naturals who straighten chime in, suggestions

[TheEuphioQ]

Hello Alles,

Im a bit perplexed with straightening my natural hair. I understand moisture is the key, having heat protectant,and a good technique is the best way to acheive a sleek straight hair. I understand that the ends of our hair are the oldest, most difficult parts to deal with. I have chi silk infusion, i hate it. chi iron guard, i hate it, frizz cream, vo 5 heat protectant, tressume, etc, countless products, and i dont get it it. i've done deep conditioning treatments before attempting to straighten, and i run into the same problem.

I've read countless threads, i actually feel overwhelemed and confused by the abundance of information but

I still cant figure out why my ends are so tough to straighten, even before i get to the flat ironing, when i blowdry, the ends fight with their curly soilders, and turn into uncomable stiff locks of stone.

I cannot get them to comb through. knot city, and i cant figure out how to remedy this.

Could it have been the color i placed more than a year ago?I have coarse 4ab hair. I noticed that the rinse color is still on the ends, and it wasnt perminant.

Can anyone suggest what i might be doing wrong when trying to straighten?

 

[NikStarrr]

You may need a trim. It could be the color also. Try flat ironing with the comb-chase method first and see if you see a difference. Also, for me, rollersetting then flat ironing gives me smoother ends. You could try an easier version by doing a ponytail rollerset.

 

[TheEuphioQ]

Ms. Star,

thanks for chime-ing

I cant even comb chase yet, if the blowdry causes the ends the turn on their sheilds, and scared im going to rip my hair out.

I've tried a rollerset with terrible crunchy results, my hair's demeanor is most unforgiving, it laughs at rollers and rings back into itself..

I'm thinking the trim might be the way to go, although I am very scared that I should just probably trim as high up as the color goes, which is a good inch , and i dont want to miss the length.

any other suggestions?

 

[Kash]

you may want to try pinkskates tension-stretch blowdry method. she's a member here with very long natural hair that she straightens using her blow dry method. do a search and you'll find her threads.

 

[TheEuphioQ]

you may want to try pinkskates tension-stretch blowdry method. she's a member here with very long natural hair that she straightens using her blow dry method. do a search and you'll find her threads.

I've tried pinkskate's tension method, and the ends still end up rocky. I eveb broke out the hotcomb like pinkskates uses, and its still the same cruddy result.

 

[ms.blue]

maybe your cuticles are raised which can lead into knots especially at the ends. Try to use acidic rinse after conditioning then blow dry to see if that will help.

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

Caramel Treatment. Do a search. You can make it yourself. I think the additional moisture may help the straightening process. Also, the ingredients willl smooth your cuticles.

 

[TheEuphioQ]

thanks ms blue and bronze bomb,

I'll take a look into the caramel rinse, im not sure what an acidic rinse is, but ill try that too. Do you ladies think some sort of porosity control is needed for the ends because they still have the color even though the color was only a rinse and was supposed to be gone like 8 months ago?

How would i solve that issue?

 

[Kneechay]

does your dryer have a comb attachment? Ive come to discover that makes a world of difference in my flat iron jobs.

 

[brownsugarflyygirl]

I agree with two of the above posters on the possibility of needing a trim and the importance of a good blow dryer with a comb attachment.

When I started using the good ol' Conair yellowbird with the comb attachment that gets super hot with Aveda USC. My hair is like 80% straight after that and the flat iron is just polishing.

For flat ironing, I use Chi Silk Infusion mixed with Sabino Moisture Block - well actually I use that before I blow dry and only add a wee bit as needed on the flat ironing step.

ETA: If you try a couple of things trim, caramel treatment, acidity, or whatever and you find that its still not working maybe you should take a break for a month or two from heat and just baby your hair, DC every week, and then try again.

Hope you find a solution!

 

[Kash]

I've tried pinkskate's tension method, and the ends still end up rocky. I eveb broke out the hotcomb like pinkskates uses, and its still the same cruddy result.

oh i see it sounds like your hair (ends) are not in a good way. before looking into any treatments you probably need a good trim; and then you can begin to experiment and find what works for your natural hair.

 

[Nonie]

I agree with the trim suggestion. OP when was the last time scissors hooked up with your hair?

 

[Avyn]

I had the same problem the 1st couple of times I straightened after going natural. I discovered 2 things: my hair does not like blow dryers, and my flat iron temp was too low. i was afraid of losing my curl pattern so i kept the iron low but it did not straighten my ends at all. blow dryers make my hair crunchy no matter what i use. i stretch my hair in 2 side buns over night so its dry the next day and i use a combo of sebastian potion 9 and garnier fructis' anti humidity cream on each section i straighten, along with the comb chase method (i actually chase a denman-esque brush cuz the rattail comb was killing my ends).

 

[TheEuphioQ]

I've been doing tiny miserly trims, but they all probably equal up to a half of one good trim since i've been natural ( 1 yr 5 months). I'm going to re-evaluate my ends and probably trim them up again.

Could any of you ladies reccommend a heat protector that moisturizes? Every heat protector ive ever tried has cause my hair to become real dry. I cant believe i cant get chi silk infusion to work in my head!

i use the dimesize amount but its still makes my hair "rough" and dry.

 

[TheEuphioQ]

Oh btw, im boosting my instrument power. My sedu just came in the mail today. It is the most ive every spent on a flattening tool, hopefully it will ease my cuticles as well.

 

[Mecca_Goddess]

I agree that a good trim may be in order. Also your moisture may not be on point (this was my problem in the past). Try doing a clarifying shampoo and then a DC with only moisturizing properties (I use Aussie Moist).
I'm a 4a/b and chi silk infusion works great for me. Once u have clarified and DC'ed try the chi again and see if you get better results.

