5 Ways To Straighten Your Hair Without The Heat Damage
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Natural curls and waves are totally gorgeous, but sometimes, it's fun to change things up and go for a sleeker look. If you've ever straightened your hair using a flat iron, though, you know all-too-well just how damaging it can be. Along with contributing to dryness, it impacts the natural keratin we all have in our locks. If you're not careful, too much heat can actually change the shape of the hair's strands from A keratin to B keratin.
When that happens, well, it's safe to say it's not good. At all. There are a number of ways to tell when your hair has been damaged, including a lack of elasticity, breakage, split ends, thinning, and knots. Not only are these things super bad for your hair on the inside, on the outside, none of those things are exactly going to be giving you the best hair days. And, if your hair is repeatedly subjected to high heat, the damage could actually end up being irreversible.
But, if you can't resist a straight look, now's the time to put that flat iron down and try some other ways of smoothing your hair without all that dreaded heat. And we've rounded up a few of the best techniques.
Try a chemical relaxer
If you're looking for an option that will keep you from ever needing to reach for hot tools again, a chemical straightening may be the way-to-go. The salon service involves using a special solution to destroy disulfide bonds in your hair, which are responsible for creating curly or wavy texture. Typically, the relaxer is applied to hair and left to set for several hours before the stylist rinses it out. The result is a permanently straightened look that is totally water-resistant; meaning you can get your hair wet and it will still be straight when it dries.
There are a few different kinds of chemical relaxers out there, so it's important to research which is best for you. The most common types include sodium hydroxide relaxers (also known as lye relaxers), or calcium hydroxide relaxers, which are better for sensitive skin. There's also ammonium thioglycolate relaxers (known as thio relaxers), or guanidine carbonate (aka no-lye relaxers), which are slightly weaker, so better for finer hair.
However, just because the method eliminates the need to flat iron your hair, it doesn't mean it's risk-free. Hair expert Bridget Amy tells Vegamour that if your chemical relaxer is too harsh or left too long, it could mean permanent hair damage. Your stylist may be tempted to use a hot tool to style the hair after the relaxer is applied, depending on the relaxer type and their preference. Therefore, it's important you speak to your stylist beforehand to ensure they use the roller method, which uses rollers, instead of a flat iron or dryer to give the hair its new shape. Your hair may be more susceptible to heat damage after this treatment, so be selective when applying heat and always use a protectant.
Give your locks a cool blow dry
If you're looking to get straight hair with a blow-dryer without the heat damage, one way to do it is to put the device on a cool setting. You'll want to start the process with a shampoo and conditioner combo designed to help straighten hair, which may even contain keratin.
Next, let your hair air dry until it's around 75% dry and divide your hair into small sections ready for drying. Once you've done that, grab your blow-dryer and put it on a cool setting, drying your locks while brushing it and running your fingers through it at the same time. Ricardo Rojas Atelier's Ricardo Rojas recommended to Elle not using products at this stage. That may be to stop your hair from getting too weighed down or because a lot of products are designed to react to heat — which we don't have here. The products come in at the end though, as she suggested applying coconut oil to minimize frizz and make sure the cuticle is relaxed once the hair is dry.
Just remember you'll probably need to set aside a decent amount of time for this method. A cool blow-dry takes a lot longer than a hot one, but it'll be so worth it to keep your hair healthy. It's also worth noting this will work best on hair that's more wavy than super curly, as you may struggle to straighten tight curls this way.
Wrap your hair
Don't have a blow dryer? No problem. You can actually straighten your hair using noting more than a few pins and a comb. One TikTok video from @sarasaadia demonstrates how to achieve straightened hair using an old fashioned technique called wrapping . It involves pinning slicked wet hair as close to the scalp as possible and letting it dry. Similar to how braids can be used to create heatless curls, the idea here is to force your strands to dry in a particular shape.
In the video, user @sarasaadia separates her curly hair into top and bottom sections and wets them with a spray bottle. Next, pulls the top section of hair across the top of her head (similar to a comb over), combing it down to be as flat as possible. The TikToker then fixes her slicked hair in place using several bobby pins. If you're attempting this method yourself, you may need extra long pins, depending on your hair texture and length. The influencer continues the process by pulling the other hair sections from one side to the other, wrapping them around the back of her head. By the time she's finished, her hair almost looks like it's been pulled into a beehive. At this point, the TikToker notes it's a good idea to leave your locks to dry overnight. However, if you don't have time for that, at least wait until it's fully dry. Wearing a silk turban or scarf over your hair will help keep it in place.
Grab a ribbon
It may be hard to believe, but people have been straightening their hair long before electricity and heat tools became a thing. One method that has stood the test of time is the ribbon trick. Often referred to as the Algerian Method or the African Method, the technique involves wrapping a spool of ribbon tightly around your locks and wearing them to bed.
Begin by dividing your hair into four sections (two on either side of your head) and securing with a silk scrunchies or elastics. Those who have extra curly and coily hair may want to divide your hair into six sections instead of four. On the other hand, if you have hair that's not quite as thin or more wavy, you may only need one section of hair on each side.
Then, using a spray bottle of water, dampen the first section. From there, start wrapping a silk or satin ribbon around your hair, all the way down to the end of each section. Make sure the ribbon is wrapped as tightly as possible to keep the hair from unraveling into a wave. Once the entire section is covered, tie the ribbon into a bow. It's this pressure that will straighten the locks. Leave it overnight (or at least until your hair is totally dry), then gently unravel the ribbon. By morning, you'll wake up with straight tresses.
Use rollers for a wet-set
We know, rollers are probably the last thing you think about when it comes to straightening your hair. Traditionally, they're used for curling your locks, but it turns out they can actually be used for straightening, too. They're used as part of a process known as wet-setting, which involves pulling damp hair into with Velcro and silicon rollers for air drying. For this method, the bigger the size of your curlers, the better as, they provide minimal curl to help you achieve a straight look.
To try it out yourself, first towel dry freshly-washed hair so that it's damp (not wet!) and detangle it. Then, section the hair into four parts. Comb your first section through with a wide-tooth comb before then wrapping the hair in a roller and securing with a bobby pin. Repeat this step with each section, finishing with a hairspray or setting lotion. Then, leave the rollers in place until your hair is dry. Similar to other heatless hair hacks, it's best to wrap them in a silk scarf and sleep with them if you can handle it. When you remove them the next morning, you should have smooth, yet bouncy hair.
A big bonus of giving this method a go is the volume rollers will give you. Instead of giving you flat, straight hair you'd get from a flat iron, rollers give your locks bombshell volume and movement, without any teasing. We'll call that a win!