Relaxed Ladies Who Flat Iron...please chime in!

What do you do prior to flat-ironing?

  • Total voters
    71
  • Poll closed .
O

outspokenwallflower

Well-Known Member
I have a simple question and was just wondering; when you flat iron, what do you do prior to flat ironing? Do you air-dry then flat iron? Do you blow-dry then flat iron? Or do you rollerset then flat iron?

What steps do you take after completely washing your hair and before flat ironing? I hope you all can let me know!:grin:
 
I only flat iron my roots when I am stretching week 12 through 16. I usually will do a rollerset that I let air dry overnight. The next morning, I add a little hair protectant and flat iron my roots only. I do this once a week.
 
i only flat iron after relaxers to do a length check... which is about 4-5 times a year... i add a leave-in (gio direct) then air dry then flat iron... i do use chi heat protectant as well
 
I rollerset my hair first. If time permits, I let it air dry, but if not, I sit under my hood dryer. Then I flat iron just the roots, and depending on how straight I want it, I'll wrap or pincurl my hair overnight.
 
outspokenwallflower said:
I have a simple question and was just wondering; when you flat iron, what do you do prior to flat ironing? Do you air-dry then flat iron? Do you blow-dry then flat iron? Or do you rollerset then flat iron?

What steps do you take after completely washing your hair and before flat ironing? I hope you all can let me know!:grin:
Click to expand...

After I wash my hair I:
Apply my leave in conditioner (Herbal Essence LTR) then sit under my hooded dryer
After about 80% dry I then blow dry on a low speed with medium heat
I then part my hair down the middle and apply about 2 drops of Sally's One n Only Argan oil to each side before I flat iron.
I flat iron on a pretty high temp with very small sections using the comb chase method.
This methods achieves me silky, shiny, bouncy hair..
 
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I rarely flat-iron but if I do, I airdry with a light leave-in first and flat-iron with a spray heat protectant. I use as little product as possible for light, flowy hair.
 
I normally air dry and then flat iron. If I know I'm using heat , I use less leave-in than I normally would, then air dry in two sections (half-and-half). Once my hair is dry, I apply heat protectant (either Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum or Chi Silk Infusion) and then flat iron in small sections.

I have blow dried prior to flat ironing in the past, but I find the results are the same if I flat iron in small sections and ensure that my hair is detangled prior to applying heat.
 
What I do is not included in the poll - air dry, press roots, flat iron entire length of hair. It's hard to get to the roots of tightly coiled hair without using something with teeth that's why I do a two step.
 
Tiye said:
What I do is not included in the poll - air dry, press roots, flat iron entire length of hair. It's hard to get to the roots of tightly coiled hair without using something with teeth that's why I do a two step.
Click to expand...


What do you use with teeth?
 
Since relaxing I rarely flat iron if at all. When I do however I will blow dry hair on cool setting, use my Silk Elements Olive Oil Heat Protectant spray then flat iron w/ my pink GVP from Sally's.
 
I voted blow-dry then flat iron. But after rinsing out my DC, I let my hair airdry 90% dry first then
- I add my leave-ins and a heat protectant (Usually Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide).
- I use the blow dryer and a wide tooth comb to blow dry the roots of my hair straighter straighter (in four sections).
- I add Chi Silk Infusion and flat iron my hair using the Jilbere Straightening Comb (in 1/4 inch sections).

I only do this when there is a substantial amount of new growth and I want my hair straight. Otherwise I typically just rollerset my hair.
 
I prefer to shampoo, deep condition, rollerset, and flat iron. I DC with steam when I'm not being lazy. I rarely do it all these steps because it takes forever.

If I haven't used heat in a long time, like say, over 8 weeks, I sometimes skip the deep condition & just use my KeraCare Humecto in the shower, let my hair sit with conditioner on it under a shower cap while I finish showering, then rinse. I then my hair air dry about 75%, then blow-dry and flat iron.

My leave-ins vary, but one or two of these at a time: IC Fantasia Blow-dry serum, IC Fantasia heat protectant spray, Aveda Damage Remedy leave-in, KeraCare foam wrap lotion, KeraCare thermal heat protectant lotion, or Nexxus heat Protexx.

Right now I'm sitting under the dryer with a wet wrap instead of a rollerst. I'll follow with the flat-iron.
 
If I'm in a rush I'll blow dry then flat iron. Which is usually the case

If I have time to kill, I'll air dry first or sit under the hood dryer to dry my hair.

My hair irons well so I usually only need one pass of the flat iron to achieve the straightness I want.
 
After my dc, I add in my leave ins in this order which are: a dime size amount of elasta qp moisturizer, a quarter size amount of Redken Anti-snap, Aphogee green tea spray, a quarter size amount of IC heat protectant, and then two or three spritz of Silk Elements Heat Protectant in my hand and I rub it through my ends.
Yeah it's a lot of leave-ins, but I don't add any more product until wash day. I air dry and then flat iron. I never blow dry because my hair tangles so badly when I do and I end up cutting out huge knots. I dod the same thing for braid outs minus the heat protectant and Aphogee. I use the Pro Vitamin leave in for the Braid outs.
 
If I've got time to kill, I'll air dry then flat iron. If not, which is usually the case, I blow dry then flat iron.
 
1. I apply all of my leave ins and serum to my hair while its wet.
2. I let my hair air dry 50%
3. I blow dry my hair the other 50%
4. Continue to flat iron my hair
 
(this was typed while sitting under my Pibbs lol)
I rollerset then flat iron roots only in very small sections and then pincurl.

