Straight Hair Natural's Support Thread

[Ms_Twana]

Just thought I'd bump!!!

 

[a_ caribbean_dream]

Wow!!! A month?!?!? My flowy salon flat iron lasts about 4 days before I start to see reversion. I can get a week out of it but put the straightened hair in a ponytail or bun.

What are they using at your salon to make your press last a month?

(I used to get my hair flat ironed regularly during the beginning of this year) my stylist takes VERY tiny pieces of my hair and flat irons meticulously. The only product she put on my hair was CHI silk infusion.

 

[Maksi]

I think this is right. That is why I will only straighten once or twice a year if I ever straighten my hair. I already know that it will take a lot of heat to get it straight, which is damaging, and it will not last very long (because I workout regularly).

Well maybe, but for me it's different. I'm 4a/b and my hair just melt under the pressing comb. I have fine strands and that's what makes the difference. My friend who is a 3c biracial however, can take a lot of heat.

 

[ctosha]

I haven't flat ironed in 2-3 years no heat whatsoever and now I have the itch to do so. Here is my method tell me if its ok. The usual wash and deep condition. Then I use Jessicurl Weekly deep conditioner as my leave in add a little natural oil like oyin burnt sugar or castor oil (very little due to the oil frying the hair) section off into large twist let air dry to about 95% then brush them out and put fantasia ic serum heat protectant and flat iron. For some reason i feel if i just use the heat protectant and leave in my hair won't be moisturized. Wait i lied I did attempt to flat iron late last year very lightly and it was all good all i used was oyin burnt sugar (natural oil) and leave in my hair wasn't fried it was ok but 2 days later tiny bits off the ends were chipping off but I think that was due to them being very dry and needed to be moisturized. What do you guys think of my method?

 

[BostonMaria]

I haven't flat ironed in 2-3 years no heat whatsoever and now I have the itch to do so. Here is my method tell me if its ok. The usual wash and deep condition. Then I use Jessicurl Weekly deep conditioner as my leave in add a little natural oil like oyin burnt sugar or castor oil (very little due to the oil frying the hair) section off into large twist let air dry to about 95% then brush them out and put fantasia ic serum heat protectant and flat iron. For some reason i feel if i just use the heat protectant and leave in my hair won't be moisturized. Wait i lied I did attempt to flat iron late last year very lightly and it was all good all i used was oyin burnt sugar (natural oil) and leave in my hair wasn't fried it was ok but 2 days later tiny bits off the ends were chipping off but I think that was due to them being very dry and needed to be moisturized. What do you guys think of my method?

How do you like the Jessicurl DC? I'm thinking of giving it a try.
Your method sounds fine. It sounds like your doing all the right steps.

 

[BostonMaria]

Its cccccold outside and I am going to straighten more often until its at least 50 degrees out again. Plus in the summer I CANNOT straighten my hair because it goes POOF in 5 seconds once I walk out the door.

Most of the products I use to maintain my straight hair is bought at Hairveda.com

I shampoo with Inecto coconut shampoo. To make sure my hair does not get fried under the flatiron I first do a pre-poo with Hairveda Vatika frosting all night. The next day I then deep condition and leave it on for at least an hour. I rinse and add Whipped Cream and then rollerset my hair. I love using the Whipped Cream before rollersetting because it leaves my hair so soft when my hair is dry. I then use Rusk heat protectant and flatiron with my Chi.

To keep my hair from reverting I apply Avosoya Oil to my hair and then do a doobie. The next morning my hair is shiny and I don't have to flatiron again. I can keep my hair like this for 5-6 days. I just keep adding the Avosoya oil at night to keep my hair from getting dry.

Once I decide I want to wet my hair again, I deep conditioner for an hour to make sure my hair is ok. I've been flatironing my hair for 3 years now and I have no split ends, no breakage, and thank God no heat damage. I straighten my hair 1-2 x a month.

 

[clever]

ooops nvm......

