Natural: Thinking of straightening my hair...

[boundlessbeauty]

Ladies-I need your suggestions. I'm thinking of straightening my hair for the first time since being natural. (fully natural since 12-23-08). I need suggestions on:

heat protectants (I'm 4a/b)
methods [blow dryer, flat iron]
etc

I would go to a professional but all that i've tried don't see to "handle" my hair as they should knowing I am natural. [aggressively combing, brushing, not detangling properly]

Any suggestions will be helpful.

thanks.

 

[andromeda]

Here are some threads that I've bookmarked that should be of help:

Straightening Tips for Naturals...

Naturals- What's the best way to straighten?

Naturals that Straighten...

What's your flat-iron routine Transitioners and Naturals?

 

[MsBoinglicious]

I do NOT blow dry. It makes my feel like straw. I air dry in about 8 banded pig-tails (four on each side). I use Tresemme Heat Tamer spray and Aphogee Green Tea Reconstructor spray.

As far as making my hair straight (like in siggy) I do the chase method with a blow dryer vent brush with my SEDU. The ends come out SUPER straight.

The less product I put in my hair the better the flatiron process results.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

This is my go-to post I created for straightening advice. Here ya go!

Okay so since you said you have tightly coily type 4 hair like me I'll share with you the two techniques that have left me with sleek consistently straight results.

First let me give my product recomendations.

Heat Protectant:

IC Fantasia Serum (for blowdrying) and spray (for flatironing)

For the blowdrying step...I highly recommend the Andis 1875 Tourmaline Ionic Blowdryer, here are my results using that blowdryer (with the comb attachment)

​

I Recommend Two Types of Flat Irons:

1) The MaxiGlide MP (My Results Using the MaxiGlide)

Technique Using MaxiGlide MP​

Step 1: Blowdry wet hair using the Andis with the comb attachment in 8-10 sections, rewetting each section with spray bottle filled with water and dilluted leave-in of your choice. Apply nickel sized IC serum to each section and blowdry bantu knotting each finished section a you go to keep it out of your way.

Step 2: Flat Iron using MaxiGlide MP using one IC Spray on each section, in small 0.5 - 1" X 3" sections.

Sleep Routine: Pin Curl and tie with Satin Scarf

# 2: A 1 inch 100% ceramic flat iron I like the Amika (I have it in Zebra)

Technique using a 1 inch standard 100% ceramic iron:​

Step 1: Blowdry wet hair using the Andis with the comb attachment in 8-10 sections, rewetting each section with spray bottle filled with water and dilluted leave-in of your choice. Apply nickel sized IC serum to each section and blowdry bantu knotting each finished section a you go to keep it out of your way.

Step 2: Hot Comb Roots. When using a standard 1" ceramic flat iron on tightly coily hair I recommend a hot combing step between blowdrying and flat ironing on the first 4 inches closest to the scalp to get consistently straight results. One pass at heat setting 8 on the comb should do the trick. Heres the electric Hot Comb I recommend by Hot Tools :

Step 3: Flat Iron (I would do 350+) in small 0.5 - 1" X 3" sections chasing the flat iron with a fine toothed comb.

Hope I broke it down throughly enough for you love! Good luck!!

 

[westNDNbeauty]

I've posted some pics of my results for perm straight hair. Check it out:

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=431336

There are some naturals on the forum that can attest to great results using this method.

 

[virtuenow]

I haven't read the other posts but I have 2 suggestions: (1) use the blow dry tension method. It gets your hair much more straight (at least it does for me - & I have nearly 100% shrinkage). That waay you also avoid using the comb so aggressively as the blow-dry comb technique calls for, and u prep your hair for the flat iron better; (2) flat iron using the comb chase method. It gets all of your hair straight-- and u will find u can't do without it. Make sure to use a 100% ceramic flat iron like a CHI.

 

[Rocky91]

all of the tips given so far have been great.

i just wanna add, if you do want to go the salon, you should wash, DC, and blowout your hair at home. saves time, avoids the rough detangling methods that many (not all) stylists employ, and possibly $$-my stylist used to charge me less when i did this.

 

[My Friend]

I noticed no one suggested the Dominican technique. So rollersetting your hair and sitting under a hooded dryer and then flat ironing does not yield the salon look?

 

[boundlessbeauty]

This is my go-to post I created for straightening advice. Here ya go!

Okay so since you said you have tightly coily type 4 hair like me I'll share with you the two techniques that have left me with sleek consistently straight results.

First let me give my product recomendations.

Heat Protectant:

IC Fantasia Serum (for blowdrying) and spray (for flatironing)

​

For the blowdrying step...I highly recommend the Andis 1875 Tourmaline Ionic Blowdryer, here are my results using that blowdryer (with the comb attachment)

​

I Recommend Two Types of Flat Irons:

1) The MaxiGlide MP (My Results Using the MaxiGlide)

​

Technique Using MaxiGlide MP​

Step 1: Blowdry wet hair using the Andis with the comb attachment in 8-10 sections, rewetting each section with spray bottle filled with water and dilluted leave-in of your choice. Apply nickel sized IC serum to each section and blowdry bantu knotting each finished section a you go to keep it out of your way.

Step 2: Flat Iron using MaxiGlide MP using one IC Spray on each section, in small 0.5 - 1" X 3" sections.

Sleep Routine: Pin Curl and tie with Satin Scarf

# 2: A 1 inch 100% ceramic flat iron I like the Amika (I have it in Zebra)

​

Technique using a 1 inch standard 100% ceramic iron:​

Step 1: Blowdry wet hair using the Andis with the comb attachment in 8-10 sections, rewetting each section with spray bottle filled with water and dilluted leave-in of your choice. Apply nickel sized IC serum to each section and blowdry bantu knotting each finished section a you go to keep it out of your way.

Step 2: Hot Comb Roots. When using a standard 1" ceramic flat iron on tightly coily hair I recommend a hot combing step between blowdrying and flat ironing on the first 4 inches closest to the scalp to get consistently straight results. One pass at heat setting 8 on the comb should do the trick. Heres the electric Hot Comb I recommend by Hot Tools :

​

Step 3: Flat Iron (I would do 350+) in small 0.5 - 1" X 3" sections chasing the flat iron with a fine toothed comb.

Hope I broke it down throughly enough for you love! Good luck!!

Thanks! Loving your hair results with MaxiGlide MP

 

[boundlessbeauty]

all of the tips given so far have been great.

i just wanna add, if you do want to go the salon, you should wash, DC, and blowout your hair at home. saves time, avoids the rough detangling methods that many (not all) stylists employ, and possibly $$-my stylist used to charge me less when i did this.

Good idea!