Straight Hair Natural's Support Thread

[SlimPickinz]

Thanks ladies!

Your hair is gorgeous !! And it still looks like you have texture and curl to it. How do you wear in the summertime? Do you ever do twist outs/braid outs? How long have your been natural? Looks like a few years, you have a lot of length.

I mean there's texture to it but not a good one one side is like a type 2/3 and the next side is type 3/4 and tightly curled. Summer hair depends on how hot it is. Last summer wasn't that hot in nyc so I wore my hair straightened pretty often. My braidouts and twistouts always end up in a bun.

I've been natural since Jan 2010, iirc.

 

[SlimPickinz]

I envy the ladies that can wear well defined twistouts and braidouts and still straighten their hair often.

 

[Muse]

My hair resembles that ^^ in it's natural state due to heat damage. I'm fine with it during the colder months. During the summer it annoys me. Excuse the dirty mirror.

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SlimPickinz Your hair is very nice! What hair type are you?

 

[SlimPickinz]

SlimPickinz Your hair is very nice! What hair type are you?

Thank you. 3C/4A/3B but I'm heat trained/damaged.

 

[mz.rae]

Flat ironed my hair yesterday and tried my new titanium flat iron. I really liked the results, but I think this is the last time I will be blow drying my hair. I'm thinking the blow dryer is why I'm not seeing the length retention I want. Next wash I'm definitely going to give roller setting another try prior to flat ironing now that I have the right tools to get smoother and less tangled results.

 

[HappyAtLast]

I need some advice, Ladies. I am long-term transitioning. I'm 15 months post, about BSL, and my length is 45% natural, 55% relaxed.

I'm trying to be a natural who blow dries straight every 2 weeks. I want to wear my hair out like a braid out or twistout 2 days per week.

My question: what can I use to get the most definition from these styles without it just puffing up and frizzing out an hour later?? Ive learned to avoid glycerin products, but im still having this problem.

Any gel recommendations (not Ecostyler because it has glycerin.), pomade, setting lotions, sprays yall can recommend? Thanks!

 

[Prettymetty]

^^^Try Sabino moisture block. It blocks humidity for straight or curly styles. I used to use it when I got my dominican blowouts, but it worked too well and it took forever for my curls to revert

 

[naija24]

Hello everyone!

How many of you straighten at home vs at a salon? Which would you say is easier? I've decided on heat being my sole straightening tool so I'm excited. But I don't know how to get my hair as straight as the dominicans do with that swang.

Can you achieve DBO level of straightness and swang with just a flatiron?

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

I am so tired of seeing all the hair vitamin adds on IG showing various women whose hair grew an inch after a week of using the product. Come on son!

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

I am so sorry. I thought I posted this in the random thoughts thread....

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Hello everyone! How many of you straighten at home vs at a salon? Which would you say is easier? I've decided on heat being my sole straightening tool so I'm excited. But I don't know how to get my hair as straight as the dominicans do with that swang. Can you achieve DBO level of straightness and swang with just a flatiron?

Naija I've straightened my entire head once in my life and just my roots once. The rest of the times my hair has been straight was via salon visits. I prefer the results I get at the salon with a pressing comb. I'm leaving heat, chemicals (color), sew-ins and braids to the professionals. Yes with practice I know I could perfect it and get good results but I don't want to. I'm good at roller sets so I stick with that. Everything else are things I do on occasion so when I have it done, I want it to feel like I'm being pampered as they are not a normal part of my hair routine.

I would imagine if you are going to do it often then it would be more cost effective to do it at home and maybe visit a salon every now and then.

 

[mz.rae]

Hello everyone!

How many of you straighten at home vs at a salon? Which would you say is easier? I've decided on heat being my sole straightening tool so I'm excited. But I don't know how to get my hair as straight as the dominicans do with that swang.

Can you achieve DBO level of straightness and swang with just a flatiron?

I'd say I prefer to do my hair myself. I feel like salon visits can be hit or miss, and rely on high amounts of heat. And if you want to wear your hair straight on a regular basis I don't recommend Dominican blow outs on the. Especially if you are worried about heat damage.