 

[ms.blue]

thanks ms blue and bronze bomb,

I'll take a look into the caramel rinse, im not sure what an acidic rinse is, but ill try that too. Do you ladies think some sort of porosity control is needed for the ends because they still have the color even though the color was only a rinse and was supposed to be gone like 8 months ago?

How would i solve that issue?

porosity control is an acidic rinse also acv diluted w/ water (1:4). Also a trim will help also. I have the sedu and it gets my hair straight w/ 2 passes.

 

[Newtogrow]

OP, I have the same issue as you do and no amount of trims has ever fixed mine!!!

I just find that if I want a nice straightened hair style~ I go to the hairdresser (VERY TRUSTED!!!!). I only go once to twice a year and my hair is silky smooth from root to tip after the hairdresser!!! However, whenever I straighten my own hair, those ends are monstrous!!!

Therefore, I only straighten to length check and to do a search and destroy!!! I just straightened last night and when I hook up my camera, I'll post a pic!!

If you find out about the caramel treatment please post. I used a honey-olive oil treatment on my hair.

 

[Avyn]

i use chi infra as a heat protectant and it works really well for me.

 

[glamazon386]

Sounds like you need a trim to me. Your straightening attempts could have frazzled the ends.

 

[clever]

I've been doing tiny miserly trims, but they all probably equal up to a half of one good trim since i've been natural ( 1 yr 5 months). I'm going to re-evaluate my ends and probably trim them up again.

Could any of you ladies reccommend a heat protector that moisturizes? Every heat protector ive ever tried has cause my hair to become real dry. I cant believe i cant get chi silk infusion to work in my head!

i use the dimesize amount but its still makes my hair "rough" and dry.

It sounds like you need a good trim.Nexxus heat protexx is a good spray.I use a small amount of leave in as well.

 

[TheEuphioQ]

Ladies, I tried the home made caramel treatment with lackluster results. I actually think it may have taken me a step backwards because now some spots in my roots are just as dry as my ends.


Once I washed out the treatment I re conditioned with skala and infusium. Airdryed overnight with braids and undid them and blowdryed on cool for sections that were still wet.


I applied ic fantasia heat straightening serum and a little coconut oil and set my sedu to about 280. The press was beautiful until I got to the ends, I tried combing and chasing and still ragged ends so I snipped a half inch off my ends and tried again.. Ends began to respond to the heat, but still rough. the ends of my hair curled beautifully, but were still nappy. As soon as I tried to comb the curl to see if it would still keep its shape, the curl would become lost and the ends became ruddy again.

So, my ponytail looks like a cactus and anyother that builds into my pony coming out of my scalp looks fantastic.

Last night I sealed my ends with castor oil to soften and I woke up and they were a lot better, but the curl still does not hold and is not combable and ruddy.

Any other suggestions? This is like a challenge now.

 

[localhost]

I AM RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. I tried straightening my 4b hair a couple of days ago and it was a mess. I deep conditioned for 3 hrs, rinsed it out and went from soft and spongy to brillo pad upon blow drying with chi silk infusion and leave in. It's like my ends are the catch all for my coils. And this is coming off of a fresh transition, with a DEEP trim. So trimming more is just going to make my brillo pad 2 inches shorter.

My hair is new and is not trained. maybe this is the problem???

 

[TheEuphioQ]

bump? still needing help! trying not to relax my hair

 

[knt1229]

Sounds like damage to me. A trim is the only way to get rid of the damage. Other things you can try would be to deep condition again only this time apply the conditioner directly to your ends. Then, before blow drying and flat ironing apply your leave in and heat protectant directly to the ends. When you flat iron do it in small sections using the comb chase method.

If you have tried doing the above and it still didn't help then you need a trim or a cut.

HTH!

 

[RadiantBeauty]

I AM RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. I tried straightening my 4b hair a couple of days ago and it was a mess. I deep conditioned for 3 hrs, rinsed it out and went from soft and spongy to brillo pad upon blow drying with chi silk infusion and leave in. It's like my ends are the catch all for my coils. And this is coming off of a fresh transition, with a DEEP trim. So trimming more is just going to make my brillo pad 2 inches shorter.

My hair is new and is not trained. maybe this is the problem???

CHI Silk Infusion has protein in it, maybe you are protein sensitive. I know I am! I am eventually gonna try the Fantasia serums. I believe they have some with no protein in them.

 

[TGrigley]

Try the Jilbere Vent Straightening/Cutting Comb. It works wonders. I used to have problems with my ends not straightening and looking rough. Using this comb for the comb chase method is just what I needed.

 

[CocoBunny]

Sabino Moisture Block is the TRUTH!!!!! A little goes a long way. Smooths those ends, makes detangling and blow drying a breeze and makes your flat ironing efforts simple. Locks in moisture and your hair will not revert until the next wash.

YMMV

p.s. the new version is called lok and blok and it works even better than the original.

 

[TheEuphioQ]

thanks ladies

 

[Kash]

CHI Silk Infusion has protein in it, maybe you are protein sensitive. I know I am! I am eventually gonna try the Fantasia serums. I believe they have some with no protein in them.

what does that mean? how can something that's dead be sensitive? hair strands are nothing but dead protein. her hair ends are most likely old and worn out and need to be trimmed if they feel like a brillo pad and wont lay flat. And... or her technique/skills with heat appliances are no good and she is not getting her desire results. Op if you are abusing your hair with the blow dryer, then you are doing nothing but frying the ends dry.