Anyone else feeling like they're the exception....

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

I have this problem too. In fact, I just made a thread about it the other day. I'm still trying to figure it out myself, but thanks a lot for this thread, it's pretty helpful

 

[godsflowerrr]

Is your hair very porous? Porous hair tends to frizz more because it sucks up the moisture from the air. If you add a little more protein to your regimen, it may help because the protein helps to fill in the porous gaps along the strand. It really helped me.

 

[Imani]

I'm 4b/a w/porous strands, never have a problem getting salon straight hair, silky, bouncy hair. Some things they (salon) or I do are

-Deep moisturizing conditioners with slip (cones) under steamer (with cap on)
-Get hair really clean first
-Get hair straight with FHI blow dryer and denman brush (this is kinda all about technique, moving the brush along with the hairdryer)
-using very little products
-comb/chase method with fhi flat iron

I am a fine strand 4b, i would assume its harder for coarse strands. Maybe Blackmasterpiece can chime in, I believe she is coarse 4a.

 

[Rei]

So your hair didn't get straight with the BKT?!! I'm sorry to hear this, but I have to ask:

1-How thin were the sections as you flat ironed?
Thick sections of 4b hair just won't get smooth...The front/top of my head is thick, wiry 4bc (versus finer 4a hair on the perimeter) and I can get straight at 410ºF, swangy when I dare to crank the heat up to 450ºF.

pretty thin, although I will admit I got a bit lazy by the time I got to my crown (I did my bangs and the back and side sections first. It was straight for like..2 seconds. literally right as the flat iron went through it, it turned silky and straight, and then its like as I would continue flat ironing my hair would be reverting at the same time!

2- How many passes did you do?
I feel your frustration about the "straight with one pass" nonsense! It takes several passes for me to get acceptable results.

Around 6 passes each, 5 passes with flat iron and then one more with a comb. Should I have done more passes?

3-Are you sure your flat iron reaches (and holds) 450ºF? What brand is your iron?
I bought a babyliss for this because my amika only goes up to 200c. I cranked the babyliss up to the max because I was afraid of this happening (more afraid than heat damage, lol)

Do you have any more BKT left? You can do another treatment right away and it may improve your results...

I do have some left...not sure if its enough to do my entire head again but I can try. I'm pretty sure I overdid it on the application. I'm hoping that even though my head isn't blinging right now I can just flat iron it again in like 2 weeks and get better results? (at least than what I usually get) idk, lol. I must just suck at this...I was hoping that the chems would help with it even with a mediocre technique

answers in bold, and thank you so much for the sample!

 

[Ms Lala]

Is your hair very porous? Porous hair tends to frizz more because it sucks up the moisture from the air. If you add a little more protein to your regimen, it may help because the protein helps to fill in the porous gaps along the strand. It really helped me.

Thank you soooo much for this post!!!!! I think this is why my hair is frizzing. I'm off to go do a protein treatment and porosity control treatment.

 

[Rei]

I'm 4b/a w/porous strands, never have a problem getting salon straight hair, silky, bouncy hair. Some things they (salon) or I do are

-Deep moisturizing conditioners with slip (cones) under steamer (with cap on)
-Get hair really clean first
-Get hair straight with FHI blow dryer and denman brush (this is kinda all about technique, moving the brush along with the hairdryer)
-using very little products
-comb/chase method with fhi flat iron

I am a fine strand 4b, i would assume its harder for coarse strands. Maybe Blackmasterpiece can chime in, I believe she is coarse 4a.

no no, I am a fine strand 4b as well! Thanks for your input. Do you think it is the FHI flat iron that is helping? I feel like perhaps if I invested in one of those it would help. I am using an amika iron currently, and personally I am not a huge fan

 

[Sianna]

...anyone else having this problem? other 4bs? (it's probably gonna be ya'll, it seems like every 4a and 3c are having fun swinging about ) I would just like to know if there are others with this issue because then I guess i'll just have to live with it and be salty every time i see a pinkskates picture for the rest of my life

Umm... I've got 4a hair with what seems to be some 3cish curls in the back and my hair has ALWAYS been resistant to straightening, even when I wore relaxers. I'm by no means an expert at straightening natural hair, but my recent attempts to do my own (unsurprisingly) didn't fare much better. Several passes with the flat iron left my hair only somewhat straight, but still rather puffy.

