Naturals that Straighten...

Hey girl, can you expound on your tension only method? I'm a new natural, just learning how to care for my hair. Also, what products do you use to deep condition and moisturize with? TIA!
 
These are great tips! I want to start straightening more when I reach my goal length but I always end up looking like Chaka Khan.

btw pinkskates where did you find that wooden comb? I don't see those in the stores. I think my comb is snagging and breaking my hair.
 
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Hey Ladies here are my responses:

Ms.LaLa, I bought my wood comb from my local beauty supply, it's made by Sebastian.
Originally posted by love2praz
Thank you, Pinkskates! :yep: As a new natural, I haven't straightened out my hair yet but will save these tips for the beginning of the year when I do it for the first time.

My daughter is about 80% natural. (She still has a few relaxed ends left.) I blow-dry her hair every two weeks but had been using the comb attachment not thinking anything of it. I'm going to switch over to your "tension only" method.

Thanks again for the tips!! :yep:
You're welcome, below I give a better explanation and pic of my blow dry tension only method.
Originally posted by imstush
First, I love love love your hair. Do you ever roller set your hair? Not sure if you said this...do you wash and straighten once a week, once every two weeks, etc.?

I would prefer to wear my hair straight, but I'm too lazy. I need to get back on the ball.
Thank U chica! I do roller set and dry with my Pibbs dryer. I shampoo weekly but I press my hair straight every other week. The week that I don't press I will do a blow out or roller set to give my hair a break form the hot comb.
[Originally posted by kbragg
Hey girl, can you expound on your tension only method? I'm a new natural, just learning how to care for my hair. Also, what products do you use to deep condition and moisturize with? TIA!
Hey KB Below is my "tension only method". Weekly I DC with Aveda Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment. Every 2 months I do a deep, deep condition with Aphogee. I use EVCO as a moisturizer. EVCO works so wonderful on my hair. It literally melts into my hair line, and ends. I highly recommend it. But you have to get the good stuff from your local health food store. Not that fake greasy stuff from a beauty supply store.
Tension Only Blow Dry Method + picture:
My friend is a hair dresser on a soap opera, and he taught me that this is best way to blow dry my type of hair with the least damaging effect. After I detangle, I stretch my hair out and as I blow dry I move the dryer up&down my hair as if I'm combing it. This way my hair will dry in a downward direction instead of outward. (I start at the roots and go all the way down to the ends) This creates smooth stretched out hair hanging in the direction I need it to for when I press it out. As I'm finishing up drying each section, I put my dryer on cool, so my hair cuticle will lay down smoothly and close up completely. This drying method lifts the roots up which creates more body in the hair.
As you dry be sure to keep a taut grip on the hair, so you get maximum stretch of the hair. From my experience this the least damaging way to blow dry and stretch the hair out.:yep:
PinkCam035.jpg
 
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Pinkskates,
What is EVCO?

I've always used the comb attachment on my blowdryer, but I've managed to learn how to eliminate it this past year. I never want to go back to it.

Thanks for sharing.
 
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Originally posted by yodie
Do you use the Spectrum brand?

Does your EVCO ever solidify on your hair?

I use South Pacific Trading Company certified EVCO. My EVCO melts on my hands and then I apply to my hair and skin.


Originally posted by Liberianmami26
sorry im new but where can u buy extra virgin coconut oil on the east coast
Hi LM26,
I'm not sure, I'm on the west coast and I buy mine from my local health food store.
 
Pinkskates,

do you wear protective styles often (or at all?) how often do you blow dry & straighten?
you're such an inspiration because you have such long, beautiful, healthy hair, and you work out regularly. we hear about a lot of women with long hair who hardly ever straighten it so its nice to hear another perspective. :grin:

my workouts are insanely high impact and sweaty. and problem is, i sweat in my scalp. my hair always poufs up. i don't really think there is much i can do about it.
 
Excellent photo of your tension blow drying technique. I'll start using this method when I blow dry too.
 
