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From Wash to Flat Iron on Natural Hair in About an Hour

Back in the day, I used to get up at 5:00 in the morning, knowing I needed to wash my hair, and be out the door by 6:45. I mean I would wash, condition, blow dry, press, and flatiron my hair in additions to showering, eating breakfast, getting dressed (and I was a slip and pantyhose type of girl), an making my lunch. And this post is on how I did it! And just to warn you, it involves looking like a pickaninny between the wash and dry.



I have to start this post by saying that your ends have to be fairly well trimmed or you WILL have a frizzy look. This post will describe how I have accomplished this and what products I used.

First, let me refer you to the post immediately preceding this one. In that post, I described how I wash my hair.

Short version review:
Wash with shampoo mixed with a dime sized amount of oil (castor, olive, jojoba, etc.). For the last wash, use baby shampoo with detangler.
Condition as usual. You may want to comb your hair out during this step before you rinse out the conditioner.
Comb your hair out and put your hair into six to eight plaits, greasing your scalp if desired as you go. At this point, I add serum, oil (such as Hot Six or African Pride, something runny), or any other product. I usually do six plaits in my hair, three on the left and three on the right. This has to be finished while your hair is still wet.

New steps for this post:
BLOW DRY
Have a blow dryer with a comb attachment. (This is the easiest way although I have had success using a blow dryer and a regular Ace comb, large side and then small side.) Start at the back, take down one section, and blow-dry it. Do the other back section the same way. Contunue up your head until all sections are dry. (Check to be sure your scalp is dry by setting your blow dryer to cool and checking for wet spots.)

PRESS:
This step is optional, but it is one that I choose to do. Starting at the back, I add a teesy-weensie bit of regular grease (you know that blue or yellow grease your mama used to use) or pressing creme to the roots. (This helps prevent that swelling at the roots and may even help your hair hold up to semi-rigorous workouts, but this is an optional step.) Your hair should be pretty straight from the blow drying so you will press only the roots. So, part your hair across, put in a bit of grease only on the hair hanging down, press downward, then press upward (there is no grease on this section). Repeat until you finish. The roots will feel like a fresh perm! (I forgot to give the trick to pressing: it is all in how soon you turn the comb. The teeth don't press your hair, it is the back part.)

FLATIRON/STYLE:
Finally, I would flatiron my hair with some off-brand, ceramic flat irons. Bump your hair with the flatirons as you go. You don't want to apply unnecessary extra heat to your hair.

Styles and maintenance in the next post.



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