How to keep my hair straightened in Africa?

[Afrolinda]

This summer I went back to my country ( Angola ) for the first time after 16 years. I am a 4 a/b natural but when I flat ironed my hair over there I had the hardest time to keep it straight. Once I went outside my hair reversed. Can somebody give me some tips? Since I am going more often to Angola and other countries in Africa, I am even thinking about relaxing ( even though I don't really want to).

 

[angenoir]

Have you tried Sabino Moisture Block? I have not tried it myself but have heard raves about it.

 

[Afrolinda]

I took it with me to my country but it didn't help much. Maybe some people here might have some techniques that can help or have been in the same situation.

 

[babyleaf]

Hope u don't mind.....OFF TOPIC, but......

Girl, you have a fabulous country. I have lots of Angolan friends in Portugal and the Cape Verdean/Angola mix (you know all the african portugues speakers stick together their...lol) is fire!!! So...back to topic

I think it is very similar to most highly humid countries. You are gonna have to get over the straight look while you or their....or, work very hard and diligent for a few minutes of fabulousity......When I go home (I was in panama for 2 months jul-august,) my hair was all over the place. I am very serious. But the humidity did give well desired moisture. I may not have been "straight and fabulous" like most, but my hair grew well.

Just don't get a relaxer though. You will regret it later, not after all of your hard work natural.

Oh, and regressing one more time, 99% of the angolans I know have crazy beautiful hair.....enjoy mama africa!!!!

 

[laurend]

Going to the DR tomorrow and I know my twists outs are going to be full and frizzy, that comes with the territory. You might have to forget about straight styles when you are there. Girl you are talking about keeping a straight style in a rainforest country, it ain't happening.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Hey Afrolinda!! I was a straightened natural for years and the biggest lesson I learned was not to fight against the weather but rather work with it. If you know you're going to a hot and humid environment (the motherland) then wear natural styles that will hold up nicely in that weather.

I believe the worst thing a straightened natural can do is to straighten their hair even when they know its gonna be humid and then have to flat iron their hair AGAIN within a day or two of when they did it last......thats unecessary damage.

Just find a cute natural style that you feel comfortable with for your time there or you can do extensions like braids or my personal favorite: senegalese twists

 

[Afrolinda]

Hope u don't mind.....OFF TOPIC, but......

Girl, you have a fabulous country. I have lots of Angolan friends in Portugal and the Cape Verdean/Angola mix (you know all the african portugues speakers stick together their...lol) is fire!!! So...back to topic

I think it is very similar to most highly humid countries. You are gonna have to get over the straight look while you or their....or, work very hard and diligent for a few minutes of fabulousity......When I go home (I was in panama for 2 months jul-august,) my hair was all over the place. I am very serious. But the humidity did give well desired moisture. I may not have been "straight and fabulous" like most, but my hair grew well.

Just don't get a relaxer though. You will regret it later, not after all of your hard work natural.


Oh, and regressing one more time, 99% of the angolans I know have crazy beautiful hair.....enjoy mama africa!!!!

Thank you so much.

 

[Afrolinda]

Hey Afrolinda!! I was a straightened natural for years and the biggest lesson I learned was not to fight against the weather but rather work with it. If you know you're going to a hot and humid environment (the motherland) then wear natural styles that will hold up nicely in that weather.

I believe the worst thing a straightened natural can do is to straighten their hair even when they know its gonna be humid and then have to flat iron their hair AGAIN within a day or two of when they did it last......thats unecessary damage.

Just find a cute natural style that you feel comfortable with for your time there or you can do extensions like braids or my personal favorite: senegalese twists

Thanks.

 

[Dak]

I'm a big fan of Sabino, but in super high humidity, the best advice I have is to protective style and not wear any of your hair out.

 

[Nonie]

Have you tried Sabino Moisture Block? I have not tried it myself but have heard raves about it.

I was just going to suggest an anti-frizz serum. I think you have to apply to small sections at a time so that your hair is very well coated. If moisture cannot reach your hair, then I don't see how it can get it to revert.

The only problem with that is if your hair isn't well moisturized, then it can feel very dry after a while.

As someone else said, maybe the best thing is not to fight your hair and just let the weather tell you what styling method is best. Good thing with natural hair is it doesn't have to be frizzy in humid conditions. With the right product, it can seem to thrive and display a different kind of glory that wasn't possible in a dryer climate. Versatility is a blessing!

 

[hothair]

Going to the DR tomorrow and I know my twists outs are going to be full and frizzy, that comes with the territory. You might have to forget about straight styles when you are there. Girl you are talking about keeping a straight style in a rainforest country, it ain't happening.

Exactly!

Forget what anyone says, if your weather is similar to the South East/ South of Nigeria in rainy season its NOT going to happen.

Flatiron it'll last maybe 6 hours then do twistouts, after that you can bun it or do a puff and or cornrow with your own hair (be careful who does those braids!).

In Nigeria the dry season (from about October/Novemberish) is less humid so straight styling's easier to maintain

 

[Afrolinda]

Exactly!

Forget what anyone says, if your weather is similar to the South East/ South of Nigeria in rainy season its NOT going to happen.

Flatiron it'll last maybe 6 hours then do twistouts, after that you can bun it or do a puff and or cornrow with your own hair (be careful who does those braids!).

In Nigeria the dry season (from about October/Novemberish) is less humid so straight styling's easier to maintain

Great, thanks.