This morning (holiday here in Canada) I prepoo'd with Alter Ego Garlic conditioner and with a very ripe avocado mixed with olive oil and honey (winter is coming). Then washed with Kerastase oleo relax and conditioned with my last bit of Alter Ego Nourishing conditioner which I love. Applied a bit of Kerastase Sublimateur Jour leave in and put on my rollers. I'm sitting under the Pibbs now and when it's absolutely dry I'll flat iron roots only as I'm going out this afternoon. If I were not going out I would not flat iron the roots and put my hair up in a banana clip.
 
I'm transitioning now...but my routine is pretty simple. I basically wash it in the shower. I then do a DC under the dryer for 30 mins or I just leave it on for an hour or so without going under the dryer. I rinse it out in the shower again. After that I comb it out, add some John Freida heat protectant, then I add his frizz ease serum, then I add some setting lotion and comb my hair straight down. I then spray on a little more heat protectant and frizz ease serum. I get under the hooded dryer for an hour. My hair is still normally wet bc it takes FOREVER to dry. I then re-situate my hair so the damp places can get heat and dry faster. After that I either flat iron it immediately orrrr just go to sleep and flat iron the next day.

I've found that flat ironing the next day gives a better result bc the hair has had time to marinate and get fully dry. Otherwise, flat ironing right out of the dryer goes well...but it normally looks better the morning after as well.

But when it comes down to actually flat ironing my hair, I just add some oil sheen and get to it...lol. Last time I used Argon oil and oil sheen together for the first time ever, and that worked nicely as well. I don't brush my hair...only comb it and it looks fine after. I then wrap my hair with a silk scarf until it is time for me to get dressed or go out in public.
 
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danysedai said:
(this was typed while sitting under my Pibbs lol)
I rollerset then flat iron roots only in very small sections and then pincurl.

This morning (holiday here in Canada) I prepoo'd with Alter Ego Garlic conditioner and with a very ripe avocado mixed with olive oil and honey (winter is coming). Then washed with Kerastase oleo relax and conditioned with my last bit of Alter Ego Nourishing conditioner which I love. Applied a bit of Kerastase Sublimateur Jour leave in and put on my rollers. I'm sitting under the Pibbs now and when it's absolutely dry I'll flat iron roots only as I'm going out this afternoon. If I were not going out I would not flat iron the roots and put my hair up in a banana clip.
Click to expand...


danysedai I've been looking at Sublimateur Jour for such a long time now but I hardly hear any reviews on it from black women. How do you find it as a leave in, is it moisturising? It looks very heavy - is it?
 
Cream Tee said:
danysedai I've been looking at Sublimateur Jour for such a long time now but I hardly hear any reviews on it from black women. How do you find it as a leave in, is it moisturising? It looks very heavy - is it?
Click to expand...

Cream Tee. I got online as it is not for sale here in Edmonton. I actually love it, because I've been looking for a daily moisturizer that's not heavy and doesn't weigh my hair down when I wear it down nor liquid because it makes me lose my set when I rollerset. SJ fits the bill, it has a very creamy texture and it disappears into my hair,leaving it moisturized and supple.I use it as a leave-in after shampooing before rollersetting and the results on my hair are very similar if not better, than Lacio Lacio (pre reformulation which is the one I have). I apply a bit on my ends once a day and I also use Kerastase Noctogenist before bed,which has the same texture(although Sherbetcane said the noctogenist wets her hair, on mine it seems to wet the hair when you first put it in, but it penetrates rather quickly, leaving no residue behind)

I've tried other moisturizers from Mizani to kerastase, even Phyto and none of them are as good on my hair as the sublimateur jour. I definitely think you should try it,our hair seems to like the same products :)
 
Lately I've been applying my leave in, airdrying to 90%, blowdrying on low speed/coolish heat for 5 minutes, applying a pinch of NTM silk touch topped with a few drops of NTM healing serum, and finishing up with med low Maxiglide pass.
 
danysedai said:
Cream Tee. I got online as it is not for sale here in Edmonton. I actually love it, because I've been looking for a daily moisturizer that's not heavy and doesn't weigh my hair down when I wear it down nor liquid because it makes me lose my set when I rollerset. SJ fits the bill, it has a very creamy texture and it disappears into my hair,leaving it moisturized and supple.I use it as a leave-in after shampooing before rollersetting and the results on my hair are very similar if not better, than Lacio Lacio (pre reformulation which is the one I have). I apply a bit on my ends once a day and I also use Kerastase Noctogenist before bed,which has the same texture(although Sherbetcane said the noctogenist wets her hair, on mine it seems to wet the hair when you first put it in, but it penetrates rather quickly, leaving no residue behind)

I've tried other moisturizers from Mizani to kerastase, even Phyto and none of them are as good on my hair as the sublimateur jour. I definitely think you should try it,our hair seems to like the same products :)
Click to expand...

Thanks doll, I will try it - it sounds great! :)
 
After washing my hair I usually just apply my products then air dry. I only blow dry if I'm in a hurry which is rare.
 
Air dry as if I was going to wet bun so I use a brush on wet hair to make it some what sleek and wrap a scarf tightly around my head. Its a must after about 7 weeks post because it gets the edges and the new growth to lay down smooth. I let the ends air dry hanging down. Sometimes I use cold shot on the ends or parts that have not air dried if I'm in a rush. Not all cold shots are created equality, one of my cold shots are really just low medium on my other dryer.

Before I flat iron I spray a little Tresemme Heat protectant. I usually put very little lacio lacio on ends.. cuz I'm paranoid. I used all kinds of protentant usually always STIFF STIFF STIFF. Tresemme is the only thing that doesn't make my hair stiff.. only thing I don't like about it is that it smokes.. but god does it work with 4a/b afro-texture relaxed hair. I've tried them all and tresemme works best.

If I use the dryer at first it just makes my hair really poofy especially the roots which makes it more frustrating when using a flat iron.
 
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