I guess it's all in how you look at it, because even though I would like to get a more sleek look from time to time, I actually prefer the fuller look.

 

[Imani]

no no, I am a fine strand 4b as well! Thanks for your input. Do you think it is the FHI flat iron that is helping? I feel like perhaps if I invested in one of those it would help. I am using an amika iron currently, and personally I am not a huge fan

I like FHI tools, but really I think its more about the moisture level (all I ever do is steam, I haven't DC'd under a regular dryer in over a year), and technique. My hair is straight, like, can get a fine tooth comb through it without snagging straight just after the blow dry.

 

[Sondice]

My hair was the same way when I was natural. It would look like a blew it out, and it would revert like 4 hrs later. No matter what I did, tried the comb chase method too, nothing worked, thats why I just eventually went ahead and relaxed.

 

[hopeful]

Just thought I'd finally come back to update. My final flat-iron attempt was a fail. 24 hours later it was super poofy.

 

[hair4romheaven]

4b checking in..Rei my relaxed hair looked like your siggy. Now that I'm natural I haven't tried to straighten yet. I'm just letting it grow and taking notes. I was thinking about blow drying once a month with hopes of semi-heat training. I'm just hoping by doing this when I do try to straighten next year my hair won't be as resistant.
*crosses fingers*

 

[leleepop]

What works for me is bunning my hair in a chignon/bantu, with an elastic around it, for at least an our after i straighten it. I also bun it in that same chignon if its extra humid,hot, or raining. if it reverts I always rebun to get the flatness back.hth

 

[Nonie]

Just thought I'd finally come back to update. My final flat-iron attempt was a fail. 24 hours later it was super poofy.

hopeful, can you please fill in more details? What do you normally do, and what did you do this time differently that led you to expect different results? This info can help others who are hoping to try something new that might be what you tried. What products did you use?

 

[hair4romheaven]

Nonie have u had success with straightening? If so I know u have pics. Can u post them. I ask because I see 4a straighten with perm like results. I have yet to see a 4b or 4c get those flowing type results.

 

[Nonie]

Nonie have u had success with straightening? If so I know u have pics. Can u post them. I ask because I see 4a straighten with perm like results. I have yet to see a 4b or 4c get those flowing type results.

@hair4romheaven, the thread I quoted in post #9 in this very discussion has some closeups of my hair. Please don't do what I do on the first page (which is flat iron wet hair w/o any protectant)...but later on I believe I do show pics of each step during my flat ironing with a protectant and how my hair looked.

Here are some pics of my flatironed hair:

​

My hair is so fine that I never wear it down coz it has no weight so would not move or keep a nice hanging style. Heck it has not respect whatsoever for gravity even See?

​

This was the day before I washed it so I could braid it with extensions (I like to braid shrunken hair), and as you can see it still had not poofed up thanks to the serum I use to seal out moisture:

And this was the reversion starting when I applied shampoo:

And the full reversion at the end of my wash:

 

[hair4romheaven]

Thanks I have to sub. To this post for later use..
BTW: thanks for the pics Nonie.
Im going to try to heat train but I'm in my research.stage now.

 

[FAMUDva]

I've been enjoying the best of both worlds... I didn't wear my hair straight all summer because that's too much of a hassle. But fall/winter I wear it straight every 2 weeks and it doesn't revert until wash day. And that includes me running 3-4 days a week. I'm a regular steamer/hydrator though; I do it weekly and have no issues with conversion because of it.

 

[hair4romheaven]

Famudiva do u have tips & pics. I steam weekly as well.

 

[rockstar]

Rei, I see you're from PA and it's been super humid/hot here lately. Maybe during the winter months it will work better for you? Have you tried roller setting, lightly blowdrying, and then flatironing? I also don't use anything in my hair but a serum/protectant. No oils!!!

 

[hopeful]

hopeful, can you please fill in more details? What do you normally do, and what did you do this time differently that led you to expect different results? This info can help others who are hoping to try something new that might be what you tried. What products did you use?

