Going from natural curls to straight hair usually involves using a mountain of styling products. All those chemicals, flat irons, and hair dryers can damage the hair follicles if they are applied regularly, you can read about it in Hair Styles Feed. Most people also use a straightening iron to straighten their curls. A hair straightener is your go-to hair styling tool, but that doesn’t mean it is safe for your hair.
Heat and curls are never a good combination. Heat styling tools are not recommended for straightening or curling your hair. They may help you get the silky-straight layers, but they cause a lot of damage to your hair in the long run. Luckily, there are alternatives: below you’ll learn how to straighten your curls without damaging your hair. These tips also work well for detangling hair or even a wig.
Why You Should Avoid Heat Styling Tools
If you use the heating tools regularly, then it is only a matter of time before your hair will go dry and frizzy. Excessive use of heating tools can also lead to hair breakage because they can damage your hair follicles, weakening them until they break.
You don’t have to avoid your straightener altogether, but try not to use it too often and consider replacing it with heat-free hair straightening products. Brands like House of Curls have an array of hair straightening creams and serums that work wonders on your natural curls. Furthermore, these products are designed to nourish your hair, so rather than damaging it, they will do the opposite!
These non-heat hair styling products are great, but they don’t work on all types of curly hair. If you have a head full of natural curls or strong wavy layers, it can be a little challenging to get those curls transformed into stick-straight hair. However, they work wonders on some types of curly hair.
How to Safely Straighten Curly Hair
Here’s how you can get straight hair without the use of chemicals and heating tools.
1. Use the Right Conditioner
Start by replacing your ordinary shampoos with those designed for hair straightening. Never up skip your conditioner, because it hydrates your hair and preps it for straightening. You could use either a leave-in conditioner or a hair smoothing serum after shampoo. If you have a slightly wavy hair, then heat-free hair styling products will work for you.
The regular use of straightening conditioners will help you achieve stick-straight locks. It also makes it a whole lot easier for you to manage your hair. Consider using hydrating conditioners: even if you have very wavy hair, you’ll likely be able to straighten it using the right conditioning products.
2. Dry Your Hair
It takes a lot of time for curly and wavy hair to dry. So, consider using a moisture-absorbent towel to dry your hair quicker without using heat. Towel drying is the best way to dry your hair naturally without exposing the follicles damaging heat from a hair dryer. Start with the tips and work your way up to the scalp.
Because it can take so long for curly hair to dry, you can use a hair dryer as long as you are careful. If you are in a hurry, blow-dry your hair on a cold or warm setting, but never on hot. Divide your hair into four sections and dry one part at a time.
While blow-drying is the fastest way to dry your hair, it doesn’t help with hair straightening and is likely to encourage curls to form. If you have time, comb your hair with a wide-tooth comb until it dries naturally. This will be time-consuming, but your efforts will be rewarded.
3. Get Smoothing Cream
Replace your hair straightener with hair smoothing gels and serums. Not only do these products hydrate your hair, but they help to straighten it. Some smoothing creams contain natural oils that help straighten your curls while relaxing the scalp and give your locks a glossy texture so are perfect for dry and frizzy hair.
Like other gels and hair serums, coat your hair with the smoothing cream and run your fingers down your hair to achieve a straight texture. Some hair smoothing products also detangle your curly hair. If your hair straightener and chemical-based products make your hair fry and frizzy then hair smoothing cream is your best bet.
4. Hair Straightening Mask
Another heat-free hair straightening product that works on medium to light curls is a hair straightening mask. Combine a hair mask with a smoothing serum for the best results. Hair masks are used to moisturize your hair and reduce frizz, straightening, and deep-conditioning your hair. You can buy a ready-made hair mask or make your own from the egg, avocado, honey, and coconut or jojoba oil. Gently massage the mask into your hair and leave it in for 20-30 minutes.
Use a combination of hair smoothing products and conditioning masks to straighten your hair without heat-based appliances or chemical treatments which can be very damaging to your locks. For some types of wavy and curly hair, this will allow you to straighten and nourish your hair!