The weather has finally reached temps cool enough to sustain a Blow Out longer than 5 minutes! Over the past couple of years I have strayed away from applying heat to my hair often. In fact, I've really only applied heat to my hair at max 3 times a year since I've gone Natural. Which is crazy because I applied heat to my hair weekly when I was relaxed!! I don't know why I'm so afraid of heat now but I've really been trying to leave that behind and just enjoy my hair.
I've never experienced heat damage and I think that's really because I've been doing my hair since I was like 10 years old. I truly do know my own hair very well. There are a few tips that I always give my friends and family when they ask me about straightening their natural hair.
1. Use as few products as possible when Blowing your hair out. So many times we simply just add too many products which tends to sometimes extend the drying time. The longer you apply heat to your hair, the greater the possibility of heat damage. I don't use a leave-in when blow drying my hair UNLESS it is a heat protectant. The best option is to apply your heat protectant and immediately blow dry. You can always add products after you Dry for added moisture if necessary.
2. Once you rinse your Conditioner out, separate your hair into sections and allow it to air dry 50% if possible. If you don't have the time for air drying that long then t-shirt dry. The more saturated your hair is with water, the longer it will take for you to dry. The longer it takes to dry, the greater chance you have encountering heat damage.
3. Start Drying from the bottom, or the ends of your hair. Stretch your hair and begin drying from the ends and work your way to the roots. This really helps with keeping your hair from detangling and manageable while Drying. It's so tempting to start at those roots but doing so can really break your hair off and cause your Drying time to be longer than necessary due to knots and tangles.
4. Pay extra attention to the SMELL. When you're Drying your hair, you will see steam lifting from your hair. This is OKAY! You should also smell the heat protectant that you're using. If you start smelling hair burning. STOP. The whole point of using a heat protectant is for the product to be a barrier between the heat and your hair. Once that is gone, your hair is at risk for heat damage.
The common thread amongst my recommendations is to apply heat for as little time as possible. This is also why I use heat at a high temperature versus a low temperature setting that may take an hour to complete. Obviously, do what you're comfortable with! If you're uncomfortable or scared to use heat on a high temperature then don't or go to a professional. My experience has been great using these tips over the years and as you can see from my Wash + Gos, my curls are healthy and heat damage-free. So enjoy your tresses and don't be afraid to take part in Blow Out Season!
XOXOMCS
Products I use for my Blow Outs:
Conair Blow Dryer: http://astore.amazon.com/myca058-20/detail/B00LQET5QY
Motions Leave- In: http://www.motionshair.com/product/detail/734880/straight-finish-leave-in-conditioner
Motions Serum: http://www.motionshair.com/product/detail/734940/straight-finish-sealer
Sedu Flat Iron: http://astore.amazon.com/myca058-20/detail/B000GFCRGO
In step 2, do you apply your heat protectant before sectioning your hair? Or do you apply it after sectioning just before blow drying?
ReplyDeleteHey Sonya!! I section, detangle, towel or air dry THEN apply my heat protectant.
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