When you straighten how "straight" do you go?

[stelladata]

I started doing the youtube thing again and one of my first videos was of me straightening my hair. Since I started doing my hair myself through lots of experimentation and past experiences I have found that the less heat I use the less split ends I end up with and an entirely healthy looking hair... and not to mention how my hair starts looking after a week (basically if I straighten in smaller sections and more than one swipe which will obviously result in a sleeker look by the end of the week my hair would appear lifeless, grease and so forth). Anyway, this brings me to the reason why I asked the above question, this comment;

Your sections are ENTIRELY too big and thick. You have GORGEOUS hair but there was no point in using heat on it if you aren't going to take the time to flat iron properly.
You could get the hair really sleek and "flowy" if you used sections that were about 1/3 as wide and 1/4 as thick as the ones you are using now.

I am not attaching a name to it because I believe in some degree of privacy but, I am very curious now... is this how you guys straighten your hair when you do? or is everyone doing something different?

 

[LunadeMiel]

I maxiglide on 4. My hair gets semi straight. When I flat iron I don't go for the sleek look since I'm trying to avoid heat damage.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

I want the sleek look if I'm using a flatiron. If i want a semi straight look then I will just blow dry.

 

[bride91501]

Haven't really straightened yet (except for an impatient, quick length check of a small section in the back lol), but when I do for the first time next month, I'll be going for the straight look. Most of my hair is super thick, so based on everything I've researched, it's probably best for me to flat iron in small, thin sections.

Although I guess the technique can also be based on how "sleek" is sleek for you....for example, the amount of straightness you have in your siggy pics would be enough for me.

 

[Tiye]

I started doing the youtube thing again and one of my first videos was of me straightening my hair. Since I started doing my hair myself through lots of experimentation and past experiences I have found that the less heat I use the less split ends I end up with and an entirely healthy looking hair... and not to mention how my hair starts looking after a week (basically if I straighten in smaller sections and more than one swipe which will obviously result in a sleeker look by the end of the week my hair would appear lifeless, grease and so forth). Anyway, this brings me to the reason why I asked the above question, this comment;

I am not attaching a name to it because I believe in some degree of privacy but, I am very curious now... is this how you guys straighten your hair when you do? or is everyone doing something different?

SMH - you do have to disregard or ignore some comments on youtube. I have a lot of hair (volume) and it's coarse/resistant - I don't have the patience to spend 3+ hours going over it 5 strands at a time. At that rate I'll be sweating out one side while I'm working on the other one. When I diy it's coz I plan to braid in the next day or two so I don't bother with the sleek quest. If I want to wear it out and bone straight (or close as it will get) I'll go to a salon.

 

[outspokenwallflower]

When I'm freshly relaxed and I dont have much new growth, I dont go for super sleek; I like body and fullness, and I rollerset and blow it out, then pin curl after.

When I'm several weeks post, and the new growth is starting to pile up and puff my hair up, I go for absolute SLEEKNESS. I blow it out, followed by flat ironing very thin sections with my iron anywhere between 300-350 degrees.

 

[BeautifulFlower]

I want the sleek look if I'm using a flatiron. If i want a semi straight look then I will just blow dry.

Agree. If I am going to take the time to flat iron, I am going for as sleek and straight as possible. I always use ample heat protection and I dust my ends with every flat iron job. I only flat iron a few times a year. If I want semi straight, my blow dryer does the trick. My SO loves the semi-straight braidout.

 

[keelioness]

IMO..everything isnt for everybody. Your hair gets pretty straight with the blowdryer theres no need for u to do ur hair in small sections. I think more a type 4 would have to do the small sections. Also u have alot of hair on ur head. It'd take u prbly 12 hrs to do that hair in small sections. Ur hair looks great keep doin what ur doin!

 

[danysedai]

I've seen many members here(natural and relaxed) who flat iron and don't go for the super straight look. It's a matter of preference, I don't think it's because you don't know how to flat iron,it's because that's how you choose to flat iron.

I think it depends on what you want and how you like your hair to look.
I'm relaxed and I love my hair the best when I rollerset and then flat iron only the roots, my hair is slightly layered,so I like the volume of the curls and the straight roots. This weekend I went for sleekness forgetting that I don't like that and today it's back on a ponytail with braids in the front.

