My failed straightening experience

Posted in hairxperiment, product review by
Hi beautifuls! (yes I said that)

I’ve been dying to straighten my hair but I had planned to get it done professionally.

However, one evening about two weeks ago, I spontaneously decided to straighten my hair.
About two days prior, my mum had bought herself a bottle of Design Essentials HCO Leave-In Conditioner and Blow Drying Lotion(long name so let’s call it the DE lotion shall we?). So I decided I would use that as my heat protectant.
  
I washed my hair in my usual fashion and then applied some of my regular leave in and a bit of oil. I then proceeded to apply the DE lotion and blow dry in sections but my hair seemed to be getting really dry and ‘seizing up’ (I tried to blow dry my hair like a year ago and the same thing happened!). 
I decided to skip the blow drying and just straighten from the get-go. 
I would take a section, apply some more DE lotion to my ends and straighten.
My hair no gree. It would not become bone straight no matter how hard I tried or how many passes I made with the straightener. I decided to get it as straight as it would go and not stress it. 
Imagine my surprise when the sections I straightened started reverting 2 minutes later.
I said “lai lai, you must be straight oh” and straightened them again. Two minutes later, same thing. After trying like 3 times, I gave up!
 

I know I look like struggle

  

  

That afro section was actually straight 2 minutes before!

  

I gave up and spritzed my hair with water

  

Happy to see those coils back. The fear of heat damage is real

 

Here’s what I learnt:
  1. My hair seems to hate being blow dried.
  2. My hair does not want to be straight.
  3. My ends are as shitty as shitty can be. They were basically like dead looking, knot filled thread when I straightened my hair.
What I’ll do next time:
  1. Try a better product.
  2. Trim my ends.
  3. Get it done professionally.
  4. Maybe try one of those straightening products that last weeks e.g. ORS Strengthening and Straightening Treatment which Tuke tried here

Any tried and trusted straightening methods/products you’d suggest? Any advice for my next attempt? Have you/would you straighten your natural hair? Please share!

20 thoughts on “My failed straightening experience”

  2. I heard blow drying or stretching hair first is necessary. You might want to consider using a higher heat setting too. Planning on straightening my hair December. Still contemplating though.

    blackhairstory.blogspot.com

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    • I was too scared of heat damage to think of a higher heat setting. My hair refused to blow dry but maybe next time I’ll try threading before straightening.

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  3. My hair doesn’t straighten at all.. Once I step out of the salon, it goes kinky on me again.. But I only do full blow dry when I have an important place to go the next day… I hold it in a bun so that it still looks long the next day even if its curly… The struggle is real 😹😹

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    • Just too long and stressful! I’m definitely getting it professionally done next time.
      Thank Jesus I didn’t get heat damage *gives the Lord a wiper*

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  7. The look on your face in the first picture though!!! The struggle was real! Haha!
    I blow dried my hair for the first time in two years two days ago so I’ll write some tips on how it managed to last soon. The product you use is key! Our hair can be very very very picky.

    igbocurls

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  8. LOL!
    When I read this post in the mail I just had to come on here to comment, LOL!
    I think your hair *can* be straight if a professional does it.
    When I’m in Lagos I’d go to where AB got her hair straightened so I can have professional experience.

    Bookie Kunlere

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