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Hi guys:
I have long thick hair, about halfway down my back, and it's got a fair wave to it, which makes it really hard to wear loose at work.
I'm wondering if there's any easy safe way to straighten it without having to get it chemically treated. I've seen those straightening irons that look like curling irons at the store, but don't know if they'll damage my hair with all the heat (as an aside, I never blow-dry my hair, but let it dry naturally).
Jono
Hi Jono,
Unfortunately, I have much experience with trying to straighten
very wavy hair. I have always wanted straight hair, but my hair has other ideas. I have tried chemical treatments, straightening irons, relaxing balms, glazes, waxes, pomades, you name it, I've tried it.
If your hair is in good condition, and is not too fine, you should have good results with a mild relaxer/straightener. There are some good products available, but DO NOT try to relax your hair at home! Go to someone who has experience relaxing your hair type. (If you don't, you may end up with fried hair.) Rusk makes a very good product called Radical Anti-Curl, that can take much of the curl out, but this is a salon process, so you may have to call a few salons to find one that uses Rusk products.
Another option is to use straightening lotions. These are heat activated, so you will have to use a blow dryer with them. I have had good luck with these. The most effective I've tried is (again) Rusk's STR8. Phytologie also makes a very good product called Defraissent, (I'm sure I've misspelled this). Another effective balm is KMS's Flat Out. This one works well, however it tends to be a bit heavy on my medium fine hair. Balms are best used with a big round bristle brush, however a flat brush will also work. Either way, real bristle is less damaging than plastic, or rubber bristles. These balms are available at most beauty supply stores.
For me, Irons dried my hair out more than hair dryers do. Perhaps because there is more direct exposure to the heat with an iron than with a blow dryer.
My hair tends to be too fine for a chemical relaxer that is strong enough to take the stubborn wave out of my hair, so that has not been an effective fix for me. However I get quite straight hair with Rusk's STR8, in conjunction with an anti-humectant hairspray such as Frizz-Ease. I comb through the hairspray so it is not stiff, it just helps keep my hair straight in my humid climate.
Because I do use a hair dryer, I usually use a light leave-in conditioner every day, and a deep conditioning treatment about once or twice a month. This has kept my hair in quite good condition, even using a dryer.
I hope some of this helps you. Good Luck, and let me know the outcome of whatever you try.
Cheers,
Geoff
I have tried every straightening product on the market, and none of them seem to work. I have curly hair, but its not that curly. When I get it done at the salon it always looks good, but when I go home ,use the same products and try to do it myself it looks dry and dead. Is there a special technique that helps the stylist to get it to look so good?
I have never had the problem of over wavie hair, as my hair is stright as a board, however my step brother did have curley hair and wore his hair very long. He like your self did not want chemical relaxers on his hair. My sister and I rolled his hair on jumbo rollers, the largest we could find. It did strighten his hair he had just a little wave, but not much. I have even heard of people resorting to frute juice cans for rollers because of there large diameter.
Mike
Hi
I use a straightening iron on my hair, which is fine an shoulder length. The iron works well to take out the excess wave. I take sections at a time an work thru em, from the root to the ends. You don't want to spend too much time on one spot, kinda a smooth flowing motion. I have used an iron for over 10 years, and with careful attention I think anyone could use one. I happen to have an older model with flat plates that is the 5 different iron I have had. The only thing...you will have to use it every day. I have gotten quite used to using it for about 10 minutes a day after drying my hair. By the way, I do get compliments on my hair from men an women. I hope you do give it a try. Also, I have used chemical straighteners, and they may only last a few washings, an back to the old wave. The best thing I have found is the flat straightening iron. I hope this information is of some assistance!
Rich