California Silky

[moneychaser]

Could someone please tell me what this is! I have been searching all over the net trying to figure out what the heck this is... Its suppose to be a healthy way to press relaxed hair

My co-worker gave me a little 411, but I want full details.

 

[Britt]

Is it a creme or something that you apply to your new growth to straighten it out a bit?

 

[moneychaser]

I don't think so Britt. She was telling me its a technique for pressing new growth only. You have to wait 45 days after your touch-up, any sooner the stylist will refuse to do it.
I'm not messing with it, but I am curious.
She attends Howard and told me it's really popular with the girls there.

 

[Britt]

Ohhhh ok, I have never heard of it before

 

[miss_brown]

Isn't this the same thing as "silking"?

Some people call that the "CA silk" technique. Basically, this is a technique to press hair by using very small marcel flat irons and very little serum. The high heat and little use of product makes the hair look and feel like silk.

The only problem for naturals (and least this natural head) was the fact that the irons are so hot that some parts of my hair stayed straight or loosened out like a texturizer

I eventually had to grow out and cut those sections off to get back to get back to my regular kinks

 

[moneychaser]

Yeah, thats it! I don't think its safe for relaxed heads, do you!

 

[miss_brown]

I dunno

Relaxed heads wouldn't have to worry about the permanent straightening because the touch up would straighten the hair anyway, but the heat might end up causing damage to the already relaxed hair. I think that's too much of a risk.

How did the girl's hair who told you about it look? Most of the people I know that get silked are natural.

 

[Akacentric10]

Silking Process

I went to the same guy in DC that is popular with the girls at Howard. The silking process has pros and cons to it:

PROS: The hair looks fabulous when its done. My hair looked better when I walked out of that salon than it did when I had a perm! And it lasts until I wash it-literally. No I can't play in the rain, but normal day to day humidity and the shower steam didn't revert it. The tool he used didn't burn it my hair or anything else like some of the horrible burn stories I've heard about with presses at other salons. With this guy I feel like I can trust him with my hair and have the best of both worlds.

CONS: The hair does not fully go back-period. This for me, however, was not too bad b/c the silking actually loosed the hair in the back of my head so its more wavy than kinky. There are some straightened peices so the only style that I really can't rock anymore is the straight up blown out fro styles. Today I am wearing afro puffs but I really had to brush it to death to hide the straighter pieces. It still looks good wet/curly, twisted or any other natural style that uses my natural curls without brushing it out..


So to summarzize-if you are a strictly natural sista and love the afro, the puffs and all other strictly traditional natural styles I would NOT recommend silking--you may end up with straight pieces. If you are versatile and wear your natural in twists, braids, curly, wavy, or other styles that hide or even encourage irregularites I would recommend trying it occasionally--it looks great and you achieve an awesome look with no chemicals!

 

[CocoaButterflyy]

I used to get my hair silkened while transitioning at this place in Brooklyn. Everyone said I had "Oprah hair" because it was just so light and fluffy and silky