Hello dears.
It's been a bit since I have been able to post anything. I've been busy with drawing, Japanese, prepping for graduation, and also prepping to enter the world so I can get a job hopefully before school ends, so it will be a nice transition.
So before we begin, I am NOT a professional stylist (although I've thought about going to school for it) I am just your average, awesome girl who has learned through trial and error and LOTS of research. I used to relax my hair all the time but then through a mutual friend, I found an awesome stylist who showed me that you can straighten natural hair and keep it under control through gentle care and heat training. I can go into more detail about my hair journey and heat training in another post if ANYONE is interested lol. But for now this is the technique that works for me. I try to use good quality yet not too expensive products to maintain my hair and keep it as healthy as possible. I know this is a long post but when it comes to your hair you should take your time. I wanted to add in as many details as possible so you can see how everything works together.
LET'S START!!
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| My hair in it's natural state before I do anything to it! I look horrid I know XD |
First I pre-poo with an ACV rinse (apple cider vinegar). I use any type of acv, it does not have to be organic and I did not really notice a difference when I used store brand vs organic. But use whatever you like. I use 4oz of vinegar and then dilute it with water. Vinegar is acidic so you MUST dilute it unless you want to burn yourself. I use a plastic bottle with a pointed tip so I can easily distribute it through my hair and scalp. The bottle I use is from Sally Beauty Supply, but use whatever works for you. The ACV cleans your scalp of all the gunk, product, and relieves itchiness. You do not have to do this if you don't want to because vinegar has a strong smell (I've used it a bunch so the smell doesn't bother me too much) but this is what works for me. If you try it let me know how it works for you!
I wet my hair first then apply the ACV rinse and gently rub it into my scalp. I rinse with warm water then apply more, rub it in, and let it sit. I then detangle my hair with a wide tooth comb staring from the ends and gently working my way up to the root. Once the hair is detangled, I rinse then shampoo with a scalp clearing shampoo (my scalp gets very dry and itchy). I rinse my hair and shampoo a second time with either a strengthening or moisturizing shampoo and rinse. I do not have a holy grail product so I just buy whatever is on sale or is recommended to me.
After shampooing, I use either the Trader Joe's Tea Tree Conditioner or the matching conditioner for the second shampoo. I comb it through my hair and let it sit for 3-5 minutes then rinse. I then follow with a deep conditioner or mask and place a plastic conditioning cap on my head to keep in some warmth and let it penetrate better. I leave that on for 30 minutes or longer and rinse with cool/cold water.
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After ACV rinse, shampoo, conditioner etc...
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Next, I use my turbi twist towel to absorb some moisture. When my hair is slightly damp I use a spray leave-in conditioner and comb it through. I then use my CHI Silk Infusion and squirt out the size of a quarter and start from the ends and work towards the root, distributing the product evenly. I might add a little more depending on how my hair feels but less is more. I comb that through and then use a smoothing balm and comb that through as well. I let my hair air dry for a bit.
I then separate my hair into sections, around 4-6 and blow dry section
by section using a paddle brush or my Denman 9 row brush (love that
brush). Then I put my hair back into sections and use my beloved Sedu
flat iron and a heat resistant fine tooth comb and flat iron my hair. It
usually only takes 1-2 passes over a section of hair for it to be SUPER
straight. After my hair is completely straight, I use a wax to smooth
my edges out better. Then I rub in a bit of oil so my scalp doesn't feel
dry or tight. I use tea tree oil or grape seed oil and an eye dropper.
And Finally I finish with a shine spray or oil sheen and an anti-frizz
serum just to the ends. I do this myself about 1-2 times a month. Not
too often or you can damage your hair.
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| My hair once it's blow dried |
This entire process can range in time from 1 to 2 hours
depending on how my hair behaves. I hope this was helpful to someone who
may be transitioning from relaxed to natural or maybe you're just
curious. Whatever the case, this is how I do it and it lasts 1-2 weeks
with proper care. If anyone would like me to review the products and
tools I used individually do not hesitate to leave a comment!
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| I LOVE this flat iron! |
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| My hair once it's completely straight |