 

[naija24]

mz.rae

I agree that salons are hit or miss. Which sucks when you're spending money, but my worry is that I do it at home and snap my relaxed ends off in the process of trying to get my roots flat

I'm 12 weeks post and I have another 4 weeks before I take out my sew in. I want to have a week off and enjoy my hair before covering it up again through the end of the summer.

 

[naija24]

Naija I've straightened my entire head once in my life and just my roots once. The rest of the times my hair has been straight was via salon visits. I prefer the results I get at the salon with a pressing comb. I'm leaving heat, chemicals (color), sew-ins and braids to the professionals. Yes with practice I know I could perfect it and get good results but I don't want to. I'm good at roller sets so I stick with that. Everything else are things I do on occasion so when I have it done, I want it to feel like I'm being pampered as they are not a normal part of my hair routine.

I would imagine if you are going to do it often then it would be more cost effective to do it at home and maybe visit a salon every now and then.

lulu97 what about when you were transitioning? did you use a pressing comb on your natural hair only? My stylist said that she wanted to do that on just my natural roots but idk if it works well. I feel like it does work better than a flat iron though.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

lulu97 what about when you were transitioning? did you use a pressing comb on your natural hair only? My stylist said that she wanted to do that on just my natural roots but idk if it works well. I feel like it does work better than a flat iron though.

naija24 Girl I'm still transitioning! lol I think it's been about 29 or 30 months now...I'm starting to lose track. I'm not doing a big cut, I just trim as normal annually. When I go to the salon, she uses the pressing comb on my natural and relaxed hair then goes back in with a big barrel curling iron to bump the ends. She treats my natural and relaxed hair the same since my natural hair has pretty much taken over and my relaxed ends are pretty curly as well. She doesn't use a pressing comb on the bulk of her relaxed clients though...I've only seem her use a regular flat iron on them. I guess it just depends on the condition of the hair and the level of heat she feels it can take.

I'm in braids now and will be until late fall. I'm scheduled for a press after that though.

 

[naija24]

lulu97 my lord. 30 MONTHS. You crazy <3 but I appreciate your dedication!!

I seriously go back and forth on transitioning. I don't like long term transitioning because I get seriously impatient and I have terrible anxiety about things that take forever! I think just doing the straight haired natural route is the best way to go. Eventually, a year or two would pass if I feel like it, I'll chop. But I don't have to. Jen from Just Grow Already pretty much inspired me that you really don't ever have to chop. Relaxed or natural, it's still YOUR HAIR. So do whatever you want to it. My ends aren't any less valuable as hair because it's relaxed.

I wonder if anyone here still uses maxiglides. They seem to be the best of both worlds for thick hair that has different textures.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

lulu97 my lord. 30 MONTHS. You crazy <3 but I appreciate your dedication!!

I seriously go back and forth on transitioning. I don't like long term transitioning because I get seriously impatient and I have terrible anxiety about things that take forever! I think just doing the straight haired natural route is the best way to go. Eventually, a year or two would pass if I feel like it, I'll chop. But I don't have to. Jen from Just Grow Already pretty much inspired me that you really don't ever have to chop. Relaxed or natural, it's still YOUR HAIR. So do whatever you want to it. My ends aren't any less valuable as hair because it's relaxed.

I wonder if anyone here still uses maxiglides. They seem to be the best of both worlds for thick hair that has different textures.

Pahahahaha the bolded had me Girl half of the time I forget I'm transitioning. I know it can be hard for quite a number of people but it's never even been a big deal to me. That's partly why I never participate in the transitioning thread cause I seriously feel I have nothing to add. lol

Yeah you can def grow out your hair without big cutting, just go with the flow but if you get to a point where it's too much then cut to your heart's desire. I went in not caring about transitioning, but growing my hair back (relaxed ends included) The idea of being natural is cool but the idea of having my hip length hair back is even greater. So the "all natural" thing doesn't excite me as much as the length. lol

 

[Muse]

I am so sorry. I thought I posted this in the random thoughts thread....

Yeah I was like whaaa? Did I miss something?

 

[Muse]

Hello everyone!

How many of you straighten at home vs at a salon? Which would you say is easier? I've decided on heat being my sole straightening tool so I'm excited. But I don't know how to get my hair as straight as the dominicans do with that swang.

Can you achieve DBO level of straightness and swang with just a flatiron?

