Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside.

[ellebelle88]

I wasn't even outside 5 minutes! I was waiting on the bus this morning and my hair was looking pretty fly. I was so proud of myself because I followed WestNDNbeauty's technique making sure I deep conditioned with a great conditioner for an extended amount of time. My hair was nice and supple thanks to the Argan Oil I used. Softer than I'd ever experienced. I also used a mini flat iron to get my roots super straight. I thought I had nothing to worry about but while I was at the bus stop my hair poofed up instantly! I'm 6 months post because I'm transitioning and I hate how my hair has reverted (the relaxed part is all straight and swinging but my roots looks horrible). Is there ANYTHING I can do to keep this from happening or do us 4a/b ladies have to give up straight hair if its not winter time?

 

[Nonie]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

John Frieda Frizz Ease Serum has never failed me. I've used it for over 15 years now, both on relaxed and natural hair. Keeps moisture out and frizz/reversion at bay. I'm 4B.

 

[ellebelle88]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

Thanks so much, Nonie. I can't believe you are in my thread. I love you on here! LoL. I will definitely check out the John Frieda. How do you use the John Frieda (before blowdrying, during flatironing?)

Also, I was just searching on the forum and I saw something about Sabino Moisture Block. Does that work? How do I use it?

 

[ms.blue]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

I say stay away from glycerin when wearing your hair straight because it pulls in moisture causing to swell. When I straighten hair I avoid glycerin like the plague but when in its natural state glycerin is my best friend.

 

[lana]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

I use Redken Smooth down Shampoo and Condition - natural and now Texlaxed and it stops the frizz.
I also think John Frieda serum OR Paul Mitchell Silky Straight Serum - is the way to go.

(Nothing will stop the frizz if I go to Florida on a humid day though. So I would wear a braid out and head band.)

 

[sithembile]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

I had exactly the same experience today, I'm also 6 months post and have 4b hair. I flat ironed for the first time using Fantasia heat protectant and pulled my hair into a bun and curled my fringe. When I got into the elevator at work I wanted to scream when I saw my puffed up hair. I need to follow these tips as well.

 

[Nonie]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

Thanks so much, Nonie. I can't believe you are in my thread. I love you on here! LoL. I will definitely check out the John Frieda. How do you use the John Frieda (before blowdrying, during flatironing?)

Also, I was just searching on the forum and I saw something about Sabino Moisture Block. Does that work? How do I use it?

Majority of the people who use Sabino swear it's the best thing since sliced bread. There are some who weren't impressed but most reviews seem to say good things about it. I haven't tried it because I don't fix what isn't broken and have been in love with John Frieda since I discovered it in my relaxed days.

For at least 25 years, I have pressed my hair using the wet-to-dry method. And for years, after passing the comb through damp hair once, I'd apply JF serum and pass over it one more time to get a smooth press. And my hair would stay straight until I washed it.

Come April 2009, I decided to try heat protectants out so this time I did things a little differently and found out that I preferred this new way to the old. I do not blow dry my hair at all. After I rinsed of conditioner and ACV rinse, I just finger part my hair and put on Curlformers on narrow sections and let my hair airdry stretched out by the Curlformers. Once my hair is dry, I took out the Curlformers:

Next, working on one section at a time, I would saturate the section with John Frieda Heat Defeat Spray, then pass the flat iron (446 degrees F/ 230 degrees C) over that section ONCE. The reason I would wet the already dry section was, I have never been able to get a good press w/o doing it wet-to-dry, but this time, instead of taking the risk of doing it with just water, I used a heat protectant as my "wetness". My hair looked like it had been blown out:

Next I used the serum to seal the moisture in my hair. Parting VERY NARROW sections, I'd smooth John Frieda Thermal Protection Serum from base to ends, making sure the hair was well-coated. The idea wasn't to use a lot but to ensure no spot was left uncovered. Then I'd pass the flat iron over the section once. Again, I worked on one section at a time: apply, press...before moving onto the next. And I got smooth results:

A few days later when I was getting ready to wash my hair, hence the plaits, my hair was still smooth and straight:

Using the heat protectant spray and thermal protection serum, instead of just regular serum as in the past, gave me a press that had no smell whatsoever of burning hair (not during the press, or after, or even when I washed my hair) and I got total reversion when I shampooed. So I highly recommend the thermal protectant serum in the Frizz Ease line.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

This is me at 2 months post relaxer. No matter what, the style does not hold. I just don't think my hair wants to be strait anymore.

 

[Solitude]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

I would like to know this, too, because the same thing happens to me at 6 months post in the humid Houston weather.

 

[AwesomelyNappy]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

both when i was relaxed and now when i'm natural, in humidity maxius beyond straight has always worked for me.

new bottle

 

[AwesomelyNappy]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

also, for me, a bit of wild growth oil or castor oil throughout finished product helped somehow to keep it from poofing.

 

[Myjourney2009]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

Majority of the people who use Sabino swear it's the best thing since sliced bread. There are some who weren't impressed but most reviews seem to say good things about it. I haven't tried it because I don't fix what isn't broken and have been in love with John Frieda since I discovered it in my relaxed days.

For at least 25 years, I have pressed my hair using the wet-to-dry method. And for years, after passing the comb through damp hair once, I'd apply JF serum and pass over it one more time to get a smooth press. And my hair would stay straight until I washed it.

