How to keep thickness when straightening fine natural hair?

[CaraWalker]

i can straighten my hair straighter than salons. the last few times i went to a salon as a natural i left with my hair two steps removed from an afro and it reverted almost immediately. waste of money. didnt last a day. so i decided i would straighten my hair myself from now on.

but i have to weigh my hair down to do it. i shampoo and airdry in braids with a creme leave in then flat iron in dime width sections using an oily heat protectant. it gets very straight (and doesnt revert) but it lacks that professional look. you know like your hair is a shiny aluminum sheet with volume that hangs loose and sort of big.

how do you find the balance between using a lot of product to get it flat and using not a lot to keep it big without ending up with a partial fro or stringy strands?

im going out friday night and i want to straighten my hair. i think i might end up blowdrying to save time and that might make a difference with straight fluffiness.

professional at home straighteners, how do you get the best results?

 

[Lylddlebit]

i can straighten my hair straighter than salons. the last few times i went to a salon as a natural i left with my hair two steps removed from an afro and it reverted almost immediately. waste of money. didnt last a day. so i decided i would straighten my hair myself from now on.

but i have to weigh my hair down to do it. i shampoo and airdry in braids with a creme leave in then flat iron in dime width sections using an oily heat protectant. it gets very straight (and doesnt revert) but it lacks that professional look. you know like your hair is a shiny aluminum sheet with volume that hangs loose and sort of big.

how do you find the balance between using a lot of product to get it flat and using not a lot to keep it big without ending up with a partial fro or stringy strands?

im going out friday night and i want to straighten my hair. i think i might end up blowdrying to save time and that might make a difference with straight fluffiness.

professional at home straighteners, how do you get the best results?

There are a lot of products and practices you can use to protect your hair that won't weigh it down for straightening . First thing that comes to mind are the heat preparation shampoo and conditioner/treatment sets that contain heat protectant in the wash condition stage to leave you with strengthened and protected hair before you start. The second suggestion is use protectants on wet hair. I always apply cream heat protectants damp hair before detangling and use only what is necessary(one because the stuff I use is expensive and a little has to go a long way and two because if you use it on damp hair the water will dilute it some and it won't weigh your hair down as easily)**note if you are using a product that still has to work well when diluted on damp hair it it may have to be a high quality product if that is not what you are using already. The third suggestion is use a water based product instead of a heavier cream if it light as you put it on it usually will still be light once you press it. I hope one of my suggestions work for you. Good luck

 

[ronie]

There are a lot of products and practices you can use to protect your hair that won't weigh it down for straightening . First thing that comes to mind are the heat preparation shampoo and conditioner/treatment sets that contain heat protectant in the wash condition stage to leave you with strengthened and protected hair before you start. The second suggestion is use protectants on wet hair. I always apply cream heat protectants damp hair before detangling and use only what is necessary(one because the stuff I use is expensive and a little has to go a long way and two because if you use it on damp hair the water will dilute it some and it won't weigh your hair down as easily)**note if you are using a product that still has to work well when diluted on damp hair it it may have to be a high quality product if that is not what you are using already. The third suggestion is use a water based product instead of a heavier cream if it light as you put it on it usually will still be light once you press it. I hope one of my suggestions work for you. Good luck

Lylddlebit

Thanks for your recommendations. This thread is right on time for me.
Now you know you have to share which high quality protectant you use. I also plan to flat iron my natural hair on valentines day, so I need all the suggestion and recommendation I can get.
Thank you for the thread OP.

 

[Lylddlebit]

Lylddlebit

Thanks for your recommendations. This thread is right on time for me.
Now you know you have to share which high quality protectant you use. I also plan to flat iron my natural hair on valentines day, so I need all the suggestion and recommendation I can get.
Thank you for the thread OP.

My staple leave-ins for press day are:

Shu Uemura ulitmate remedy the duo serum
http://www.shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com/Ultimate-Remedy/Ultimate_Remedy,default,sc.html

I also use Crack leave in. Here is the link and my review.
http://www.folica.com/reviews/hair-...lter-by=&for-product=&media-only=true#reviews

 

[westNDNbeauty]

Op, I've found that a moisturizing deep conditioner should do most of the work when it comes to getting your hair flowy and silky straight w/ less product. When flat ironing, I deep condition for at least 8 hours before the flat iron touches my hair. Minimal product is used in the blow drying process and no product is used after that. HERE is a thread where that technique is discussed in detail. I also included pics of my before and after flat ironed hair.

 

[sparkle25]

Lylddlebit, I checked out the leave ins you linked....it says nothing about it being a heat protectant on the product page? Am I misunderstanding that this is what you use them for or are they just good leave ins for you? Im about to have my hair straightened for the first time in almost 10 years and im scared. Thanks in advance

 

[Prettymetty]

@OP use less leave in and maybe try a less oily heat protectant. Chi silk infusion is my all time favorite

 

[Lylddlebit]

Lylddlebit, I checked out the leave ins you linked....it says nothing about it being a heat protectant on the product page? Am I misunderstanding that this is what you use them for or are they just good leave ins for you? Im about to have my hair straightened for the first time in almost 10 years and im scared. Thanks in advance

Hi there,

The crack leave in is a thermal protectant. This can be found on the overview section of the link I posted for the crack leave in. The duo serum isn't a standard heat protectant but is known to protect problem areas of hair in general and I just like how it makes my hair feel. I have started to use the two together in the past few months. Although the crack leave in works fine on it's own and I have used that one in particular on its own for years. Hope this clears things up

 

[CaraWalker]

hey guys. this is what i ended up with. i deep conditioned in a steam room then blow dried on medium with a john frieda thermal protectant. i probably dried it 80% of the way then used about a quarter sixe amount of creme leave in and put it in a ponytail.

 

[CaraWalker]

ps am i bsl yet?

 

[NGraceO]

You look BSB to me. You prob need 2-3 in to BSL. That's how it worked for me, any way.

How i keep the thickness: flatironing a curl (bumping) into my hair....and pin curling it as I flatiron. This just gives more body also texlaxing as opposed relaxing bone straight has helped....

 

[Rozlewis]

Steaming with Naturelle Grow's Marshmallow Root DC, Manuka Honey, Roux Porosity Control, Peppermint, Rosemary, and Eucalyptus oil.