Natural 4A/B's with hard to straighten hair-What steps do u use to straighten?

[MissFallon]

I have been trying to straighten my hair for almost 4 months myself and just can't seem to do it myself. I have used a combination of flatirons,rollers, blowdryers, hot airbrushes and electric straightening combs but nothing works. My hair seems to be strange and although it isn't 4a/b it has all of the qualitities except the curl size.

What is your process for straightening your hair? What tips do u have? TIA

 

[MissFallon]

BUMP....anyone with hard to straighten hair???

 

[strawberry-jelly]

I'm transitioning--but my hair is texturized and really thick and curly. I usually wash and let airdry in either a bun or a few big braids, usually overnight. Then when I'm ready to straighten, my hair is slightly damp. I give it a quick blowdry (with a comb, straightening it out further), and then I flat iron in little sections with my Solia flat iron. I spray it with a little oilsheen before I begin to flat iron. Seems to work for me. My usual puffiness is no more.

 

[morehairplease]

I'm transitioning--but my hair is texturized and really thick and curly. I usually wash and let airdry in either a bun or a few big braids, usually overnight. Then when I'm ready to straighten, my hair is slightly damp. I give it a quick blowdry (with a comb, straightening it out further), and then I flat iron in little sections with my Solia flat iron. I spray it with a little oilsheen before I begin to flat iron. Seems to work for me. My usual puffiness is no more.

there sweetie,


I have missed you ....glad to see you back!

 

[strawberry-jelly]

there sweetie,


I have missed you ....glad to see you back!

Hey!!! Awwww Thx!!!

 

[Ms Lala]

Hola!

I had a friend who is 3b/c and it was much harder to straighten and keep straight than my type 4 hair. I think it had something to do with her fine texture her hair would revert right back, my mother's hair is like this also.

When I did my friends hair though we would blow dry first (w/a comb attachment) and then flat iron. This is what I do with mine. I use IC fantasia heat protectant serum. My hair will stay straight for about a week. One important step is the application of your leave in after conditioning etc..(b4 blowdrying) If you put too much heavy product on your hair after washing it will be VERY hard to straighten, and stay away from things w/glycerin high on the ingredient list before straightening. After you blow dry I would recommend not putting anything in your hair other than a silicone based heat protectant, then flat iron small sections of hair.

I hope this helps.

 

[momi]

I am not sure if this works for all 4a's but this is my method:

1. Shampoo with Design Essentials Oatmeal cleansing shampoo to remove any oils or buildups.
2. Shampoo with DE moisturizing shampoo.
3. Condition with heavy duty moisturizer andd sit under steamer
4. Spray leave in protectant and section off.
5. Blow dry each section with my CHI dryer - it is very important to make sure you have a good blow dry. The CHI is no joke.
6. Flat iron in very small sections, using a comb to the ends...
7. Add some silk (design too) and go.

Pin curl for retention. You can browse my album for flat-iron picks.

 

[morehairplease]

I am not sure if this works for all 4a's but this is my method:

1. Shampoo with Design Essentials Oatmeal cleansing shampoo to remove any oils or buildups.
2. Shampoo with DE moisturizing shampoo.
3. Condition with heavy duty moisturizer andd sit under steamer
4. Spray leave in protectant and section off.
5. Blow dry each section with my CHI dryer - it is very important to make sure you have a good blow dry. The CHI is no joke.
6. Flat iron in very small sections, using a comb to the ends...
7. Add some silk (design too) and go.

Pin curl for retention. You can browse my album for flat-iron picks.

thanks for sharing your method. I did not know that DE had an oatmeal cleansing poo .

 

[Maracujá]

Bumping this very old thread. Does anyone have more tips? I want to straighten my natural 4a/b hair this week end, and my ends are very hard to straighten.

 

[Nonie]

OK, I'm still cheesing that I had such a successful press with no heat damage. I consider it my best press because not only did my hair get straight, but I also used heat protection this time--something I've never really done before--and when I washed my hair there was not a whiff of burnt hair that I have witnessed in all the years of pressing my hair. While my hair has always reverted, that smell always made me nervous and I credit the heat protectants with this.

I DC'd overnight with GPB and Giovanni Magnetic Restructuring condish. Then shampooed with Organics Italian Red Grape and Garnier Fructis. I had my hair in braids and was undoing each to clean, comb and then rebraiding. Did the same when rinsing and then undid each and applied CHI Infra Treatment Thermal Protection conditioner. I applied it as you would relaxer making sure each strand was well coated and left that on for a spell (probably a little longer than recommended on the bottle). I then rinsed completely and put my hair in plaits while dripping wet just to keep hair from reverting and being impossible to work with.

I then put Curlformers to stretch the hair. When completely dry, I decided to do the wet-to-dry press as always but made a change this time. Instead of flat ironing hair damp with water, I dampened it with John Frieda Heat Defeat spray, very small sections at a time. That press made my hair look like I had blowdried it. I then applied John Frieda Thermal Protection serum to seal and run the flat iron again for a final smoothing. Loved the results. And was even happier when I washed it and no smell and no apparent damage. I think I've found a keeper procedure.

 

[TheQueenBeeMaya]

For me, I have to straighten my hair with a pressing comb, a flat iron just doesn't cut it.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

I am not sure if this works for all 4a's but this is my method:

1. Shampoo with Design Essentials Oatmeal cleansing shampoo to remove any oils or buildups.
2. Shampoo with DE moisturizing shampoo.
3. Condition with heavy duty moisturizer andd sit under steamer
4. Spray leave in protectant and section off.
5. Blow dry each section with my CHI dryer - it is very important to make sure you have a good blow dry. The CHI is no joke.
6. Flat iron in very small sections, using a comb to the ends...
7. Add some silk (design too) and go.

Pin curl for retention. You can browse my album for flat-iron picks.

Momi, I just had to say that your hair is SICK! Your avi pic really stands out!

I also checked out your fotki, and from what I can tell so far, you might be a hair twin/cousin for me. Could you PM me your pw please?

 

[ryanshope]

I just straighten my natural hair for the first time today to clip my ends(pics in my album).

If your ends are really jagged make sure that you are using a wide tooth comb or denman brush to detangle then use a fine tooth/rattail to "straighten" ends much as possible. When the hair is as "straight" as possible, the hair comes out smoother. Also, try using a porosity correction conditioner or an acidify conditioner prior to straightening the hair. Porous hair will be dry and jagged from the lifted cuticle.