Originally posted by wyldcurlz
Pinkskates,

do you wear protective styles often (or at all?) how often do you blow dry & straighten?
you're such an inspiration because you have such long, beautiful, healthy hair, and you work out regularly. we hear about a lot of women with long hair who hardly ever straighten it so its nice to hear another perspective. :grin:

my workouts are insanely high impact and sweaty. and problem is, i sweat in my scalp. my hair always poufs up. i don't really think there is much i can do about it.
No not really, I'm not a big fan of protective styling. I do put my hair up as soon as i get home. And I wear high ponytails and will pin up my hair when I workout.
I shampoo weekly but press every other week. The week that I don't press I will just blow out and wear it kinky straight for that week.

Originally posted by loulou82
Excellent photo of your tension blow drying technique. I'll start using this method when I blow dry too.
Good for you...you will start to see a major difference in hair loss.:yep:
 
I'm so glad you started this thread. You prove to the naysayers that you can have healthy regularly heat straightened hair-IF DONE PROPERLY. I've saved your fotki as an inspiration to me when I get discouraged because I'm transitioning with no BC yet.

Question for you: Do you have to use a concentrator attatchment when using the tension method? Will it work without one?

Thanks!
 

Thanks for posting this pic. I had started a post not too long ago about how to blow dry natural hair and is it safer using a comb attachment or not. I blow dry using your method and my hair has thrived.

Thanks for posting and as ALWAYS, thanks for giving excellent advice!
 
Thank U chica! I do roller set and dry with my Pibbs dryer. I shampoo weekly but I press my hair straight every other week. The week that I don't press I will do a blow out or roller set to give my hair a break form the hot comb.


Thank you:grin:

now if I can get on the ball with your workout plan I will be good to go!:look:
 
You're welcome ladies .I recommend a concentrator because it controls the flow of heat and that way you only dry one section of hair at a time. You want to always be in control of how much heat hits your hair and you want to control where the heat hits. And that's what the concentrator does. But the method works fine without one. And forget about the naysayers...do what works for you, your hair and your lifestyle!
 
I didn't see this before! Thanks! Looks like everyone is trying heat and I can't wait to see my full length. I just got to get over the fear of ruining my hair after all of this progress.

ETA~ And seeing your shrinkage makes me excited to see what I'm going to end up with!
 
Great thread Pinkskates. You are an inspiration in more ways than one.

I will try this method next time I decide to straighten.

I was looking at your fotki and I was stunned at how much you looked like Halle in that side by side pic.

Thanx for graciously sharing all your tips.
 
I have one more question (smile). How wet is your hair before you blow dry? For example is it 75% air dried before you use your blow dryer? I think my hair was too wet before my last blow out and I lost a lot of hair in the process.
 
Pinkskates, your hair is beautiful!!

I've been rollersetting and flatironing my hair for the past month and I'm very happy with my length and results. I've been putting coconut oil in my hair before flatironing...but I notice that when I walk out the door the coconut oil freezes up and my hair is hard as hell!!!!
Not sure is anyone has has noticed this. So my question is, is there another oil I should use instead during the winter?

AND.. In the summer how do you keep the pressed hair from reverting?
 
Originally posted by loulou82
I have one more question (smile). How wet is your hair before you blow dry? For example is it 75% air dried before you use your blow dryer? I think my hair was too wet before my last blow out and I lost a lot of hair in the process.

My hair is about 75% wet when I blow dry. After I shampoo, I towel dry, spray on heat protectant, detangle and blow dry.

Originally posted by Boston Maria
Pinkskates, your hair is beautiful!!

I've been rollersetting and flatironing my hair for the past month and I'm very happy with my length and results. I've been putting coconut oil in my hair before flatironing...but I notice that when I walk out the door the coconut oil freezes up and my hair is hard as hell!!!!
Not sure is anyone has has noticed this. So my question is, is there another oil I should use instead during the winter?
AND.. In the summer how do you keep the pressed hair from reverting?

