Does your hair look nice when you straighten/do it yourself?

[abcd09]

I'm at a loss for getting nicely styled flat ironed hair on my own. I know stylists use different products methods, but I just can't figure it out. I've tried less product, more product, professional grade products etc. I use a chi and am patiently waiting on my Pibbs pro blow dryer to come in the mail this week. My technique in roller setting is constantly improving.

Is anyone else styling-challenged? How have you conquered it? Let's discuss!

 

[bellebebe]

Heck no! Lol. I haven't personally straightened my hair in ages. For some reason, I straighten other ppls hair better than my own.

Mobile phones are sexy too.

 

[Triniwegian]

Yes, it looks pretty good but I hardly ever do it because I do not like wearing it straight.

Anyway, I think it all lies in the technique and the least amount of product. I use both a CHI and the Maxiglide and I never use any product on my hair prior to ironing, not even heat protectant. Adding product before wrapping usually works the best for me.

 

[coachchica]

Yes. I've been flat ironing it for over 10 years. After all that time I'd better be good at it. lol

 

[MrsHdrLe]

I always get plenty of compliments on my flat ironed hair. So I guess I got some skills

 

[Uniqzoe]

I am still not pleased with my own flat ironing, my hair still ends up a bit puffy.


I wanted more of a sleek look.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

It took a lot of trial and error with my natural hair but my flat ironed hair does come out nice. I went through a lot of products and techniques before getting it right.

 

[WhippedButterCreme]

Good thread. My hair is relaxed but it's super light so it won't move when I turn my head, if that makes sense lol! Anyone know any good flat irons that will give that salon 'swing'? to my hair?

My mom bought a hot comb that goes up to 500 and that sounds INSANE. Also I thought hot combs were for natural hair and would destroy relaxed hair...?

Any help here for some swing? My hair is bsb length so I have more than enough length for some swing lol!

 

[Black Ambrosia]

Sistar I know some people use hot combs to keep their edges straight. I wouldn't put 500 degree temps on relaxed hair though. That's a recipe for disaster.

 

[WhippedButterCreme]

Sistar I know some people use hot combs to keep their edges straight. I wouldn't put 500 degree temps on relaxed hair though. That's a recipe for disaster.

Thanks! That sounds good, I should try it then. I always thought hot combs were for natural hair instead of relaxed.

I'll have to try it sometime this week. Lol! my oven doesn't even hit 500 degrees! It goes to 450 and then 'broil'

There's no way that's good for your hair!!

 

[mscocoface]

No way, the very few times I have tried it has been so exhausting that I am ready to go to bed afterwards. It takes at the very least 3 to 4 hours.

 

[jayjaycurlz]

I use the 'chase method' and find that it gets my ends straight.

 

[abcd09]

Good thread. My hair is relaxed but it's super light so it won't move when I turn my head, if that makes sense lol! Anyone know any good flat irons that will give that salon 'swing'? to my hair?

My mom bought a hot comb that goes up to 500 and that sounds INSANE. Also I thought hot combs were for natural hair and would destroy relaxed hair...?

Any help here for some swing? My hair is bsb length so I have more than enough length for some swing lol!

I can't figure out how to get swang either. Not to mention if I sweat, my roots get poofy even two weeks post relaxer. I swear hair dressers must be using magic.

 

[Black Ambrosia]

I don't straighten my hair often because its such a long process. By the time I straighten my hair in small sections and get the roots straight, several hours have passed. I'd rather spend the money at the salon though I'll admit not doing it often is probably part of the reason it takes so long. If I put more time and energy into it then I'd probably be able to get it done quicker.

 

[WhippedButterCreme]

I can't figure out how to get swang either. Not to mention if I sweat, my roots get poofy even two weeks post relaxer. I swear hair dressers must be using magic.

Sounds like we're in the same boat girl!! Lol!! What in the WORLD do hair dressers do to get that 'swang'!?! I'm super vain for like a week cuz of the swang

I'd be a hot mess if and when I found the flat iron that could do that for me. Looking for input here ladies! What gives your hair that swang??

