Mapleoats
Well-Known Member
Very detailed, thank you!
In the past 3 years I’ve probably straightened my own hair once, and it didn’t come out very sleek. Hopefully this go round is better but I probably just need more practice
Straight Hair Natural's Support Thread
- Thread starter dicapr
- Start date
In the past 3 years I’ve probably straightened my own hair once, and it didn’t come out very sleek. Hopefully this go round is better but I probably just need more practice
Colocha
acne cream and afro dreams
It's been about a year since I started wearing my hair predominantly straight and I'm happy (and surprised) to say I'm retaining significant length. My hair on the left is Nov 2019 and on the right is a few days ago. It looks like I've retained maybe 4 inches. I'm happy to continue this journey.
bzb1990
3b/3c. henna/cassia.
Yeah!You are so gorgeous @Colocha!!hair, skin, and cute style!
Sleek hair looks amazing on you, aesthetically, but the whole effect is done so
beautifully, too.
I don't recognize myself with straightened hair - it makes me feel uncomfortable.
But I recognize the fact it wouldn't tangle so easily + is easy to run a comb through afterwards till next wash,
and go- styling is not as big an issue, pincurls, rollersets come out sleek and as planned -
and can retain length because of that.
Jostylin and SistawithRealHair,
both have very beautiful hair that they wore straight most of the time, or used straightened hair as a base for twistouts.
They both had credited straightening as a helpful tool in length retention.
I love the texture from curls as opposed to sleek hair, but the upkeep is difficult.
Saw a video someone here shared of a lady with adorable!! 4c hair, and I was like, that is DREAMY!
But then the manipulation that goes into regularly maintaining such curly- like with braids and so on,
is probably equalivalent to heat application with straightening,
in terms of supposed damage over time?
I don't know which route the ppl with
fine, fragile hair (like me) would be better off with, in the end.
Colocha
acne cream and afro dreams
Thank you too!!
I definitely get not liking yourself with straight hair. I love it on myself. After I had it professionally done the first time and felt a significant confidence boost I knew this was the way I wanted to go.
Have you considered lightly blow drying instead of going all the way straight? Then you could throw in soft curlers or bantu knots overnight for a curl. I blow dried for a long time and it helped significantly with manageability. Even now when I take a break from flat ironing I still blow dry, and there are so many new tools and techniques on the market to make it less damaging. I feel that helps with length retention too.
long.hair.dont.care
Well-Known Member
Your hair looks great! Do you mind sharing your regimen?
My hair doesnt do well with a lot of heat so I'm thinking of trying a keratin treatment and maybe blow drys in between. I experience less breakage when I blow dry, but dont really wanna risk doing it too frequently.
Colocha
acne cream and afro dreams
Sure thing! This my regimen below. I posted it on the 'any straight haired naturals with APL hair or longer' thread. Since then I found out that my hair grew despite the very frequent use of heat (as per my posts here). I honestly didn't expect it to. I've gotten that professional quality flat iron once a year on 2 occasions now and I think I will stick with it if only for the thorough trim. I trim on my own whenever my ends feel like they look rough.
I'm a straight haired natural at MBL. I've been wearing my hair in predominantly straight styles for maybe a year and a half now.
My first caveat is that I grew all my length before becoming a straight haired natural. I choose to sacrifice significant growth now for style. I also live in an incredibly humid environment. My second caveat is that my hair is very resistant to heat. I was actively trying to heat damage it by flat ironing once a week for three months and my curl pattern didn't change. I went to a salon that flat ironed my hair the straightest it has ever been - 8 passes of a flat iron plus 2 passes of a hot comb. Curl pattern didn't change. This may be because I'm also henna-treated.
Okay after that preamble:
Currently my hair is keratin treated and has been for about 4 months.
If I'm just blow drying (which I do with the RevAir dryer) I wash weekly.
I use Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo, followed up by Aphogee 2 Minute Keratin Treatment for 5-10 minutes, then Keracare Humecto Conditioner for an hour with heat. For leave-ins I use Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother and It's a Ten with Keratin. Then I use whatever else I want to style my hair. I moisturize throughout the week with whatever I want, usually Keracare Overnight Moisturizing Treatment.
If I'm flat ironing I wash less frequently, maximum every two weeks, minimum monthly. I also add Silicon Mix to the Humecto Conditioner. After the blow dry I use Paul Mitchell Super Skinny to flat iron. After the flat iron I add a bit of grapeseed oil (currently using CRN ayurvedic oil) to my ends. I moisturize every so often (maybe once or twice a week) with It's a 10 with Keratin, Keracare Overnight Moisturizer, and Paul Mitchell Super Skinny. I flat iron on 450 degrees.