Thank you Boston Maria.:grin:
Wow, I never heard of coconut oil freezing up in the hair. I use my EVCO on my edges to help them lay smooth and I apply EVCO on my ends when my hair needs moisture. If the temp is cool, my EVCO melts in my hands as I rub them together. And then the coconut oil totally absorbs into my hair. And when the temp is warm my EVCO melts into a liquid state. Vitamin E oil is another excellent one to use on the hair.

During the mid summer when it gets humid, I wear my hair in its natural state. I don't fight mother nature!
 
Thank you Pinkskates. My hair was sopping wet and I had little hair all over the place when I was done. Lesson learned. :yep:
 
Since this seems to have turned into a "Go Ask Pinkskates" thread I thought I'd chime in too:grin:!!!

You stated, "After I shampoo, I towel dry, spray on heat protectant, detangle and blow dry."

Do you place other product on your hair before pressing it?
 
Thank you Pinkskates. My hair was sopping wet and I had little hair all over the place when I was done. Lesson learned. :yep:

Hi loulou, do you use pinkskates' tension blow dry method? This may help you with hair loss. Using a comb attatchment or round brush on my wet hair rips it right out:sad: I'm going to try the tension method this weekend.
 
Hi loulou, do you use pinkskates' tension blow dry method? This may help you with hair loss. Using a comb attatchment or round brush on my wet hair rips it right out:sad: I'm going to try the tension method this weekend.

I'm in braids until December but once I take them out I'm going to give my hair a two week break and then do a BO using Pinkskates' method. I've blown out my hair myself twice this year so I'm a newbie when it comes to but next time I'll use the tension blow method.

Are you going to use a concentrator on your blow dryer this weekend?
 
Pink, I tried your tension method this weekend when I straightened...and I LOVED it. My hair has never shown this much length after blow drying (since I've been natural). How quickly do you move the dryer as you're drying your hair??

Also, I thought my straightening results would be much better this time since it's November, with no humidity....WRONG!!! I just can not prevent my hair from poofing. AND I used SMB!! What am I doing wrong???
 
Originally posted by delitefulmane
Since this seems to have turned into a "Go Ask Pinkskates" thread I thought I'd chime in too:grin:!!!

You stated, "After I shampoo, I towel dry, spray on heat protectant, detangle and blow dry."

Do you place other product on your hair before pressing it?

I'm sorry I'm answering so late, I'm just seeing your question.
I apply a very small amount of CHI silk Infusion to each section of hair right before I pass the hot comb thru my hair.

Originally posted by Ms_Twana
Pink, I tried your tension method this weekend when I straightened...and I LOVED it. My hair has never shown this much length after blow drying (since I've been natural). How quickly do you move the dryer as you're drying your hair??

Also, I thought my straightening results would be much better this time since it's November, with no humidity....WRONG!!! I just can not prevent my hair from poofing. AND I used SMB!! What am I doing wrong???
I'm glad the blow drying method worked for you!:woot:
I move the blow dryer as If its a comb slow but steady.
Maybe you have just not found the combo of products that will work for your hair. It took me almost 2 years to find just the right combo of products to get a silky, bouncy frizz-free press.
Once you figure out the following your hair will come out flawless after every straightening:
1. The right combination of styling products for your hair texture.
2. Just the right amount of each product applied. For my hair, less is best. I use Aveda and CHI products; and their products are highly concentrated, so I have learned to be very light handed when applying.
3. Technique, technique, technique... For example, there is a certain little way I flip my wrist and let the back of the hot comb glide thru my hair. That is my little trick to getting my hair to straighten like butter. If I don't do that little flick of the wrist, then my hair will not straighten as quickly and silky. When I do my little wrist flip, I only have to do 2 passes with the hot comb on each section of hair. If I don't do my wrist flip, then it takes 5 passes of the hot comb to get my hair silky straight. So, you gotta figure out what little tricks your hair responds to and make a mental note of it.
HTH
 
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