Does your hair look nice when you straighten/do it yourself?

[snillohsss]

Nope. I can never get my hair bone straight. The roots are always curly or wavy.

 

[Southernbella.]

oh, and I swear by the comb chase method.

Another tip: I spend more time on the blowout than I do on flat ironing. I blowdry in section using a paddle brush in order to get my hair as straight as possible before I flatiron. A stylist gave me that tip; she said "however your hair dries is what it will do. If it dries straight, it will stay straight. If it dries puffy, your hair will want to stay puffy". I have found this to be true for my hair.

 

[Poohbear]

The first few times I tried straightening my natural hair, it looked a mess. Now, I feel like my natural hair looks nice after I straighten it...


First time using a flat iron in 2007

Now, pic taken Jan 2011

 

[keepithealthy]

oh, and I swear by the comb chase method.

Another tip: I spend more time on the blowout than I do on flat ironing. I blowdry in section using a paddle brush in order to get my hair as straight as possible before I flatiron. A stylist gave me that tip; she said "however your hair dries is what it will do. If it dries straight, it will stay straight. If it dries puffy, your hair will want to stay puffy". I have found this to be true for my hair.

^^^I agree with the bolded...I'm getting better. My current flat iron job came out great. I flat ironed after a failed roller set.

 

[Kurlee]

this goes against lhcf rules, but coconut oil (pure) with my maxi glide in small sections gets my hair glossy, straight and swangin. I just air dry with heat protectant

 

[Southernbella.]

this goes against lhcf rules, but coconut oil (pure) with my maxi glide in small sections gets my hair glossy, straight and swangin

You just reminded me. I also use oil. I've been out of coconut for awhile so I used olive oil the last few times and it works just as well (but doesn't smell as good).

 

[keepithealthy]

this goes against lhcf rules, but coconut oil (pure) with my maxi glide in small sections gets my hair glossy, straight and swangin

I broke the rules in my last flat iron as well. used avocado oil mixed with Cantu Shae Super Shine heat protectant to straighten my hair. Avacado oil has a high smoking point of 520F so I figured it was safe since I was using my flat iron between 320 and 350 depending on the sections. So far the silkiest softest flat iron to date.

 

[SuchaLady]

It looks cute to me. I get compliments but I prefer how it looks when my stylist does it. Idk what kinda technique I use but it makes my hair look thin. I think its because I flat iron it only for straightness and depend on the wrapping of it to create the actual style.

 

[EccentricRed]

I just pressed my hair over the weekend. In the past my blowdryer was a hot mess and even with detangling, it did not really do anything but leave my hair in a giant poofball, then when I pressed it was still frizzy and never got as straight as I wanted.

I just bought a Goldbird blowdryer over the weekend, so I washed it, deep conditioned, detangled and then I used heat protectant, blowdried, use more heat protectant and pressed my hair with my Chi iron. I know some folks cringe at all that heat , but I have never had any issues with it, and I haven't had any heat damage. That's about the only major rule I break.

My hair is just a-swinging ya'll! This is the closest I've come to having salon straight hair. (If I can sneak off and take a pic I would!) Me and this hairdryer are going to be best friends! :heart2:

 

[hothair]

The trick is in the deep conditioning. Use a dc that's moisture based and leave it on for as long as you can. You can airdry your hair in two buns or any other stretched style or blow dry using the tension method. Section your hair and using the comb chase method or a flatiron comb flatiron concentrating on the roots.

Loads of info on here and on yt on techniques

 

[Carisa]

Usually no but the last time I did it I got it pretty straight. Its hard for me to get it straight because I'm not that patient when i do it and I usually only straighten it to see the length and not necessarily to wear it as a style.

oh, and I swear by the comb chase method.

Another tip: I spend more time on the blowout than I do on flat ironing. I blowdry in section using a paddle brush in order to get my hair as straight as possible before I flatiron. A stylist gave me that tip; she said "however your hair dries is what it will do. If it dries straight, it will stay straight. If it dries puffy, your hair will want to stay puffy". I have found this to be true for my hair.

these are good tips! The last time I straightened my hair I washed it and left conditioner (nexxus humectress and ntm) in overnight. The next day I washed the conditioner out, put infusium 23 in as my leave in then I blow dried it in sections with a comb and it was almost straight enough for me to wear just from blow drying it. Then I straighten it in small sections and followed with coconut oil. This was the only time I got it straight. Hair straightening to me is really time consuming and takes me hours. Overall I could definitely improve upon my styling skills in general too.

 

[Poohbear]

I go against the rules too to get my natural hair straight too. And I don't even do a good deep conditioning each time like a lot of ladies have suggested. A good blowdry, grease and flat iron does the trick for me.

 

[bellebebe]

lustrous
Girl, u just made me curse. Lol... Your hair looks so nice.

Mobile phones are sexy too. <3 IPad ain't got chiz on me.

