(PLEASE READ) - Obtaining the SWOOSH!

[AceH]

Okaaaay, so I found a stylist who I was able to break down my hair goals to, and we are on the same page! She's mad cool, and does an excellent job LISTENING to what I want and actually following through. A trim is just a trim, a dust is just a dust

I just have one issue that maybe I'm not understanding what needs to happen for a particular result.

She'll do whatever I ask her to do, so will someone shed some light on this here situation:

I am texlaxed, lots of fine strands, but overall very thick and healthy while in the texlaxed form. When I get my hair done, I request a press & curl. Could the actual press be the reason my hair turns out with little body and volume? On a scale from 1 to 10, I would say my hair has about a 2 (I'm looking to get at least a 7 or 8+). My hair gets really straight, ends are healthy, but it looks thin and just hanging there with a little swing.

I want SWOOSH! Not just SWING, but SWOOSH!! I KNOW we (me & my stylist) can achieve this!

When I get my hair done, she washes, cons, blows out, then uses a CHI iron or Marcel iron, (with heat protectants of course). <------ perhaps all this darn heat is preventing me from the swoosh?

What SHOULD I be asking her to do to get the SWOOSH? What do you or your stylist do? (order of events please)...

I know y'all know - I see so many Fotki accounts with those of you who appear to have achieved the swoosh.... Don't make me start calling folks out. Seriously. Inquiring minds want to know!

TIA!

 

[SpyCats]

I would love to know the answer to this question.

 

[Northern_Belle]

I'd say it's a combo of the heat protectants and the blow-dry/flat iron combo.

If your hair is text-laxed why not get a rollerset and then flat ironed? That would help build in a lot of body from the set & then keep the body from the flat-iron.

Also, I find that the less product you use the more swoosh and bounce your hair has. I say KISS...use a GREAT leave-in after the last rinse and no heat protectant. If you want to add another product just use a dab of serum on each section before flat-ironing.

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

Maybe it's the heat protectant=too heavy for your hair?

ETA: Is she heavy handed with the heat protectant?

 

[AceH]

I'd say it's a combo of the heat protectants and the blow-dry/flat iron combo.

If your hair is text-laxed why not get a rollerset and then flat ironed? That would help build in a lot of body from the set & then keep the body from the flat-iron.

Also, I find that the less product you use the more swoosh and bounce your hair has. I say KISS...use a GREAT leave-in after the last rinse and no heat protectant. If you want to add another product just use a dab of serum on each section before flat-ironing.

good suggestions Bella! hmmm, taking the blow dryer out of the equation and doing a rollerset then flat iron. :scratchch

Do you have any suggestions for a great leave-in? For my fine strands, a heat protectant is necessary, so I don't end up with permanently straight strands. I just love washing my hair and getting right back to being curly!

 

[Bint Yusef]

Too much product kills the swish.

 

[AceH]

Maybe it's the heat protectant=too heavy for your hair?

ETA: Is she heavy handed with the heat protectant?

Good question ShiShi! I can't recall the name of the heat protectant she uses, but when I'm experimenting at home, I use Redken HeatGlide. Maybe I'll have her use that next time. As for her being heavy-handed with the protectant - I'm not sure - wanna say no. I have a lot of hair, and I ask her "you use enough??" haha That could be a possibility too though. I'll bring it up with her during my next visit.

 

[TaraDyan]

In the past, my stylist has used both a heavy serum and a liquid spray heat protectant before flat ironing my hair. The combo of these two left my hair feeling heavy (I have fine strands like you). This last time, she didn't use either and I had mad swoosh ... you know the kind that blows backwards in those hair commercials. I was a little worried about heat damage, but she said since used a moisturizing shampoo, deep conditioner and moisturizing leave-in, I should be OK.

 

[lizjoseph]

Here's what I was thinking, instead of flat ironing, what about getting a tight rollerset (make sure all the strands are flat against roller). After that have her blow out the roots only and then wrap your hair. By doing a rollerset you add volume, and by only blowing out the roots you get to keep it. The wrappinng is so that you can get any missed strands completely flat and straight. When you unwrap, you hair should still be full bouncy and have that swoosh you're lookiing for. Actually, depending on how straight your hair got after the rollerset and root blowout, you might not even need to wrap it. HTH!!