 

[Nonie]

I do get my hair pretty straight with two passes of the iron and I do work on very narrow sections with the iron.

To give you and idea of how narrow the sections are, my first iron pass is on sections air-dried in Curlformers working on one section at a time and I have used about 80 Curlformers (8 packs) on my head.

 

[Melody.Monroe]

When I flat iron...I use small sections...very small and only double pass my roots at the top. One scwipe does it for me especially if I let the serums soak in overnight. I get my hair super straight...but like it was mentioned above...that's my preference when I want it straight. I am either I want super curly or super straight!! LOL!

 

[brittanynic16]

I kinda agree with the comment. I always try to get the sleek look when I flatiron. Puffy semi straight hair always looks like someone use to have straight hair and then they got caught in the rain.

 

[Prudent1]

I've seen many members here(natural and relaxed) who flat iron and don't go for the super straight look. It's a matter of preference, I don't think it's because you don't know how to flat iron,it's because that's how you choose to flat iron.

I think it depends on what you want and how you like your hair to look.
I'm relaxed and I love my hair the best when I rollerset and then flat iron only the roots, my hair is slightly layered,so I like the volume of the curls and the straight roots. This weekend I went for sleekness forgetting that I don't like that and today it's back on a ponytail with braids in the front.

ITA with the above post. I have never liked my hair bone straight. Even when I was relaxed. That's my preference though. I don't assume everyone feels the same way I do. I too have layers and like to have what is to me, the best of both worlds. Swang and voluminous well defined layers. To answer the OP's question. I would say I straighten a level between bone straight and caught in the rain.

 

[Janet']

For me, because I straighten for length checks, I want to get it as "sleek" as possible...I have noticed that others who straighten prefer a less sleek look and that's fine too...That youtuber needs to chill out...it's all about personal preference...

 

[diadall]

I don't like it too straight. I love big hair (80's child). I will usually do two passes at the roots and one slower pass the rest of the way down

 

[MsBoinglicious]

When I flatiron I like it as straight as I can get it. Only because I do trims when I flatiron and I need it to be straight all over so it will come out even. But sometimes I don't care! I'll still have waves in the top crown area. lol

Flatiron your hair how you want to. Take as big or little chunks as you want! If you get the desired style/straightness you wanted then who cares what someone thinks about your technique!

 

[ms.blue]

I flatiron to get as sleek as possible with two swipes, nothing more using 360 deg F. I do it in small sections b/c I want the press last long (2 weeks). I have flatironed in big sections b/c I was lazy and ending up flatironing more during the week which I know will cause harm down the road. Now I just take the 3-4 hours to flatiron properly instead 1 hour rush job that looks good for like a minute.

 

[Oasis]

my perception of straight must be distorted because your hair looks super straight to me.

 

[Carrie A]

Glad you started this thread because I was going to PM you. I watched your video about 2 hours ago and I noticed your thicker sections and single pass. I liked the full body result, but I was curious... when do you start seeing reversion? Are you natural? None of my experiements thus far have achieved a sleek look that lasts for more than a few hours even with smaller sections. Maybe my hairs not dry enough. In general my hair has body like yours, the few times I have straightened. Great hair BTW.

 

[stelladata]

Glad you started this thread because I was going to PM you. I watched your video about 2 hours ago and I noticed your thicker sections and single pass. I liked the full body result, but I was curious... when do you start seeing reversion? Are you natural? None of my experiements thus far have achieved a sleek look that lasts for more than a few hours even with smaller sections. Maybe my hairs not dry enough. In general my hair has body like yours, the few times I have straightened. Great hair BTW.