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

bumpin for anniev2

 

[anniev2]

Thank you, thank you thank you! I feel so much better. I can't wait to learn more.

 

[Whimsy]

I love this thread!! Not Natural yet, 16 months deep into a 24 month transition so my time is coming

 

[anniev2]

Im natural and plan to wear my hair mostly straight once I reach BSL....I guess Im part of the minority that is not afraid of the stylist heat I will probably go to her every other month and then do it myself once a month to give myself a break.

My mom used to blow dry and press my hair every two weeks growing up and it was fine. I had pretty, thick, shiny (probably from the blue magic grease) APL hair. I didnt get shoulder length until I got a perm

I always felt like my hair could "take" alot of heat...but we will see. I plan to continue to deep condition frequently and start more frequent trims once I start using heat on a regular basis.

I know that you all dont like the the whole this texture is different talk (although textures really are ) ....but just as an observation...I notice that it seems that natural 3's have better success using heat regularly and keeping healthy hair than natural 4's. I think maybe that is because most 4's require more heat to get relaxer straight. My little sisters are both 3's and it takes a much lower temp on the flat iron to get their hair straight than for my hair.....so yea...just a thought/observation.

You brought up a very good and often forgotten point. Many people with a whole buncha (i said it) different hair types used to straighten, with pressing oils and whatever else...no heat protectant is what i'm saying. and their hair still grew and looked nice. With the knowledge we've acquired here and common sense practices I think straight, natural hair can be done. I do agree that some types straighten easier than others. Its just a fact. I have corkscrews. Corkscrews take more to straighten than waves.

This is such Excellent Advice... I know I could do this. Now the thing is I have a GANG of shampoos with SLS's in them. I am going to bite the bullet and either sell them or give them away because I know what you are saying about SLS is true. I haven't been using them for awhile and my hair is thriving....<sigh> I need to make room anyway.

Thanks for posting this, you use the smoothing shampoo do you do a DC before using the GD? That's a leave in.

Thanks for posting.

Have you tried to base your hair in olis (i.e. Castor) prior to shampooing with SLS containing products?

Its not about the texture, its the technique. Believe it or not, its all about the technique. The blowdrying is the most important part. Super DC your hair, mix in a bit of oil with your favs serum, and blow out your sectioned detangled hair with a paddle brush. The paddle brush makes ALL the differnce. Trust me! I will do a tutorial one of these days but check out my fotki in the general section. I have a link to a great tutorial there.

I think I am going to try a paddle brush. I can't begin to get the denman to and through my roots. I can get the shower comb but to go from that to the denman is not an option. Monday when I washed and straightend I tried the denman and it didn't work.

I've been straightening my hair for years. With my old regimen, the damage did not come from straightening, it came from the blow drying and not detangling properly. So my ends were not split, but there were a lot of broken hairs. Then I started doing things I knew I shouldn't have - blow drying & straightening (dirty hair) during the week, going over my ends multiple times with the flat iron. I blowdried with the comb attachment - afterwards I'd have to vacuum b/c there was so much hair on the carpet. I put the flat iron on the highest setting - 410 degrees (ouch!). Interestingly enough, I never had ends that would not revert - I always get curlies.

New story - I cut 1 inch off yesterday (can't stand stragly ends) and I love it. My hair feels better when I run my fingers through it - fried/split ends do not feel good. My hair just looks like it would thank me if it could.

New regimen - I detangle with conditioner in the shower, first with my Jilbere shower comb, then with the denman brush. Sometimes I rollerset, but when I don't, I blowdry using the tension method and do not use the comb attachment (EVER again). As a matter of fact, I'm throwing them out today. I put my flatiron on 370 and go through each section/piece only one time. If I straighten, its only once a week. I'm expecting great things now that I'm not breaking off all my hair.

I've only got one old pic in my fotki, but you better believe I'm updating it today with my new cut and new regimen.