P.S: You might need to go to a Domincan salon for this, although she might be able to do it too.

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

ITA with the rollerset. When I rollerwrap, my hair is so swingy it's almost out of control. It bounces everywhere!

 

[ChocalateDiva]

I noticed that when I use a heat protectant- no swoosh and no heat protectant-major swoosh.

 

[BeaLady]

When I was relaxed blowdrying with the round brush gave me that swoosh. I was never able to do it myself

 

[silverlotus]

Too much product kills the swish.

That's what I was thinking.

I also agree with the rollerset with a light leave-in idea. You get the same straightness with more swing & even better, no heat.

 

[ravenmerlita]

At the hairdressers, I get the best SWOOSH when they blow it out with a round brush using just a little serum or heat protectant and then lightly pass the flat iron over it. Or if they rollerset and then blow out it out using a round brush.

For me, if they use any product with too much oil or any grease in it I won't get good results.

 

[AceH]

In the past, my stylist has used both a heavy serum and a liquid spray heat protectant before flat ironing my hair. The combo of these two left my hair feeling heavy (I have fine strands like you). This last time, she didn't use either and I had mad swoosh ... you know the kind that blows backwards in those hair commercials. I was a little worried about heat damage, but she said since used a moisturizing shampoo, deep conditioner and moisturizing leave-in, I should be OK.

Hmmm, I suppose some don't use heat protectants and get results... I've learned my lesson the very hard way about heat. I'm scurrrrred to go without PROTECTION! lol.

 

[AceH]

Here's what I was thinking, instead of flat ironing, what about getting a tight rollerset (make sure all the strands are flat against roller). After that have her blow out the roots only and then wrap your hair. By doing a rollerset you add volume, and by only blowing out the roots you get to keep it. The wrappinng is so that you can get any missed strands completely flat and straight. When you unwrap, you hair should still be full bouncy and have that swoosh you're lookiing for. Actually, depending on how straight your hair got after the rollerset and root blowout, you might not even need to wrap it. HTH!!

P.S: You might need to go to a Domincan salon for this, although she might be able to do it too.

good suggestion! Those are called "doobies," right? I'm down to try that as well. All of these good suggestions so far ladies! Trial and error from here on out, but I'm definitely thinking I'll have to try a few techniques before I get the right one!

 

[AceH]

ITA with the rollerset. When I rollerwrap, my hair is so swingy it's almost out of control. It bounces everywhere!

hmmmmmm, rollerwrap = rollerset then wrap that lizjoseph suggested?

Anyone recommend a setting lotion for the rollerset?

 

[AceH]

When I was relaxed blowdrying with the round brush gave me that swoosh. I was never able to do it myself

Don't they use the round brush technique in the Dominican salons? I see a lot of bouncy hair after the dominican blowouts some of you get I don't have a Domincan salon within 500 miles of me as far as I know (and hell to the nawww I'm not driving or flying that far for a blowout) I'll mention this technique to my stylist as well to see what she's working with

 

[AceH]

That's what I was thinking.

I also agree with the rollerset with a light leave-in idea. You get the same straightness with more swing & even better, no heat.

see now, I can work with the no heat method! I'm just having issues with the thought that my texlaxed hair will get straight via a rollerset erplexed. I won't knock it till I try it though. Maybe I just suck at rollersetting myself because my hair is like 'quit playin' after I do it.

 

[Kawaii1]

Definantly a good rollerset at the crown and then wrap the rest. You can get under the dryer after that. If not then you have to get the blow out. I get so much bounce when I get a blowout with brush. You can get the vent brush( the one with the holes in it) for swoosh. Everyone is right though, products and oils kill your swoosh. erplexed

 

[Artemis]

Ditto to all of those who said:
-Rollerwrap/doobie w/the roots blown out
-Very little product (using maybe a dime-sized amount) BTW, serum counts as heat protectant, so you won't need more than one, thus eliminating too much product
-Light leave-in...try Kenra Daily Provision or some other light spray-in kind
-No oils (this includes SHEEN!!)