Hey! *waves*, well i was just wanted to know how everyone was doing their hair... can never really stop learning.Well, at this point my hair is relaxed, I am not sure I would have achieved the same look with just a single pass on my natural hair, though I never tried it because I was petrified to use direct heat. But when I get new growth if I should straighten depending on what the weather is like outside I can keep the style in for a while with scarves and head pieces ( I don't know what to call it, but I use neck ties for head bands).
If you straighten your hair at night then, sleep over night with a wrap I am sure the next morning your hair would be a lot straighter helping you avoid the hassle of applying more heat when you really don't need to. Here's an example. I just straightened my hair a few days ago (Nov 7th to be exact, this picture was taken nov 9 in the morning-lol I'm looking at this info on my twitter )

http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg577/scaled.php?tn=0&server=577&filename=btw.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640

and this was before bed that same day at 1am (because i get to bed pretty late)
http://i56.tinypic.com/70joys.jpg

( I usually curl my bangs (the only part of my hair that I use excessive heat) because i found that it suits my face.. i have chubby cheeks lol ...by the end of the day most of the curls are gone )

I used the same method I used in that video, one swipe, large sections with the heat turned up to 450 took me 30-40 mins to do. (I air dried as opposed to using a blow drier) And a few days later it looks like that. I pretty much wrap is every night after adding a tiny dot size of olive oil to my ends.
This reminds me, i need to take another picture of my growth progress because I feel like my hair is not getting longer

 

[stelladata]

here's the link again
that one didn't work for some reason
http://a.yfrog.com/img577/2715/btw.jpg

 

[stelladata]

I've seen many members here(natural and relaxed) who flat iron and don't go for the super straight look. It's a matter of preference, I don't think it's because you don't know how to flat iron,it's because that's how you choose to flat iron.

I think it depends on what you want and how you like your hair to look.
I'm relaxed and I love my hair the best when I rollerset and then flat iron only the roots, my hair is slightly layered,so I like the volume of the curls and the straight roots. This weekend I went for sleekness forgetting that I don't like that and today it's back on a ponytail with braids in the front.

Hmmmmm this reminds me, I have been wanting to experiment with rollers but while trying to learn how to I always got frustrated when the roots didn't match the rest of my hair, I didn't even think of the fact that I could have just flat ironed the roots. LOL thanks!

 

[stelladata]

my perception of straight must be distorted because your hair looks super straight to me.

LOL!!!
well I am a little lost too so hey..
maybe because it looked thick in the video or something, I don't know.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

here's the link again
that one didn't work for some reason
http://a.yfrog.com/img577/2715/btw.jpg

Your hair looks pretty straight in this pic :-\ beautiful hair!

 

[Lylddlebit]

When I straighten my hair I usually have a style in mind. The majority of the time it's "straight enough for a slicked ponytail". The general rule though is it has to be worth the effort. For example, if I take the time to press or flat iron my hair, it can't look like I only blow dried it. If I blow dry my hair it can't look banded. If I get my hair done at the shop it can't look homemade. I just has to be straight enough to reflect the goal I set out to reach.

 

[Rocky91]

your hair is lovely, OP!!
to answer your question, it depends on what my goal is. sometimes i want that bone straight, really sleek look. other times, i want a kinkier look. it just depends.

 

[Naturallista]

That youtuber is trippin'- your hair is sooo beautiful! And like someone else mentioned, it looks very straight to me....I didn't see your video, though.

I don't like my hair bone straight (big head) so I just lightly pass with a flat iron on low heat and no blow dry. I do think that it looks very pretty on other people.

 

[stelladata]

When I straighten my hair I usually have a style in mind. The majority of the time it's "straight enough for a slicked ponytail". The general rule though is it has to be worth the effort. For example, if I take the time to press or flat iron my hair, it can't look like I only blow dried it. If I blow dry my hair it can't look banded. If I get my hair done at the shop it can't look homemade. I just has to be straight enough to reflect the goal I set out to reach.

I completely understand, I think the only time I overestimate results in when I visit the hair salon (which is next to never these days) but, when I do, I want my hair to look... the bomb!. So I completely understand this perspective... different strokes different folks right? *pun intended heheheh*

 

[gadgetdiva]

Now I don't flat iron my hair anymore (unless its a special occassion- rare) since I've been relaxed/texlaxed. However my twin daughters are natural, bsl, 3a/b/c and if I don't do 2 passes it will frizz up. I have to use heat protectant because they have some thick strands and require higher heat to straighten.

 

[keelioness]

When I flat iron...I use small sections...very small and only double pass my roots at the top. One scwipe does it for me especially if I let the serums soak in overnight. I get my hair super straight...but like it was mentioned above...that's my preference when I want it straight. I am either I want super curly or super straight!! LOL!

Totally OT: But I am straight HatinG on ur pic with POOCH! CUTEAY!