In the last post, I described how to go from wash to flatiron in about an hour. I did highlight ways in which you could reduce the heat in your hair during initial styling, but now I want to explain how to keep straight hair without adding heat daily as so many of us do. So this post is all about styles and maintenance
First, the greasy wrap (Just hear me out now. I have a pic at the bottom):
If I know that I am going to be in muggy situations or ones in which I will sweat, I do a few things during the initial styling. First, I use a serum such as Frizz-Ease. I also use a heavy oil at my roots. (My sister used to use beeswax, but she used to have to wash her hair in dish detergent to cut the grease so...I use a pressing creme.). Finally, I use quite a bit of a runny oil from root to tip as I am pressing my hair. It leaves my hair a greasy mess which i tie up with a (get this) COTTON scarf. the hair is so oily it cannot get caught in order to break. The next day, when I remove the scarf, I have shiny, straight hair that will remain that way as long as it doesn't get wet. It even holds up (for what it's worth) in fog and humidity. (I lived in Georgia.) This has worked for me for years as I generally wear my hair with just a soft bump.
To keep this style, wrap it at night. I would wrap mine with two scarves and wear a bonnet in the shower. One better, put your hair in a ponytail, tie it with two scarves (one knotted in the front and one knotted in the back), and put a bonnet on for your shower. The ponytail and two scarves will also preserve your press during a workout, but do not unwrap your hair until it is completely dry. Tie it tight.
Style two beach waves:
Now this style is more temperamental as it will not work with a lot of grease and oil. It is subject to all forms of moisture and bends at their will. But it is just too cute! For this style, I recommend serum and a little bit of runny oil, but none of the heavy stuff. As you flatiron it, make the curls a bit tighter. Then pincurl your hair in big chunks. Sleep on it, and in the morning, take the pins out and finger-curl your hair. It will be so cute. To maintain, simply put in big pincurls a every night and do the two scarves and bonnet in the shower. When it starts getting frizzy, put in a runny oil and wrap it like above. This won't bring it back from Africa, but it will help with light frizz.
Here is a video on pincurling your hair:
Once you cannot do much else with it:
Ponytail! You can go grease and water or gel until wash day. If the ends are nappy, buns work well. I ONLY PUT HEAT ON CLEAN HAIR, so if you are not ready to wash it...
Big lesson:
Tie your hair down with two scarves, one knotted in the back and one knotted in the front. You are going to look a but Aunt Jemima-ish. Then add a bonnet. This will preserve your straight hair and your curl so that you don't have to add heat but once a week.
Down at the bottom is a pic of my grease hair-do, and it is soft and not at all greasy feeling. I have been able to get a polished look in people's hair with these methods when cosmetologists have not and I perfected this under the watchful eye of a dear friend and old school cosmetologist (I am talking she been doing hair for like 15 years before I was born, y'all!)
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