**Anyone Airdry and then flatiron** HOW?!!!

[lana]

You guys I have been airdrying my hair in two ponytails and then I will flat iron with a modest heat setting using my Sedu. This has been a great thing for my ends because my ends hate the blow dryer. But why is it that my hair is so hard to detangle when I'm ready to flat iron?

I do detangle before airdrying in two ponies...but then when it dries I have to use a slightly smaller comb to make sure my hair comes out straightened instead of puffy.

What am I doing wrong? Or any tips to do the job better?
Eventually I'll move over to rollersetting, but I'm not there yet.

Also, I'm a texlaxed 4a and I have some THICK hair.

 

[JustKiya]

Are you doing it in loose ponytails? Your hair is most likely shrinking up as it's drying, and tangling. You have to 'hold' them somehow to avoid shrinkage and tangling - two strand twists seem to work well for me - if your ponytails are long enough, just put them into two big two strand twists, and let air dry - that should help, a lot.

 

[lana]

These are those tight to the scalp ponytails (lol) the kind your mother used to make and you go "ow, ow, that's tight". Because my hair really does poof up and so I have to "hold" it straight while I can (while wet). Otherwise, it's a mess.

I use Nuetrogena Leave In Conditioner or Redken Smooth Down Leave In Treatment. Just depends.

I have my bangs flat ironed and the rest is in an airdried bun because I couldn't touch that thick stuff after just getting over chicken pox. I'm too weak right now to battle my hair.

 

[JustKiya]

These are those tight to the scalp ponytails (lol) the kind your mother used to make and you go "ow, ow, that's tight". Because my hair really does poof up and so I have to "hold" it straight while I can (while wet). Otherwise, it's a mess.

I use Nuetrogena Leave In Conditioner or Redken Smooth Down Leave In Treatment. Just depends.

I have my bangs flat ironed and the rest is in an airdried bun because I couldn't touch that thick stuff after just getting over chicken pox. I'm too weak right now to battle my hair.

Right, but that's just at the root, right? You have to hold the whole length of the ponytail semi-straight too, in order to have it dry without tangles...by 'loose' I meant that the hair in the ponytail itself (the tail, so to speak) isn't banded/twisted/pinned - somehow held semi-straight while it dries.

 

[lana]

Oh I see! Well you're right I don't do anything to the rest it kinda just hangs there.

So you're saying twist it and then band the ends as well? I can do that. Thanks! That's a great pointer.

But then when I go to flat iron, how can I stop losing so much hair when I'm very carefully combing each section out to the get the straightest flat iron?

Appreciate your quick responses.

 

[JustKiya]

Oh I see! Well you're right I don't do anything to the rest it kinda just hangs there.

So you're saying twist it and then band the ends as well? I can do that. Thanks! That's a great pointer.

But then when I go to flat iron, how can I stop losing so much hair when I'm very carefully combing each section out to the get the straightest flat iron?

Appreciate your quick responses.

Exactly!!

I think that if you twist/band the ponytails, you should lose less hair because your hair will still be 'mostly' detangleld.

My suggestion would be to put something (a little oil, a leave-in, something) on your hair before you comb it - but I don't know how that would work with flat-ironing, since I don't use heat at all.

Personally, I spread a TINY TINY TINY bit of castor oil over my hair right before I twist it to let it dry, and once it's fully dry it's MUCH less 'lovey' on each other, and it isn't as hard to comb through - but I would suspect that oil + heat = bad thing.....

Hopefully one of the ladies who flat iron on the regular will have more suggestions for you - wasn't there just a thread started not all that long ago (last night, maybe) about AtlantaJJ's 'chase' method? You might want to look for that, and see if there are any more suggestions in there.

Good luck!

 

[BlueNile]

I used to do this and would experience the same thing. What I do now is get out the shower with it dripping wet. Put it in one ponytail and tie down the front. Then I take the scrunchy off and let it airdry about 70%. Then I blow dry on lowest setting with an ionic dryer. It's still not completely dry at the roots but the ends of my hair are dry and less likely to tangle. Then once it's all dry I will run a warm flat iron through it (sedu) not really paying attention to trying to style it, just want it to be a little straighter than it is.

Hope this makes sense!

 

[Amethyst85]

I find it so much easier to airdry than using a hairdryer because my hair is super thick too.

I totally agree with JustKiya's suggestions that how i do my hair also.

I detangle when my hair is wet and use a leave-in conditioner and serum. Then i section my hair into ~16 braids and airdry like that. Or you could band you hair instead (Pokahontas has the banding method in her fotki).

When its dry i use a heat-protectant spray and flatiron 1/3 of the braid using the chase method (but i use a round brush).

Maybe you could try using a serum to weigh the ends down and make it easier to comb.

 

[lana]

Amethyst85 - I'm curious to know what brand/type of heat spray and protectant that you use. Thank you for your input on how best to flat iron straight after airdrying. I see that it's all the in the technique. I plan to keep working on it.

 

[lana]

I have an MG and a Sedu and chasing the comb with the flatiron is not for me. I just can't seem to master this without pulling out gobs of hair. I'm going to work on detangling better and plaiting the hair all the way to the tip/end. Then I'll detangle gently and flat iron in small sections. This should really help me overall. I apprecaite the advice guys and you ladies have some beautiful hair!