 

[Tamster]

Guys, whats a professional flat iron? Does Chi count? im pretty sure the crap conair i have at home isnt lol

 

[C(squared)]

Mine looks great - just as good as my professional stylist. I stopped going regularly in the summer. Now I just go for special styles and trims. i can't do all the curls and flips so I just style my hair straight down.

 

[CrissieD]

No...I need to step my game up

Sent from my Super Kewl EVO... Please blame the phone for the typos

 

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

oh, and I swear by the comb chase method.

Another tip: I spend more time on the blowout than I do on flat ironing. I blowdry in section using a paddle brush in order to get my hair as straight as possible before I flatiron. A stylist gave me that tip; she said "however your hair dries is what it will do. If it dries straight, it will stay straight. If it dries puffy, your hair will want to stay puffy". I have found this to be true for my hair.

This is a really good tip. I tried doing mine last night. Its better than my previous attempts but I'm still not pleased. I used SMB and blow dried & flat ironed my hair. My hair still came out kinda poofy but straight (it just didn't lie flat). And my ends look frizzy...this always happens! I am just going to give up on doing it myself.

Strangely though I got lots of compliments.

Sent from my SPH-D700

 

[lux10023]

practice makes perfect but that nixoin thermal bliss makes my flat-ironed hair pure bliss...

i wen for one hour
good dc for one hour
apply nioxin to my hair that is wet
blow dry hair in one direction...
then flat iron...

i have several flat-irons but for some reason my $20 conair one inch does the best job..smdh

 

[HanaKuroi]

I use a spray protectant. The difference that I get is when I use tension as I flat iron.
Starting at the roots you turn the flat iron up or down and hold the unironed hair so it goes in the same direction. I usually turn my wrist toward me and the hair falls over the flat iron. I use small sections. I go over twice. Once quickly to straighten and the second time slowly to smooth and shine.
The bounce comes from the second pass. You pull your hair along. You keep the hair taut. When beauticians use the marcel iron and they pull as they curl your hair. I pull as I straighten. You have to use tension, less product, and smaller parts and start off with moisturized hair. I don't use a curling iron after. Sometimes I will roll up my hair when it is still warm from flat ironing. If I am in a rush I remove the rollers going from the first one I put in to the last one. Hair is curled and bouncy.
Using the rattail comb is a tension method as well.
Eta: I roll up my hair when it is still hot/warm from the flat iron.
Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[Spiffy]

I broke down and straightened at 2 years and 7 months and while it was straight, it was rather heavy.

I think next time I'll do a cheat set or use curlformers to remove some of the weight.

 

[StarScream35]

I am glad you started this thread cause I was thinking just the other day, why is it when I flat iron my own hair, it never comes out nice, bouncy and shiny like it does at the salon. The one and only time it does halfway come out straight and bouncy is when I relax it. I'm assuming it must have something to do with the heat. I've tried to make it a point to see what kind of products stylist have used and I have tried them all without any prevail and finally after I started going to the Dominicans, I figure, it's got to be all in the heat. The problem is HOW MUCH HEAT??? I can't afford to take any chances so I don't experiment with high heat. I'm mainly an air-drier anyway but sometimes a sista wants something a lil different.

 

[bellebebe]

Yall make me wanna straighten my hair now.

 

[StarScream35]

bellebebe
I had the same thought.............LOL!

 

[Mandy4610]

Yes,,,if I do say so myself lol

Well, this is what it looks like...these pics are from April.



Before straightening

After straightening

Overnight satin rollers

I think it comes out well. I use Sabino moisture block and Kinky curly knot today. I do one pass with the Maxiglide and another pass with the Sedu.

 

[RoseTintedCheeks]

I have a Solia, and it's a great flat iron! I never get the same effect as when I go get it done though. I rarely blow dry my own hair though so maybe the blow dry has something to do with it?

 

[silenttullip]

I think practice makes perfect....
the first time I did it myself with a cheapie iron and shea butter
It was horrible... The last time I did it my hair was like Uniqzoe but shorter. I did well one time but it never lasts... I'm in hot area so it sweats out

 

[BillsBackerz67]

It looks decent. I blowdry with a dab of keracare leave in and their silken seal serum. Then flat ironed small sections with a chi. my chi just died but I just ordered a babyliss pro from amazon.

 

[kandake]

Mandy4610 your hair looks great. I was going to ask about SBM. How long does your hair stay straight?

 

[Kurlee]

Yes,,,if I do say so myself lol

Well, this is what it looks like...these pics are from April.



Before straightening

After straightening

Overnight satin rollers

I think it comes out well. I use Sabino moisture block and Kinky curly knot today. I do one pass with the Maxiglide and another pass with the Sedu.

your hair looks like mine wet

 

[ms.blue]

My last flatiron in early Sept. Its all about technique b/c I didn't blowdry my hair to straighten it. I used my sedu on each section twice, once to straighten and the other to give a bump.