Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been dealing with what my parents and friends have affectionately dubbed “the weave.” To make a long, frizzly, snarly story short, my natural hair grows in the strangest texture possible. Picture about four yellow brillo pads cut into shreds lengthwise, and that’s about what I’m workin’ with over here. Since the ripe age of 11, I’ve been trying to find ways to straighten my mop-head, and have consequently tried just about every hair-straightening method on the market. From flat irons to Japanese retexturizing, from Freida to Joico, I’ve tried it all. Following is a mapped-out version of (almost) every product on the market, with pros, cons, and personal comments. For all my curly girls out there, I feel you.
Flat Iron
Pros: Undoubtedly the most precise straightening method on this list, flat irons definitely allow for the most control. You can get your hair pin straight or leave it a little more voluminous based on plate heat and how many passes per strand. Using a flat iron makes it possible to change from curly to straight and back super quickly, which can be great if you only want to have straight hair some of the time. Also, it’s one of the more inexpensive options on this list.
Cons: It’s extremely damaging… I’m not kidding you when I said I burned side bangs into my hair on accident in 8th grade. Using heat tools on your hair frequently will leave you with dry, brittle hair and damaged split ends. This means more trims in the long run to keep your hair looking healthy, which really isn’t conducive to growing out your hair.
Personal Comments: Even though I know how damaging my flat iron can be, I always seem to come back to it. Nothing, and I mean nothing can get hair as silky, shiny, and flat as my flat iron can. While I’ve definitely cut back on my heat-tools use in the past couple years, I’ll occasionally straighten my locks for an important event or night out. The biggest tip I have when using a flat iron is to invest in a quality heat protectant and only pass over each bundle of hair once. One of my many hairdressers over the years told me that a lot of flat irons today heat up to around 250-300 degrees, and when we pass these over our hair more even just a few times, we can flash heat our delicate tresses up to 700 degrees. For perspective, the FDA recommends that a pork chop (yes, like a thick slab of pig meat) be heated to 160 degrees to be thoroughly cooked. If just 160 degrees can cook a pork chop, just think of the damage you’re doing to your hair when you heat it up over 4x that.
Styling Creams:
Pros: Probably the easiest, most inexpensive, convenient method on this list, straightening creams can be found at drug stores and beauty supply stores almost everywhere. They’re easy to use, come in a variety of different formulas that fit many different hair textures, and wash out as soon as you shower.
Cons: While there may be some curly girls who get all the straightening power they need out of straightening creams, there are plenty who get little to no benefits out of these products. A lot of the time, the formulas just aren’t strong enough to tame frizz, curls, and extreme volume all at once. Also, these products can leave hair feeling greasy and weighed down, making more frequent showers a necessity.
Personal Comments: This method is probably my least favorite on the list, just because I’ve tried so many of them and have been let down by every. single. one. (I’m a little salty about it.) I have literally never found a styling product that has been able to do anything about the frizziness of my hair, much less tone down the insane volume and waviness. If you have more of a gentle wave in your hair with little to no frizz and de-volumizing isn’t an issue, then styling creams might be an effective straightening solution for you. But if your hair is on the wilder side, I would say don’t even bother. Trust me when I say that I have tried every type of product– from the very cheapest at the drug store from the most expensive straightening product from a chi-chi hair salon–and they have all had the same effect (or lack thereof). Save your time and money, and don’t even bother.
“Natural” Straightening Methods (DIY masks, hair bands, etc..):
Pros: In most cases, these methods are completely free. If you already have pretty much straight hair, these methods could possibly work for you.
Cons: These methods rarely, if ever, work. Admittedly, I found most of these ideas on Google and Pinterest, so the validity is automatically questionable.
Personal Comments: These are probably the methods I have the least experience with because I’ve tried only a few and been disappointed by each one. I knew they probably wouldn’t work, but I tried them anyway because they were free and I thought “why not?”. I would advise against experimenting with these methods on a day when you need to look put together (because they definitely made mine look a little funky sometimes) but if you want to, go for it! Not much to lose here.
