Straight hair should not cost you your health. Unfortunately, a great many hair straightening conventions that are common these days rely on the use of extreme conditions and chemicals to bring about desired results.
Hair straightening irons use high heat to force hairs to lay flat. Hair can handle up 350 Fahrenheit, but suffers damage from temperatures higher than this. Coarse hair requires ironing at or above the 350 Fahrenheit mark, making it especially prone to being damaged by this practice.
Chemical straightening treatments like keratin and Brazilian blowouts make use of strong substances like formaldehyde to straighten hair. Improper use can lead to chemical burns and permanently damaged hair.
Straightening your hair with safer, natural methods can protect you from the pitfalls of more common practices and keep your locks looking great for years to come.
Scientific Structure of Straight Hair
Your hair has three layers called the cuticle, the cortex, and the medulla. The cuticle contains translucent, overlapping scales found in the outer most layer of your hair. The innermost layer, the medulla, provides insulation properties. Determining if you have strait hair or curly hair is dependent on the middle layer, known as the cortex.
Different types of straight hair, such as type 1a hair are naturally straight, fine, and do not hold curls well. Hair type 1c is also straight, but much thicker and holds curls much easier. However, this type of hair is susceptible to getting frizz.
The texture of your hair determines if you have curly hair or straight hair. Texture varies based on your genetics. If your hair is fine, making physical changes such as straightening will be easy.
If you have thick or coarse hair, it will be more difficult to learn how to make curly hair straight. Porosity is the ability for your hair to absorb liquid, depending on the cuticle condition.
For example, your hair will tangle when wet, making it hard for you to achieve straight hair.
Straight Hair Without Using Irons
Knowing how to straighten hair without heat will keep your straight hair healthy. You can learn how to get straight hair and how to straighten curly hair with home remedies. These 12 tips will show you how to make your hair straight.
Tips:
Hot Oil Treatment
In addition to naturally straightening your hair, routine hot oil treatments will also keep your hair healthy and nourished. Put coconut oil, or a combination of coconut oil and olive oil into a plastic bottle or container that is heat-safe.
Let the bottle sit in a pot of hot water for one or two minutes. Once heated, test a drop or two of the oil on your wrist to check the temperature before applying it to your hair.
Gently massage the oil into your hair, roots, and scalp for five minutes. Wrap your hair in a hot towel or plastic cap for 45 minutes. Rinse the oil out of your hair with shampoo and conditioner.
Coconut Milk
Coat your hair with a combination of freshly squeezed lemon juice and one cup of coconut milk. Pour the mixture over your head while squeezing the hair to work the liquids deep into the strands.
Next, wrap your hair in a warm towel for about 15 minutes, allowing the coconut milk to seep into the hair. Unwrap the towel and use normal shampoo and conditioner to clean your hair.
Stay away from the sun when using this treatment, since lemon juice bleaches your hair when exposed to the sun.
Milk
Pour 1/3 cup of milk into a spray bottle. Any milk is sufficient, but use thicker or creamy milk to achieve the best results. Meticulously spray the milk onto your damp hair. Do not forget to spray the scalps and tips.
To avoid the milk getting trapped in your hair, use a wide-toothed comb to prevent your hair from getting tangles. Continue to massage the milk into your hair with a comb and your hands before quickly and thoroughly rinsing it out.
If you let the milk sit for too long, you will end up smelling like milk later.
Eggs and Olive Oil
Take two eggs and remove the yolks, discarding the whites and placing just the yolks into a bowl. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the yolks and whisk them with a spoon until it becomes creamy and smooth.
If your hair is extra long, you might need to add an extra egg and tablespoon of olive oil. Apply the mixture to your damp hair, using a wide-toothed comb to coat all the strands. Finally, shampoo your hair with cold water.
Do not use hot or warm water, since it could cook the egg in your hair.
Fullers Earth
You can buy fullers earth in any grocery store. Mix two or three teaspoons of fullers earth into a bowl with a half-cup of curd. Next, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and two teaspoons of honey into the bowl.
Use a spoon to blend all the ingredients in the bowl. Rub the mixture into your hair, while simultaneously combing your hair straight. Once your hair is completely saturated, leave it alone for 30 minutes before combing it again.
Finally, rinse the mixture out with regular water, shampoo, and conditioner for strat hair as a result.
Aloe Vera
Mix a half-cup of aloe vera gel with essential oil and olive oil or coconut oil. The thickness of your hair will determine how much essential oil is added to the aloe vera; the thicker your hair, the more oil you will use.
Massage the blend fully into your hair and scalp. Leave the aloe vera and oil in your hair for about 2 hours. Finally, wash your hair with regular shampoo and lukewarm water. Repeat this process a few times per week to obtain naturally straight hair.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Mix a cup of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar a cup. Stir the liquid with a spoon, and then pour it into a spray bottle. Spray your clean hair with the combination, including your scalp and roots.
After a few minutes, rinse the apple cider vinegar out of your hair with water. Repeat this process on clean hair, after a shower, several times throughout the week.
Beer
For best results, you want to use a beer that does not contain any carbonation. Open a bottle or can of beer and pour it into a glass or bowl. Let the glass sit for a day or so until it oxidizes and becomes flat. Shampoo your hair regularly, but do not use any conditioner.
Use the flat beer as the conditioner instead, massaging into hair in the shower for a minute or two before rinsing it out. Do not completely rinse the beer out, leave a little bit in for better results then towel dry your hair.
You can use beer as conditioner a few days per week.
Castor Oil
Warm up castor oil in a heat-safe plastic bottle. Place the bottle into a pot of warm water until it is hot. Apply the warm oil to your hair, roots, and scalp. Spend about five minutes or so to fully and evenly massage the oils into your hair.
Next, soak a towel in warm water, ring out the excess water, and wrap the warm towel around your hair. After 30 minutes remove the towel and wash your hair with shampoo. Repeat this process a few times per week.
Castor oil is a natural solution to straighten your hair.
Celery Leaves
To extract celery juice from the leaves, crush several leaves and mix them with a small amount of water. Squeeze the leaves remove all juices, then store the juice in a bottle for a day or two.
The best time to put this celery juice in your hair is in the morning. Every day, or every other day, put this in your hair for 15-30 minutes before your regular shower and shampoo routine.
Hair Bands
To make sure your hair is damp and clean, wash your hair at night. After showering, towel dry until your hair is damp; do not use a blow-dyer. Separate your hair into two or four equal sections depending on the length and thickness of your hair.
Starting with the first section, tie a hair band near your ear or neck as if you were making a ponytail. Continue adding hair bands to that same section about an inch or so apart until you reach the end.
Repeat this process for all sections. Go to sleep, and carefully remove all bands when you wake up in the morning.
Rollers
Using rollers to straighten your hair works best if your hair is damp or wet. To prevent tangles and keep your hair moisturized, leave a small amount of conditioner in your hair before rolling.
If you use large rollers, your hair will come out even more straight than small sized rollers. Only use thin sections of hair for each roller. It will take at least 12 rollers to straighten a full head of hair.
Secure the rollers with a pin, rather than using Velcro rollers that can damage and tangle your hair. Once the rollers are in, wait for them to dry naturally, or lightly blow-dry them to speed up the process. Cautiously remove the pins and rollers to unveil straight hair.