 

[SouthernDimps]

i do this all the time since i don't own a hairdryer. i usually dry my hair in 6 or 7 plaits after i put a leave-in (garnier long and strong) and seal with oil (grapeseed). when my hair is 90% dry, i add a small but sufficient amount of my heat protectant (fantasia ic pink stuff lol) and allow for the protectant to soak in my hair until it is completely dry. then i take one plait down at a time and gently detangle the 1-inch section that i am going to flat iron with a rat tail comb (i make really small sections which means it takes me forever to finish lol). i lose very few strands this way.

 

[tapioca_pudding]

I know a few members air dry their hair in braids to avoid the shrinkage/tangles. Then they take them down and flat iron away!

HTH lady!

 

[lana]

This really does help ladies! It's also going to help me cut down on the amount of heat that I use on a monthly basis. If I can airdry then I'll use half as much heat as normal. I think that can only be a good thing for my hair.

I haven't been blowdrying in about two months, but it's been a struggle trying to figure airdrying out when my hair is at different places in the growth/texlaxed cycle. Like: Newly texlaxed (easy airdry), 4-8 weeks in (tougher to flat iron), 8-12 weeks in (almost impossible to airdry and losing lots of hair on flat iron).

You wouldn't think it would matter, after all it's just the new growth growing in right? But my hair doesn't seem to know that...it seems like the entire head gets thick and full right before it's time to touch up at 10 -12 weeks post texlaxer.

 

[MissMusic]

I do as everyone else suggests. I airdy in 12-16 plaits (depends on how lazy I am ) using Giovianni direct leave-in and Fantasia IC Olive Oil Serum and let that get 80% dry. Then I detangle each section and spray Beyond the Zone Turn up the Heat, Heat Protectant on each section and let it finish drying. Then I take each section down one at a time, comb glides through and then flat iron on a low setting. Use as little product as possible to retain the swangin effect

 

[lilsparkle825]

i attached a pic of how i did it when i was transitioning (i have not flatironed since BCing). i smoothed my hair out with a denman then put on the bands before my hair got a chance to shrink back up. go here to see more pics...you have to be signed in, though.

http://public.fotki.com/lilsparkle825/the-metamorphosis/on-a-natural-high/page2.html

 

[lana]

I do as everyone else suggests. I airdy in 12-16 plaits (depends on how lazy I am ) using Giovianni direct leave-in and Fantasia IC Olive Oil Serum and let that get 80% dry. Then I detangle each section and spray Beyond the Zone Turn up the Heat, Heat Protectant on each section and let it finish drying. Then I take each section down one at a time, comb glides through and then flat iron on a low setting. Use as little product as possible to retain the swangin effect

MCrzyGr - You have beautiful length to your hair. Has airdrying and flat ironing the way you described aboved helped you maintian your length? I've decided to stop blowdrying since I'm texlaxed and I keep losing short little strands to the blowdryer. I'm hoping airdrying will help me retain length and reach my goal of APL.

 

[MissMusic]

MCrzyGr - You have beautiful length to your hair. Has airdrying and flat ironing the way you described aboved helped you maintian your length? I've decided to stop blowdrying since I'm texlaxed and I keep losing short little strands to the blowdryer. I'm hoping airdrying will help me retain length and reach my goal of APL.

Thanks You!! Yep, I only flat iron once a month at most and there is a significantly less amount of damage when you do away with the heat of the blow dryer.

 

[lana]

Thanks You!! Yep, I only flat iron once a month at most and there is a significantly less amount of damage when you do away with the heat of the blow dryer.

Okay, see this is what I'm counting on. I would love to see the difference in my hair with six months of airdrying and flatironing with no blowdryer heat at all. I'm sure I'll retain more length this way. I can't wait to see where I am by January 08 with this new technique (new to me).

 

[Amethyst85]

Amethyst85 - I'm curious to know what brand/type of heat spray and protectant that you use. Thank you for your input on how best to flat iron straight after airdrying. I see that it's all the in the technique. I plan to keep working on it.

I use Charles Worthington Straightening Cream and a drop of Keracare Silken Seal as leave-ins. Then i use CHI 44 Iron Guard (thermal protecting spray). But Im still looking for my HG products.

Some other members don't like the CHI iron guard because it makes their hair dry. So check old threads on this before you buy it!

If your looking for different products you should definitely check out CHI silk infusion threads there have been loads of good reviews about it. I ended up buying it yesterday! Haven't used it yet though.

 

[Ballerina_Bun]

You guys I have been airdrying my hair in two ponytails and then I will flat iron with a modest heat setting using my Sedu. This has been a great thing for my ends because my ends hate the blow dryer. But why is it that my hair is so hard to detangle when I'm ready to flat iron?

I do detangle before airdrying in two ponies...but then when it dries I have to use a slightly smaller comb to make sure my hair comes out straightened instead of puffy.

What am I doing wrong? Or any tips to do the job better?
Eventually I'll move over to rollersetting, but I'm not there yet.

Also, I'm a texlaxed 4a and I have some THICK hair.

-- I airdry in a ponytail rollerset and then flat iron my roots if needed. My hair is well detangled for each ponytail. Doing it this way, the length of the hair does not need to be flat ironed, just the roots.

 

[lana]

Amethyst85 - Thank you for your post girl. I just wanted to say that I do own the Chi Silk Infusion. I gotta be careful not to use that around texlax time because it really does prevent my relaxer from taking effect. I use the Loreal Hot Straight as my leave in with a little Neutrogena Triple Moisture. It seems to do okay, but I haven't found my staple yet either. Gonna use this up first before I go on the search again I guess.

I can't wait to try the techniques found in this thread the next time I wash my hair.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

It seems to be easier for me to do a ponytail set for airdrying.

I don't flat iron often so......

I hope others can help you