Straight hair is a walk in the park when you're a curlfriend. I mean, waking up and not having to do your hair? Rolling out of bed 10 minutes before you have to leave because your hair did itself? Magical. But straightening your hair has consequences curlfriends. We all know this and still do it.
This past November, I damaged my delicate curls from straightening my hair and then deciding to add beach wave curls with the same damaging hot plates...why Z, why?
But the real question is, is there a way to “reverse” the clock of doom once your curls turn into a slight sad wave? Well, no not really. But there are definite ways of preventing damage and steps to recovery! Let’s review!
Straighten Your Hair Less and Use A Protectant
Stop doing it. Twice to three times a year, okay, but after that. DROP THE STRAIGHTENER STACEY. I said drop it. Do some yoga, drink some tea, ignore the urge to have those silky straight hairs. I mean, if you “have” to straighten it then using a protectant is helpful. But it depends on the kind.
Oils are like setting your hair fire. Don’t oil your hair before straightening. At least for me, less damage occurs when I put less in my hair. Keep it simple, find a hair heat protectant that moisturizes and seals the hair from heat damage.
They may contain oils themselves, but that’s fine. I’m just saying don't slather castor oil on your hair before you touch it with a 400° F hot plate. Speaking of which…
Lower the Heat on the Straightener and Limit Blow Drying
Please note that blow-drying on high hot heat is equally as damaging as a straightener. This is why I try and stick with straightening twice a year.
As for the straightener, I stick to 250°, MAX. Of course, the 200°-250° heat can damage your hair. But it’s a lot less likely to singe it as opposed to the 400° heat.
Condition, condition, condition
Find the best conditioner that works for you.
Conditioners that are natural and do not clog your hair follicles or sit on top of your hair, can seal, nourish, and replenish dry damaged hair. Like most things in life, this will take time to see a difference in your curls.
Severe damage is irreversible, you’ll have to wait for those locks to grow back. However, sticking with a routine and conditioning regularly can help get some bounce back.
Silk Scarves!
Curlfriend, I know you think it’s cute to go to bed without that scarf, but I encourage you to stop reading this blog post for a second and go get it and put it on before you fall asleep tonight. I wear a silk scarf EVERY night. This helps prevent hair that is prone to breakage. We do not want little dead curls all over your floors, do we?
It also reduces frizz and keeps up the shine! Yas, hair flip.