Because I've never found a stylist that would handle my hair with any type of care I choose to straighten at home. I was a long term transitioner and I wore my hair straight a lot in the beginning. If you do it at home you just need patience and to find the right tools, techniques, and products. If you find that what you are doing is causing a ton of breakage then stop immediately. I have had too many setbacks in the beginning trying things, causing breakage and then still giving it a second sometimes third chance.erplexed Now, if I try a new tool/product I ALWAYS do a test on a small section in the back. If it doesn't pass that it goes right back to the store or in the trash.

I can only get relaxer results if I blow dry before flat ironing.

 

[naija24]

Muse

I'd LOVE to do my hair at home 100% of the time and save the money except on products. But if I do, I want fluffy and silky straight hair 100% of the time as well. That's what I keep shooting for and missing when I do my hair at my house. I think anything that requires me to comb through my roots makes it straight but I dont' want to do the pulling.

That's why I am curious about the maxiglide. Is it something a lot of people use here? What are the average results?

 

[PlainJane]

Thanks. I straighten every 7-10 days. Wash & condition with trader joes spa nourish. I use aphogee 2 min in the shower & I'll mix the TJ conditioner with it. Put on a shower cap for 15 mins. I've recently started doing black tea rinses to combat some shedding. I use Salerm leave in, chi heat guard & the pink fantasia serum. I blow dry on warm heat, high blow with a denman like brush in small sections. Then flat iron between 302 & 370 using the comb chase method. If I'm going for bone straight I use 370. I have a revlon handheld & Hana professional flat iron. My regimen is simple.

Your hair looks so great! How long did it take before you realized your hair was becoming heat trained. I intentionally tried to heat train about two years ago, but my texture would not budge at alllllllll. Do you think it's because you flat iron weekly?

 

[Muse]

@Muse

I'd LOVE to do my hair at home 100% of the time and save the money except on products. But if I do, I want fluffy and silky straight hair 100% of the time as well. That's what I keep shooting for and missing when I do my hair at my house. I think anything that requires me to comb through my roots makes it straight but I dont' want to do the pulling.

That's why I am curious about the maxiglide. Is it something a lot of people use here? What are the average results?

naija24 I had a Maxiglide when they were really popular. It did work very well and gave lots of swing. I think I took it back though because the little teeth on the comb plates kept getting snagged in my hair. It does come with a smooth plate but IMO you may as well use any old flat iron then. I think if you work in small sections and make sure your hair is very well detangled it will work well for you. I was a novice to straightening with blow dryers/flat irons when I had my maxi glide so I'm pretty sure I wasn't using it properly.

 

[ctosha]

I think I may start to incorporate heat into my hair reg. Ive been natural for almost 10 years now Ive tried it all literally every suggested way to hold in moisture it hasnt been quite successful for me. Leave in conditioners dont work they only make my hair hard and dry it out and I've tried alot of em. The only way my hair has really felt soft was when I would flat iron. Ive been going back and forth with myself for a long time with this and feel that my hair is the healthiest when its straightened or at least it avoids the splits and knots for the most part when straightened.

I only plan to use heat once a month wash every 2 to 3 weeks as low manipulation works best for me.

 

[Prettymetty]

3 more weeks until my bday and next blowout. I am so anxious!

 

[naija24]

any straight haired natural hair blogs out there? need hairspiration.

 

[mz.rae]

any straight haired natural hair blogs out there? need hairspiration.

I would like to know this too, the only one I know that I see that is out there is sistawithrealhair on YouTube.

 

[caliscurls]

any straight haired natural hair blogs out there? need hairspiration.

Try this http://easynaturalhair.com/

 

[mz.rae]

any straight haired natural hair blogs out there? need hairspiration.

What look are you going for? The bone straight look or the lightly straightened look? I feel like there is a big difference between the two.

 

[chelleypie810]

Just going to add my pic to this thread. I'm transitioning and plan on being a straight haired natural. Bone straight. I just got a haircut two weeks ago to cut more relaxed ends off. Here is the outcome! I know one of the ladies over in the transitioning thread told me to come over here but I've been hanging out In the ET/off topic/fashion forum

 

[naija24]

What look are you going for? The bone straight look or the lightly straightened look? I feel like there is a big difference between the two.

Either really!! My hair is crazy thick so whatever gets my roots under control