Well, first I deep conditioned with a moisturizing con for hours, rinsed, added my redken anti snap, put my hair in twists overnight. By morning it was completely dry, which I didn't want, hoped it would be damp. Anyway I used my wet to dry iron on small sections. Each section was dampened with a little water and a creamy heat protectant. I also "tried" to do the comb-chase method, which I hadn't tried before. So anyways, after I was done my hair was pretty straight and very soft and moisturized. By the next day it had started reverting. So I went back in with a ceramic flat-iron and this time used a serum. It got pretty straight again. But by the next day it was puffing back again. My hair reverts very easily, even with a professional, really excellent flat iron by a hair stylist, after a couple of days it starts to poof.

 

[Nonie]

hopeful, Hmm... :scratchch OK, I might not be correct on this, but I wonder whether you didn't coat it well with the serum? Or did you use a water-soluble serum? I've heard great things about Sabino Moisture Block and I like John Frieda. I honestly don't know how moisture can get through if you coat your hair meticulously.

I'm sorry it didn't work.

 

[lalla]

You're not the exception. I can't get my hair straight either.

 

[constance]

Me either. Perhaps this is a dumb question, but do you apply the heat protectant before or after blow drying? I used it once-I blowdried on cool, applied Chi heat protectant, and used a Chi but it only stayed straight for a few minutes and then started swelling..as usual.

 

[Nonie]

Me either. Perhaps this is a dumb question, but do you apply the heat protectant before or after blow drying? I used it once-I blowdried on cool, applied Chi heat protectant, and used a Chi but it only stayed straight for a few minutes and then started swelling..as usual.

@constance If I used to blowdry first (I don't), I would apply the Heat Protectant Spray so that my hair is wet from it and not from water and blow dry with that. Why I'd apply it to my dry hair is so that I can be sure that it is coating my strands fully and not being diluted or its full contact w/ my hair interfered with by water. In other words, I would want to make sure I have it 100% concentrated against my hair. And why I would use a spray for the blowdrying step is because I believe you should not blow dry hair that is dry but it should be wet. So making my heat protectant the wet product would be a safe way to go (I think). And then I would apply the serum as before to very small sections coating well and flat iron once, working on each section at a time: apply, flat iron...before moving on to the next, rather than applying to my whole head at once.

Please note, it isn't because a product is a "heat protectant" that it prevents reversion/frizzing. For a product to do this, it has to be a silicone product that isn't water soluble. I don't know if CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray is what you used, but looking at the ingredients, there's nothing to stop moisture from affecting your hair if that is all you had in your hair--hence your frizzy poof.

What will stop hair from being affected by moisture in the air is something with such ingredients as those found in Sabino Moisture Block which has only two ingredients and both are waterproof cones: Dimethicone and Cyclomethicone

Heat protectants protect your hair from damage...so you do indeed need them in the picture. Serums (cones) protect your hair from being affected by moisture so they are the icing on the cake. I just happened to find a serum that is also a protectant, but just to be extra careful, I used a spray protectant before I used the sealant (ie serum) which was also a protectant. One can never be too careful, so those two steps with protectants just made me feel more comfortable with the whole flat-ironing affair. Did I mention I also DC'd with CHI Infra Thermal Protective Treatment just before these two protectants? I was determined to take as many measures I can to avoid damage...and it paid off.

 

[bludaydreamr]

OP, I noticed the more moisture my hair has the easier my hair straightens and the longer it stays that way. If I am going to flat iron, I steam condition my hair for 20-30 minutes, I sometimes sleep overnight with Lekair on my head if I feel my hair is really dry. I would suggest 1875 watt ionic blow dryer,a true ceramic iron, and heat protectant. I used a Conair flat iron while I was relaxed and it was good, but I love the results I get from straightening with my Fhi.

When I transitioned, I constantly had to reminded myself (because I had been relaxed so long) that my natural hair wasn't going to behave anything like my relaxed hair. The first time that I straightened it I realized I was right my natural hair had shine, bounce, and body that my relaxed hair never had without product.