Come April 2009, I decided to try heat protectants out so this time I did things a little differently and found out that I preferred this new way to the old. I do not blow dry my hair at all. After I rinsed of conditioner and ACV rinse, I just finger part my hair and put on Curlformers on narrow sections and let my hair airdry stretched out by the Curlformers. Once my hair is dry, I took out the Curlformers:

Next, working on one section at a time, I would saturate the section with John Frieda Heat Defeat Spray, then pass the flat iron (446 degrees F/ 230 degrees C) over that section ONCE. The reason I would wet the already dry section was, I have never been able to get a good press w/o doing it wet-to-dry, but this time, instead of taking the risk of doing it with just water, I used a heat protectant as my "wetness". My hair looked like it had been blown out:

Next I used the serum to seal the moisture in my hair. Parting VERY NARROW sections, I'd smooth John Frieda Thermal Protection Serum from base to ends, making sure the hair was well-coated. The idea wasn't to use a lot but to ensure no spot was left uncovered. Then I'd pass the flat iron over the section once. Again, I worked on one section at a time: apply, press...before moving onto the next. And I got smooth results:

A few days later when I was getting ready to wash my hair, hence the plaits, my hair was still smooth and straight:

Using the heat protectant spray and thermal protection serum, instead of just regular serum as in the past, gave me a press that had no smell whatsoever of burning hair (not during the press, or after, or even when I washed my hair) and I got total reversion when I shampooed. So I highly recommend the thermal protectant serum in the Frizz Ease line.

@Nonie: I am going to try this for my DD, she takes school pics next week and she wants her hair straight, I dont want to have to re-press at all and your technique coupled with product looks fool proof.

I just did a press on my hair last Fri and my roots as of today have already starting puffing up where I did not apply the Sabino heavy, however where it is applied heavily my hair is still nice and straight. I did narrow parts for the roots at 410 with coco- oil and straightned it to my liking. I went back over the rest in much larger sections at 320. It looked good and still looks good but the oily feeling I could do without and I dont like the smell my hair had.

I think the reason it works so well for you is you get your hair pulled taut with the curlformers and this assist in you getting you hair super straight.

I dont have curlformers what would you suggest in getting the hair without blowdrying. I really dont want to have to rollerset because it takes so long.

How many curlformers did you use?

 

[Nonie]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

@Nonie: I am going to try this for my DD, she takes school pics next week and she wants her hair straight, I dont want to have to re-press at all and your technique coupled with product looks fool proof.

I just did a press on my hair last Fri and my roots as of today have already starting puffing up where I did not apply the Sabino heavy, however where it is applied heavily my hair is still nice and straight. I did narrow parts for the roots at 410 with coco- oil and straightned it to my liking. I went back over the rest in much larger sections at 320. It looked good and still looks good but the oily feeling I could do without and I dont like the smell my hair had.

I think the reason it works so well for you is you get your hair pulled taut with the curlformers and this assist in you getting you hair super straight.

I dont have curlformers what would you suggest in getting the hair without blowdrying. I really dont want to have to rollerset because it takes so long.

How many curlformers did you use?

I have never blowdried my hair before a press. If I didn't have Curlformers, I would have stretched it first in braids and let it airdry in them, before wetting it with the JF Heat Defeat spray for the first flat iron pass. In the past, I would just plait it to keep it from tangling but didn't wait for it to dry. Instead, starting with the plait in the back, I'd undo it, section a small part and flat iron it while damp. TBH, I think that is the secret for a smooth press: wet-to-dry. Before I ever did it, my 4B hair would look like I had not done anything but just plaited it damp and undone the plaits while it was still damp. I kid you not, my presses would look like this braid-out:

But from the time I learned about wet-to-dry being the first press (and I used to do it w/o any product: just wet hair--but I advise you to do it with the heat defeat spray, coz that's how I will always do it now), and then only apply a product after that (a serum being what I recommend), my results have always been very smooth.

This is a close up of my hair pressed wet-to-dry w/o products but just water (DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME):

The serum helps seal in those results:

I would also like to mention that before flat ironing, I DC'd overnight with GPB and Giovanni Magnetic Restructuring Conditioner. DCing at night is not my thing, but I was undoing mini-twists and was using the conditioners for slip and also so that they could provide some strength to my hair. I got sleepy by the time I was done and decided to shampoo the next morning. In the AM, I used Garnier Fructis to shampoo--just to add more strength--then conditioned with CHI Infra Treatment Thermal Protection Treatment because I figured it wasn't too early to start the heat protection. I don't know if these steps helped in getting me the wonderful experience I had, but I figured that since someone thought that thermal protection can be started at the conditioning stage, I had nothing to lose doing it. These extra steps may not be necessary but I mention them in case they might be something you'd want to do.

 

[Myjourney2009]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

Thank you very much for the well explained post. I am hoping for a positive experience for my DD's hair and I will post pics for all to see 5 days later with a pic showing each day.

 

[Mz*MiMi]

Re: Flat ironed 6 months post-relaxer hair & it looked amazing...until I went outside

I just flat ironed tonight using sally's Anti-frizz Solution Oil Free Glosser and Beyond the Zone straight Shot Strengting Balm, its silky straight now, but the real test will be when i go out tomorrow. Im 1 year post