 

[jennboo]

There is no natural way to keep natural 4a/b pressed hair from reverting in a high humdity, heat/sweating situation. Our hair isn't meant to be straight.

If you want that silky smooth and swang you will have to do a chemical process.

 

[Jaffa]

Have you thought about braids? I am going to Ghana in December and plan to get my hair rebraided whilst over there as they have some fantastic styles and are very quick

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

^^^Not to mention cheap!! Theres a girl on fotki who went to I think it was nigeria and she got her some (small) senegalese twists done on her natural hair for $5!!!! man lemme tell ya I was floored.....If that was me I'd go there with my hair blown out ready to get it did on the cheap!!!

 

[dm81]

When you went to your country, did you notice any of your family/friends/random chicks on the street with straight hair? If so ask them how they maintained that.

Like the others have mentioned, I doubt you'll be able to have natural 4a/b hair stay straight in humid weather...wear styles that work with the humidity.

 

[Afrolinda]

When you went to your country, did you notice any of your family/friends/random chicks on the street with straight hair? If so ask them how they maintained that.

Like the others have mentioned, I doubt you'll be able to have natural 4a/b hair stay straight in humid weather...wear styles that work with the humidity.

They relax it.

 

[Rocky91]

cosigning on what the others said: I don't see how it would be possible for your hair to remain straight in that type of climate, unless it was heat trained.
if you really want a straight look for your trip, have you considered a weave or a nice wig??

 

[Afrolinda]

cosigning on what the others said: I don't see how it would be possible for your hair to remain straight in that type of climate, unless it was heat trained.
if you really want a straight look for your trip, have you considered a weave or a nice wig??

Tell me more about the "heat trained" thing. How does your hair become "heat trained"?

 

[Rocky91]

^^well, this is due to personal experience. i've been technically natural all my life, but for about three years in high school, i kept my hair straight exclusively.
i wasn't using the proper methods, so i basically lost most of my curl pattern-i suppose you could call it "heat damaged" as well. my hair would stay practically straight after it was washed. i had to transition out of that hair when i decided i wanted to wear it natural again.

 

[shunemite]

Well I lived in Africa for about 11 years and I had natural hair. Then in America also with natural hair, although now I'm relaxed. I think it's honestly gonna be harder for you over there because of both the humidity and the dust. When I had my hair pressed, the humidity was so high that it only lasted maybe 2 days tops. (I have 4b hair). So I only got my hair pressed when there was a special occasion. In America it was easier for me to maintain hair-styles because there's very little dust and you're constantly in air-conditioned environments. In Africa, the weather is so great that you're outside a lot (at least we always were) but the humidity gets to your ends.

I cosign with the other posters to have fun with braiding (DON'T let them do it too tight) and enjoying curlier hair styles. Enjoy Angola and take a lot of pictures!

 

[CurlyMoo]

The only way I can see you walking around with temporarily straightened hair is if you do the Brazilian Keratin Treatment.

 

[tada1]

^^^Not to mention cheap!! ...If that was me I'd go there with my hair blown out ready to get it did on the cheap!!!

stole the words right out of my mouth. I am in a W. African country right now and its been raining all morning (and ive been in bed and online) but i digress

girl, enjoy the benefits of the humidity (free moisture) and the cheap cheap cheap (did i mention cheap?) extensions available. I have been here for about 3 months, and i have done 2 weave installs so far--i still have the second install in and going strong. Each one cost just under a whooping $35 (inlcuding extensions and install). When i am headed back to the states, i fully intend to get either twists or braids done. My game plan is to leave my hair alone as much as possible while im here (and while its cheap...)

WARNING 1: i only feel comfortable allowing hairdressers here do my weaves because i do the cornrows underneath myself. Trust me, they will uproot your follicles if you allow them to do the cornrows for you.

WARNING 2: The lady that i intend to do my braids when im leaving here is coming to the house (yes, home service for under 50 bucks. i aint complaining...). She has done my hair before, so she knows that i am tender headed. I dont let her comb my hair, and i dont let her tug at it. we have a mutual understanding bottom line: make sure you speak up if somebody is malhandling your precious hair.

WARNING 3: whatever you do, do not wear a wig. I dont know much about Angolan courtesies, but if *some* W. Africans i know are anything to go by, your heart will be in your mouth all day if you wear a wig

 

[getta]

Dont fight it. I just came from Cameroon yesterday and I had to braid my hair. I did not want the hassle of trying to force my hair straight everyday. Enjoy

 

[*KP*]

When I was in Ghana, I just wore braidouts. The effort it takes to keep hair straight is just not worth it. I went to the salon there to get a rollerset and by the time I walked to the car, it had frizzed out.

 

[hothair]

They relax it.

So right! Same thing in Nigeria most folk are relaxed, I don't like the salons cause although they do some banging weave/braids/relaxed styles, they always go "When're you going to get a relaxer?"

The naturals I know (mostly Northerners) usually have their hair cornrowed (looks good too).

I BKT but it doesn't make much of a difference in the humidity, I mean it straightens easily and is soft but the humidity poofs the hair right up

I still flat iron once a week but after the first day or so my hair's in a ponytail the rest of the week.

 

[Afrolinda]

I guess next time I will do a twist out.

 

[CurlyMoo]

If I were going to humid weather I would wear my hair natural and enjoy the moisture. And measure my hair when I get back. I think it's time I moved to a tropical climate just to test the hair theory that it helps grow your hair longer.