I'm just getting started on my healthy hair journey, but I know that it will work. I know this is a LONG post, but I absolutely thank you ladies for what you've taught me - to detangle w/conditioner, the tension method for blowdrying, that I can get my hair straight using less heat, pincurling, and that I can rollerset natural hair.

I LOVE you guys!
Shmmr.

You said it: Blowdrying and not detangling properly seem to be the worst. I tried the tension method but my corkscrews just get all curled up in each other by holding my hair together taught to dry.

I'm 4b and I can press my hair straight, when I wear it out with no trouble. I wear braids alot, but when my hair is out it's always pressed striaght. I can't rollerset well though for the straight look. Rollersets always turn out to be a H.A.M on me

I can only imagine how little a roller set will do for my hiar. It will be like trying to wrap a gift in kinky twist weave .

Hi everyone! Smooches to you all I'm transitioning (Jan 08) and I rollerset and then apply flat iron (Walmart brand...gets hot, only use at level 10) to my new growth. My hair looks like a fresh relaxer (i'm all like "Go Br*nze, get bizzy, Go Br*nze, whitcha bad self..." )..until humidity strikes (or perspiration - I'm in Houston), then I'm all poofy with a hanging afro -APL- with nicely curled endz...not cute then it gets really tangled, too... then i revert to S-curl and a ponytail...my husband (DH) is getting real impatient with my bun. I like straight hair, too...what can I do?
Maxiglide made things worse.... i'm pickin up porosity control this weekend and a few turbans for steaming...when will the purchasing end??? In a little while, I may have to open a salon...oh, yeah, I did yogurt treatment mixed with motions moisture plus conditioner...let's just say, i need porosity control...but my hair did seem to relax some of its curl...don't ask with type i am, cuz i don't know...maybe 4b? I really don't know... .

h-e-l-p! i can't stand this stage...i know this too, shall pass...God got me through and over alopecia, surely this is a small thing.... (<<<this is me combatting the hairloss demons with my Sword of the Spirit...)

Is porosity control supposed to relax curls???

How do you guys hold the flat iron when straightening? Do you really squeeze the plates together hard or just let it glide?

I would love to know this too...do you ladies squeeze the plates or just hold them together. I'm not saying squeeze them super hard but enough.

 

[lollyoo]

sigh...I'm beefing with my hair because I cannot get it to hang while straight.its about 4.5 inches long. Today, I washed, blow dried it by streching, then following with a comb. I then flat ironed it on the first setting, and its sooo puffy...it really just looks like a fro, but its silky because of the flat iron. I'm considering buying another hair dryer and trying some of that giovanni straight line before flat ironing. I'm going to a wedding in August, and by then I would really like to have this down pat. I even tried going up to level 5 on my flat iron. I dont know....

Hi Sui Topi,

I just did mine as well, I am about 5-6 inches, the hair did not hang down very well either, but its not poofy at all.
I used the tension blow dry method, but I think to get good flat iron result for short hair, you need to do it in much smaller sections.
I also think short hair does not hang straight well, so you may need to put it on rollers to create some style, rather than going completely straight.
For me I wll not be flat ironing again till april, when I get some decent length.

Thanks

 

[Sui Topi]

lol I just stopped straightening it. That was such an annoying time. I don't think I deep conditioned it prior either so it was kinda dry yet oily and fluffy. It's much longer now and it hangs too, but I just realized the DC is really necessary before hand. Otherwise my hair feels dry and the more stuff i put in it, the more icky and hot it feels. I tried pinkskates method last time and it was much better but again I didn't DC so by the next morning my ends were crispy and it all just felt like it needed a wash. I'm bookmarking this thread and I am not straightening my hair until June. I want the hair at my crown to be chin length/shoulder length. I don't like short layers so there is no point in straightening it right now. I just lace wig it.

 

[ctosha]

How do you like the Jessicurl DC? I'm thinking of giving it a try.
Your method sounds fine. It sounds like your doing all the right steps.