I also use Olaplex No 3 every so often, probably once a quarter. I use hard protein from time to time as well, whenever I feel I need it. I'll either use the Aphogee 2-Step or Komaza Protein Strengthener.
As far as styling my hair is in a bun 99% of the time. I work in a hospital so M-F definitely, sometimes the weekends too, it's in a bun wrapped on itself and secured with a satin scrunchie, so no ponytail at based, hair just wrapped around itself and secured. I also wear a satin-lined scrub cap on top of that while at work since COVID.
dancinstallion
Well-Known Member
When you say you are keratin treated is that like the brazilian keratin with heat? Or is it because all the keratin in the products you use?
Colocha
acne cream and afro dreams
BKT with heat.
My top recommendation for slight curl loosening is Avlon Texture Release, but it has been out of stock for almost this whole year.
I did a Goldwell Keratin Treatment on myself almost 3 months ago and it loosened my curls significantly more. A few people on the forum enjoy Goldwell. I think @waff uses it as well.
I'm likely going to a salon for my next treatment because I can't be bothered to deal with the application process again.
long.hair.dont.care
Well-Known Member
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and BKT recommendations!
I tried the Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution, and my hair reverted as I washed it out. I'm suppose to invest in a new flat iron early next year so I will try it again. If the product doesnt work, I'll try the ones you mentioned.
Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother is good stuff, I tried a sample and liked it. It helped smoothen my ends (in some parts). And that's important to me since i get a lot of SSK. But blow drying has cut down on the amount of SSK and tangles I get, which is why I wanted to try a BKT for quicker blow dry results + smoother ends.
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Mapleoats
Well-Known Member
Can someone help me understand the sorcery that is straight hair? Lol.
it’s been over a week, and my hair is still so moisturized. How, Sway? I haven’t applied any water based moisturizers, just a little bit of serum. My hair in its natural state could never.
am I being deceived here, or is straightened hair really able to hold onto moisture for this long. I expected it to feel dried out by now, especially since the flat iron was used, but I used better tools so that must be helping.
it’s been over a week, and my hair is still so moisturized. How, Sway? I haven’t applied any water based moisturizers, just a little bit of serum. My hair in its natural state could never.
am I being deceived here, or is straightened hair really able to hold onto moisture for this long. I expected it to feel dried out by now, especially since the flat iron was used, but I used better tools so that must be helping.
bzb1990
3b/3c. henna/cassia.
something about the cuticle curving round (in curly hair) making more moisture leave? And the sebum thingy, travelling from scalp to tip, easily, esp with a comb or brush carrying it smoothly down, instead of contending with spirals?
IDK but guessing the ironing flattens down the cuticle so it's not seeping out so much moisture? I noticed people with lower porosity hair don't have a hard time of moisture escaping, once it's in. So maybe if you already condition regularly, flat ironing just boosted the follicle by locking your hard work in for longer than usual?
My mom has super straight hair, NEVER uses conditioner (and the cheapest, tresemme shampoo);
her hair is long, shiny, thick, no uneven edges at the 'hem' (she NEVER goes to the salon, does NOTHING to care for her hair, AND uses GARNIER BOX DYE, same brand + colour that made my hair break in one use).
Mine needs to be actively moisturized, hers does not. For much of my childhood her hair was hip length. Like, she did nothing, no oils, conditioner, nothing. The cheapest shampoos. She even refused to henna till she started getting white hairs. She thought brushing it was the way to keep hair shiny and conditioned, and that conditioner was a modern day scam.
I'm just mentioning because in contrast, with my curls, it was dry and full of knots, till she got me conditioner (revelation in my teens after her beautician friend telling her she should).
Before that she would refuse because 'chemicals' and 'I don't use it and my hair's fine, yours will become dependent.' Nobody in her family had curls, and it didn't occur to her that it could need some extra care. (this is the woman, a MEDICAL DOCTOR, who refused to get me deodorant because it wasn't natural enough, and got me stinky 'natural' deo which never helped; told me to put paper towels under my armpits inside my shirt, to soak up sweat, at school, and wash with soap and water in the girls' bathroom, rather than use deo!
my dad got it for me in high school, but secretly; i had to hide it from her, when she found out in the end she was mad and certain i'd get cancer..)I know the anecdote doesn't hold much scientific value, but it's just an observation.
Mapleoats
Well-Known Member
I do this every wash day when my hair isn’t straight and the results are not the same
Colocha
acne cream and afro dreams
I just washed out the straight hair that I've had over a month and I feel the same.