Don't be discouraged it may take you a while to find the right combination that gives you the look you want, but eventually you'll find it.

 

[constance]

OP, thank you for posting this topic as I am learning a lot.

Nonie, I have indeed been using the Chi 44 Iron Guard with a small amount of the Chi Silk Infusion. I notice the latter has the two ingredients you mentioned (Dimethicone and Cyclomethicone) so I will make sure to be very liberal next time I flat iron. I've also put the CHI Infra Thermal Protective Treatment on my list. Gracious, these products are expensive but I think they'll do the trick. I blow dry (only after shampooing and dc'ing) and use heat 1 or 2 times a year so I'm still learning. Thank you!

 

[Nonie]

Nonie, I have indeed been using the Chi 44 Iron Guard with a small amount of the Chi Silk Infusion. I notice the latter has the two ingredients you mentioned (Dimethicone and Cyclomethicone) so I will make sure to be very liberal next time I flat iron. I've also put the CHI Infra Thermal Protective Treatment on my list. Gracious, these products are expensive but I think they'll do the trick. I blow dry (only after shampooing and dc'ing) and use heat 1 or 2 times a year so I'm still learning. Thank you!

constance Awesome that you do have a cone product. So I would do the Infra Thermal Protective as the last step in your wash. Then blow dry with the Iron Guard or maybe your first pass. And then taking small sections without being too heavy handed, just smooth the one with cones over the strands so carefully the way you'd moisturize say your legs making sure every inch is covered, and then do your final pass (Remember small sections!). I think you will be pleased with your results.

Please keep us posted.

 

[constance]

constance Awesome that you do have a cone product. So I would do the Infra Thermal Protective as the last step in your wash. Then blow dry with the Iron Guard or maybe your first pass. And then taking small sections without being too heavy handed, just smooth the one with cones over the strands so carefully the way you'd moisturize say your legs making sure every inch is covered, and then do your final pass (Remember small sections!). I think you will be pleased with your results.

Please keep us posted.

(I'll post a pic in Dec.)

 

[gadgetdiva]

ಠ_ಠ











On this 'you can always straighten your natural hair' thing. I'm a bit salty because this is one of the reasons why I went natural, to have the best of both worlds...but my natural hair REFUSES to stay straight. My relaxed hair had NO ISSUE with fro'in up and making me look a damn fool with my straight ends so what is the deal

I have gone to salons, done it at home, turned up the heat, turned up the moisture whatever. Each and every time 30 minutes later, it looks like I just blowdried. How much more can I turn up the heat before I just burn my hair!? I usually DC beforehand, sometimes overnight with a supermoisturizing DC (HSR), rinse it out, I've tried with products, with SMB, without products, just bare...even this weekend I've tried BKT and SAME RESULT (450 degrees and blowdry results!? #ComeOnSon)

I'm not saying I'mma relax but damn I'd like to have a sleek style like ONCE A YEAR without it having to be fake /rant

anyone else buying into this? I feel like there should be a warning label on the "transitioning box" saying "you might not be able to get this straight again"

If i have to look at that 'get perm straight hair in one pass' thread again im going to go ape on this mug with my flat iron i swear.


...ok. I got that out. just needed to rant. but seriously though, anyone else having this problem? other 4bs? (it's probably gonna be ya'll, it seems like every 4a and 3c are having fun swinging about ) I would just like to know if there are others with this issue because then I guess i'll just have to live with it and be salty every time i see a pinkskates picture for the rest of my life

Yes because I have multiple personality hair and living in Houston w/ me being quick to break a sweat, I couldn't take it anymore and put a relaxer in attempting to texlax...wish I had found LHCF last October... but I am learning to stretch now. Sorry I'm not much help but you aren't alone.
I commend you for not giving up.

 

[Oasis]

i definitely feel y'all. i flat ironed a small piece of my hair last night and 3 minutes later, yes i timed it, it was poofy as hell, like someone sprayed water on it. all i was doing was sitting in a chair. no humidity, no sweat, no heat, no water. nothing and it still reverted that quickly.

in my hair's defense the flatiron was old and crappy, so i'm not giving up hope just yet.