time, be willing to keep trying. A lot of YouTubers will try a hairstyle a few times before doing a video about it.
And sometimes, it’s a hit or miss, depending on the products and technique used. So I wouldn’t encourage you to give up if your hairstyle turns out frizzy instead of fluffy curls.
How long should I leave my perm rods in?
Most YouTubers often leave the perm rods in their hair overnight, which is an average of eight hours. You can also sit under a hooded dryer for about one hour to dry out your hair if you don’t want to go to bed with rollers in your hair.
How many perm rods do you need for a full head?
The number of rods you’ll need all depends on the look you’re going for, and most importantly, your hair density. On average, you’ll need about 40-50 rollers because it’s best to have more rollers than less.
Why is my perm rod set frizzy?
Your hairstyle may turn out frizzy if you over fluff your hair after taking down the rollers. It also depends on the product you used to style your hair.
I find that using cream-based hair products can make your hair swell and be frizzy. So to get a smooth, silky, and defined look, it’s best to use a foam mousse such as the SheaMoisture Curl Mousse for Frizz Control. Also avoid over-picking your hair so that it doesn’t become too frizzy.
How do I know what size perm rod to get?
The size of the curls you’re going for will determine the size of perm rods to get. For example, if you want tighter curls, you will buy smaller rods, but if you want your curls to be more plump and voluminous, then you can use bigger rollers.
For example, this image by @2curlsinapod shows how tight or loose your curls would look like, based on the size of rollers you use.
Also, if you use smaller rollers, you will need to use more rollers because you won’t be able to fit as much hair on them as you would for larger rollers. The image below by @jascoloredcurls shows the difference in the number of rollers needed based on the size you choose.
It’s also worth noting that shorter hair length will require smaller rollers because you need to be able to secure the rollers in your hair without having them fall off, if you had chosen a larger roller.
How do I style my natural hair while in perm rods set?
There are many ways to style your perm rods set hairstyle. The first few days, you can just wear your hair out, and once your hair starts to become frizzy, you can pull your hair up into a bun, updo, add some rubber band styles on the front or sides, or even flat twist the front part of your hair.
The options are endless.
For more style inspiration, please check out this video by Janae Mason.
What’s the difference between Perm rods vs. Flexi rods?
The end results you’re going for will determine which hair tool to use. Typically, perm rods are more readily available and can be found almost everywhere.
Whereas Flexi rods are relatively new on the market and aren’t as available as perm rods, plus they’re more expensive. I’ve also heard of women complain about how uncomfortable it can be to sleep in Flexi rods, as opposed to perm rods.
But if you’re looking for the best option for you, I suggest trying them out, to see which works best for you. For a sneak peek on what the end results would look like, this side-by-side comparison by Sumetra Reed shows you what to expect.
What products do I need for the best perm rod set on natural hair?
Like any hairstyle, you will need a good bottle of shampoo, deep conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and a styling product. What’s unique about any rod set hairstyle is that you will need a foaming mousse that will help your hair dry faster and lightly hold your curls in place.
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40 Beautiful Perm Rod Sets on Type 3 and 4 Hair of all Length
These pictures are all sourced from Pinterest. To be credited for your personal picture, please contact me with the exact picture and I’ll be sure to credit you. This post also contains affiliate links which means that I earn a small commission if you make a purchase with my link, at no additional cost to you.
1. Perm Rods on 4c Hair by Naturally Temi
If you’re going for a fun look, you can use two similar-sized perm rods like what Temi did here.
What you’ll need: Medium-sized purple and orange rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
2. Fluffy Perm Rods on 4b/c Hair
This fluffy hairstyle is a result of healthy hair that was deep conditioned and fully detangle prior to styling.
What you’ll need: small-sized white rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
IG: @curldaze
3. Orange Perm Rods with Big Curls
These bouncy curls were achieved with medium-sized rollers. It’s hard to recommend rollers based on colors because there are so many different sizes on the market, that you’ll have to choose the best size for your hair length and desired look.
What you’ll need: Medium-sized orange rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
4. Days Old Perm Rod Sets
When setting your hair, you want to roll your hair on the perm rods in the direction you’ll be styling your hair in.
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
5. Perm Rods For Spiral Perm Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
6. Perm Rods For Tight Curls
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
7. Different Perm Rods For Short Natural Hair
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers or flexi rods, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down and separate your curls.
8. Perm Rod Set On Medium Natural Hair
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
9. Flexi Rods vs Perm Rods Results
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers (feel free to use smaller rollers if you have shorter hair), foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
10. Perm Rods For Big Loose Curls
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
11. Best Perm for Thick Coarse Hair
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
IG: @jori.chioma
12. Perm Rods Spiral Perm Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
13. Perm Rods For Tight Curls Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Small-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
14. Perm Rods for Tight Curls with a Bun Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
15. Purple Perm Rods Result
What you’ll need: Assorted rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
16. Perm Rods for Spiral Perm Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
17. Different Perm Rods and Result
What you’ll need: Assorted rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
18. Perm Rods Big Loose Curls Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
19. Flexi Rods on Natural Hair
What you’ll need: Orange rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
IG: @jori.chioma
20. Perm Rod Sizes Curl Result
What you’ll need: Assorted-size rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
21. Perm Rods for Spiral Perm Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Small rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
22. Perm Rods for Spiral Perm Big Curls
What you’ll need: Big rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
23. Perm Rods for Colored Hair
What you’ll need: Small rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
IG: @jaelenmitchell
24. Perm Rod Set On Medium Natural Hair
What you’ll need: Small rollers, TGIN foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
25. Perm Rods Bun Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
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26. Flexi Rod Hairstyle on Medium Hair
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
27. Perm Rods for Colored Hair
What you’ll need: Small rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
28. Perm Rods Set for Tight Curls Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
IG: @veepeejay
29. Perm Rods for Tight Curls Colored Hair
What you’ll need: Small rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
30. Perm Rods for Spiral Perm Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
31. Gorgeous Perm Rod Curly Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
32. Purple Perm Rods Hair Result
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
33. Perm Rods Result for Natural Hairstyle
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
34. Perm Rods Tight Curls Hair Style
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
35. Big Loose Curls Perm Rods Result
What you’ll need: Large rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
36. Perm Rods Curls on Colored Hair
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
IG: @thelovelygrace
37. Perm Rods Style Loose Curls
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
IG: @nae2curly
38. Rollers on Curly Hair Wig
You can curl your wigs using perm rods such as these ones. And you can quickly switch up the style of your wig.
What you’ll need: Medium-sized rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
39. Hairstyle from Purple Perm Rods
What you’ll need: Purple rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
40. Perfect Perm Rod Hair Style
What you’ll need: White rollers, foaming mousse, brush to detangle, and oil for take-down.
IG: @iambebemichelle