 

[Nelli04]

Usually I don't. But this last time it came out great. I only used redkin cream thermal protectant...no chi silk infusion, I also straightened in smaller sections. It came out straighter, and moved freely.

 

[Napp]

Good thread. My hair is relaxed but it's super light so it won't move when I turn my head, if that makes sense lol! Anyone know any good flat irons that will give that salon 'swing'? to my hair?

My mom bought a hot comb that goes up to 500 and that sounds INSANE. Also I thought hot combs were for natural hair and would destroy relaxed hair...?

Any help here for some swing? My hair is bsb length so I have more than enough length for some swing lol!

i think a hot comb would be great for getting just the roots. i wouldnt use a hot comb on the relaxed part

 

[WhippedButterCreme]

i think a hot comb would be great for getting just the roots. i wouldnt use a hot comb on the relaxed part

Thanks for the look out...So back to the drawing board but this is good! What kind of straightener can give that salon-grade swang?

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Yea it usually looks good. The key is to do small sections, it always takes a while which is a drag but hey.

 

[BrookeLynn]

No, I can't get my hair salon straight.

 

[YaniraNaturally]

Yup! The chase method (following the flat iron w/ a rat-tail comb) makes my almost 19 months post hair look relaxed

 

[Napp]

Thanks for the look out...So back to the drawing board but this is good! What kind of straightener can give that salon-grade swang?

i like the results i get from my babyliss nano titanium iron. it gets my hair really straight but i need to crank it up to at least 340 to get any type of sleekness on my texlaxed hair. 360-370 for bone straight hair. i flat ironed my hair at 300 last week and some one asked me if i had been DCing

 

[Tamster]

my stylist got my hair super straight and with lots of swaaang with very little product (a spray on heat protectant for the blowdryer and a bit of serum for the flat iron) and high heat.... erplexed sounds bad but it worked, lol.

i have no confidence in myself to do it at home but i want to try. gotta buy a decent flat iron first though.

 

[lustrous]

I agree with @BlackMasterPiece . Small sections. Minimal product. There is a thread by a poster - (WestNdNbeauty i think) that stresses serious DC'ing days or even the night prior to a press to obviate the use of products before flat ironing. ( like leave in and etc..) I find that if I DC, detangle, airdry, use minimum product, throw in a light serum like chi or biosilk and brush out each section completely before i run the flat iron through (210 degrees). i get results like the below picture. first is w a fresh relaxer, second is a few weeks post relaxer. For my most recent relaxer I just haaaaad to throw some shea butter in the mix and it came out a greasy mess that didnt move so use a light touch esp if your hair is fine.

When i was natural i planned in advance. id wash and condition the night before, let the hair airdry in twists. wear a twist out the next day and then press in sections that night using a boar bristle brush to thoroughly detangle the hair and ends before passing a flat iron through it. (on a side note- flat iron quality makes a difference. my old/generic flat iron left my hair stinky and poofy.

HTH

 

[LaughingOctopus]

I think I do my hair just fine. The hair dresser only has the advantage of having better tools and seeing the back of my head.

 

[Kn0ttyByNatur3]

I never could get that salon finished look when relaxed. Never attempted to even try on my natural hair. It would be a major fail. -_-

 

[SheenaVee]

I usually get my hair pretty straight with good swang. The only thing I'm not usually able to do is get my ends really straight and frizz free, but with this recent flat iron I did (my avatar) I managed to get my ends straight.

I think the key is having your hair very moisturised before strightening, like deep conditioning it first, and doing it in very small sections. Those are the only things I did differently. Also, I used no product whatsoever, not even heat protectant. Normally though, I use just a tiny bit of serum.

 

[anon123]

It looks nice in a bun. Sometimes.

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

I'm getting better at it. I improve every time.

 

[Southernbella.]

It didn't at first, but it does now.

What helped me was 1) WestNDnbeauty's thread about deep conditioning well before straightening, and 2) Buying the Croc 2 Infrared flat iron. Now my flatiron jobs look professional, and they last until wash day as well (see avi).