Semi-Permanent Chemical Straighteners (Brazilian Blowout, Keratin Treatment, etc…)
Pros: These treatments are great for people who are just trying to fight frizz, who want to experiment with what having permanently straight hair is like without the actual permanence, and people who want their hair to be straight and manageable for a trip or especially busy time, like the holidays. They work wonders for the first couple weeks, and definitely do as they are advertised, if only for a short period of time.
Cons: The most annoying con to these semi-permanent chemical straighteners for me personally is the amount of time that they actually last. I’ve had about 5 different formulas of semi-permanent straightening treatments over the years, and the maximum amount of time that they last (with full effects) is right around a month. While this might be OK for some people, I always found it so irritating that these products are advertised to last for 3-6 months, but most of them wash out in much, much less time than that. This leads me to my second con, the fact that you have a very limited amount of washes in every treatment. Every time you wash your hair, a little bit of the product is washed out. Over time, the entire treatment is washed out, but most hairdressers say this will take anywhere from 3-6 months. With every treatment I got, I made sure to use sulfate free shampoo and conditioner and limit my number of washes, but it would still come out within a month. For me, it was definitely not worth not being able to shower frequently (having smelly, greasy hair is definitely not a good look, even if it is flippy and straight.) Couple this with the outrageous prices, and these treatments are definitely not for everyone. Depending on the formula and salon, these treatments can run you anywhere from $250-$600, which is a little steep for having to get them at least twice a year to maintain straight hair. Last but not least, these treatments can be extremely damaging to hair. Pro Tip: If you’re interested in having one of these treatments put on your locks, look for a formaldehyde-free formula.
Personal Comments: Until I found Japanese retexturizing, I thought that semi-permanent straightening treatments were my lot in life. I’ve tried everything from organic formulas, to the strongest, most potent formulas on the market. Some I’ve liked more than others, but these treatments always left me disappointed when they washed out way, way before their promised expiration date. Knowing what I know now, I personally wouldn’t have another one of these treatments done, but I know people who swear by them. It all depends completely on personal preference.
Japanese Retexturizing Treatments (lisico, yuko, etc…)
Pros: These treatments are the most effective on this list and can help women with curly, unmanageable hair (A.K.A, me) exponentially. Once hair is treated, it will never go back to being curly, but the new growth will grow out with your natural texture. It’s a great treatment for girls who are looking for a permanent solution and don’t mind doling out a little bit more cash for straight locks.
Cons: While this treatment is the most effective, it’s also the most expensive. Treatments run from about $275 – well over $1,000, so it can definitely be a major investment. It’s also extremely important to do your research before committing to a hairdresser. If the treatment is done by a professionally trained, highly experienced hairdresser, it shouldn’t damage your hair. However, if the treatment is somehow botched and left to process for too long, it can literally fry the hair and cause breakage and irreversible damage. Lastly, this treatment isn’t for the unsure – while the hair does grow with it’s natural texture, the treated hair will never go back to it’s original texture, meaning it would be difficult and take quite a while to grow out. Before you commit, make sure that you’re 100% sure on wanting permanently straightened hair.
Personal Comments: This is my personal favorite straightening method on the list. I just got my first treatment in December, but have been absolutely obsessed with my hair ever since. It air dries perfectly straight, and I love how low-maintenance it is. I do have to say though, it is so important to be 100% sure that you want to commit to this method before you take the plunge. Because it’s a little more extreme, I would only recommend this method to girls who have completely unmanageable locks, and who straighten their hair everyday or almost everyday anyway. In order to maintain the straightness, my roots need to be touched up every 5-6 months, but that is absolutely fine by me. I love that I can just wash my hair and go now, but I will definitely admit that this straightening method isn’t for everyone.
There you go, fellow curly girls! Here’s to hoping we can all find our foolproof straightening method. Good luck and remember at the end of the day, it’s just hair!
Images courtesy of: totalbeauty.com, skincarebeautymag.com, pinterest.com, hypnoticsalon.com, milbon-usa.com