I love the Jessicurl Weekly deep treatment. I am protein sensitive and this doesn't contain any proteins its very moisturizing I only use it as a leave in but i can imagine that it would work great when used with heat as a deep conditioner. I love this stuff!

 

[anniev2]

bump bump bump

 

[prettybrowneyescutie]

Okay ladies, I have a question.

How do you wrap your hair?

I have tried it, but I cannot get it to do right.

The last time I tried to wrap my hair it was abot 4-5 inches long.

If there is a demo or tutorial that you can point me to, I would appreciate it.

*If it is too short to wrap lay it flat then wrap it with a scarf. HTH

 

[prettybrowneyescutie]

This is video on how to press your hair http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDFFniCQwIc made by one our very own Pinkskates. I saw her on here early. I love her hair.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

BUMP.............

 

[keelioness]

BUMPING>>> Have any naturals been pressing this summer? If not what are you guys doing with ur hair?

 

[Jazzmommy]

I've been wearing my hair in a bun for the last month. I plan to get braids once I get this breakage I've been dealing with completely under control .

 

[angenoir]

Just wanted to ask the naturals who wear their hair straight and blow dry to do so:

Do you use a blow dryer with a pik/comb attachment? Did it cause damage?

 

[GabbanaGirl]

Just wanted to ask the naturals who wear their hair straight and blow dry to do so:

Do you use a blow dryer with a pik/comb attachment? Did it cause damage?

I don't use a comb attachment, I use Pinkskates protective tension method. It takes longer to dry this way (my experience) but my hair is softer, and there is less shedding because I am not using a comb.

 

[Meli-Melo]

I have been transitioning for a year and a half and I decided to straighten my hair for my graduation ceremony this past May. Bad idea. I used a Rusk hot air brush and my hair has some heat damage in the front. I used Biosilk's products but it wasn't enough. I shouldn't have blow dried my hair over and over again on that same spot but I wanted really straight hair.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

Just wanted to ask the naturals who wear their hair straight and blow dry to do so:

Do you use a blow dryer with a pik/comb attachment? Did it cause damage?

I use the comb... but........... my aloe vera and coconut mix has helped with shedding..................

I like the pik. It is easier for me.

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

bumping...

 

[Zawaj]

bumping too

 

[rinahbaby]

This is a great thread! I always use heat (well when I have time to) and I find that my hair kind of feels "better condtioned" when flat ironed.....dc, moisturize and using a good heat protectant and a good quality flat iron is all you really need.....plus you won't get those annoying little single strand knots on the ends of your hair when wearing wash n go's too often. I sometimes press my hair every other week and I am a little past bsl with hardly any split ends.

 

[Zawaj]

This is a great thread! I always use heat (well when I have time to) and I find that my hair kind of feels "better condtioned" when flat ironed.....dc, moisturize and using a good heat protectant and a good quality flat iron is all you really need.....plus you won't get those annoying little single strand knots on the ends of your hair when wearing wash n go's too often. I sometimes press my hair every other week and I am a little past bsl with hardly any split ends.

I protective styled 97% of time and was still having single strand knots and raggedy ends. My mom pressed my hair and cut it and it feels SO much better!

Actually GabbanaGirl's fotki was inspiration!

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

For the first time ever, i did a blowdry with a hatcher dryer (salon pro gold), flat ironed my hair with my rusk str8 1.5 f-iron and my hair looks really good.
Really good.
I was gonna go to a salon and get them to flat iron my hair, but i couldn't get an appointment without waiting hours and hours, so...i did it myself. I was done f-ironing in 35 minutes. One pass with my Rusk - silky, smooth, moisturized hair. I used smb, and it kinda weighs my hair down, but- not a biggie.
Not getting an appointment was a blessing in disguise and i saved about $50.
I didn't think I could get my own hair this way. I am very pleased.

 

[GreenD]

Oooh I like it in here!! I'm going to have to subscribe so I'm prepared when I get ready to straighten!!