My hair is still the same curl pattern it was before and I already miss the ease of pin-straight hair. I blow-dried my hair, hot combed the roots and threw it in a braid. It's a shame to admit but when I was shampooing I almost wished my hair wouldn't revert.
My hair is still the same curl pattern it was before and I already miss the ease of pin-straight hair. I blow-dried my hair, hot combed the roots and threw it in a braid. It's a shame to admit but when I was shampooing I almost wished my hair wouldn't revert.
Theresamonet
Well-Known Member
Im trying to understand this too. And I use nearly the exact same products when my hair is straight vs curly.
Theresamonet
Well-Known Member
Have you tried a bkt? You might get your wish. Lol
Mapleoats
Well-Known Member
@bzb1990 maybe it is the cuticle not laying flat on curly hair, and the flat iron seals the cuticle? I don’t know really. It just highlights the fact that curly/kinky hair really is high maintenance.
@Colocha how do you make your press last so long? I’m starting to get the itches so I’ll probably wash next Sunday, and try to brush the sebum from off my scalp through my hair over the week
@Theresamonet girl, if you figure it out please let me know lol. I don’t necessarily want to be a straight hair natural, I enjoy my curls, and would be really upset if I damaged them. But straight hair sho’ is easy!
@Colocha how do you make your press last so long? I’m starting to get the itches so I’ll probably wash next Sunday, and try to brush the sebum from off my scalp through my hair over the week
@Theresamonet girl, if you figure it out please let me know lol. I don’t necessarily want to be a straight hair natural, I enjoy my curls, and would be really upset if I damaged them. But straight hair sho’ is easy!
bzb1990
3b/3c. henna/cassia.
I know that feeling.. it's sort of unfair that so many have it sooo easy. Although I think textured hair in braids and braids looks awesome. But everything takes so much time and care compared to the people who walk around with swinging, shiny, straight hair to their hips and I know they put in nowhere near that effort.
It is not only about the ease. Its also like when ppl like your own SO gush about how he prefers you in straightened hair vs curly.
Actually I told him to his face he is just conditioned over the years with so many ads and entertainment with beautifully dressed women he had crushes on + all happened to have straight hair.
Associated the rest of the image+fantasy being sold, with the generic hair. Plus having had straight haired girlfriends since it's more common here.
it sucks when the altered version that was killing my hair is preferred.
There are a lot of ads nowadays in Canada with models with natural hair so obviously it is not detracting from their appeal or all those big companies wouldnt have hired them. But its been on my mind quite a bit.
Colocha
acne cream and afro dreams
I have in a BKT now, lol. My curls used to be the tightest 4b-c but they're relaxed to about 4a. I'm going for (or going to do) a touch up in January because it's been three months and my roots are growing/grown in.
@Mapleoats, the stylist here has some kind of voodoo that makes the press last despite humidity. I hit the roots with dry shampoo when it gets too oily, use lightweight (non-oil) products to moisturize, and switch to a tight bantu bun when wrapping stops working (typically after the first week). I credit the stylist with the longevity though. I think what does it is that she uses very minimal products and hits the roots twice with an old school hot comb.
Lylddlebit
Well-Known Member
Flourishnikov
Somewhere Flourishing...
I know your post is like 5yrs old, but I’m curious how the products worked out.
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
Lmao! I always enjoy any mask by Kerastase. The texture, the smell. It’s so luxurious. Chroma Riche was the first one I ever tried. I had a relaxer then and it made my hair feel like pure silk. I’ve been hooked for over 10 years.
ckisland
Well-Known Member
Washed and straightened my hair today!
Cleansed with Olaplex 4
DC'd with Bondbar 8
Leave-in was Chi Keratin Smoothing Treatment
Heat protectant was Olaplex 9
I blowdried with my volumizer brush and flatironed on 430, which is the lowest I have ever gone. It's a very soft press, but it got the job done.
Cleansed with Olaplex 4
DC'd with Bondbar 8
Leave-in was Chi Keratin Smoothing Treatment
Heat protectant was Olaplex 9
I blowdried with my volumizer brush and flatironed on 430, which is the lowest I have ever gone. It's a very soft press, but it got the job done.
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Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
Me and my daughter are both straight hair naturals now. I let her get a silk press and it never fully reverted. I’ll grow it out again. We just grew out her big chop. I’m so disappointed about her hair.
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
I’ve been wigging it for a couple weeks. My schedule hasn’t allowed me to go to the salon. I’m going Saturday though.
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