It's A Celebration!
March 30, 2017
Along with turning 30 a few days ago, I decided to press my hair after 1 year and 2 months of no heat. Woooo hoooo! I used to get my hair blow dryed and flat ironed often, so I chose this goal to push myself even further on this natural hair journey. I ended up learning so much about healthy hair practices, and I enjoyed the time spent! Check out the steps I took to straighten my hair after a no-heat year.
The Comb & Pre-poo
Before the wash, my fro had so. much. shrinkage. So to prepare it to stretch, I made sure to do a slight detangle and comb it out. An additional step that works for me is to pre-poo, or section hair and add olive oil or coconut oil to each section before washing. This method has been beneficial to the moisture of my hair as it helps to retain oils that are often stripped during washing.
The Wash & Deep Condition
I washed my hair as normal. Then for the deep condition, I added jojoba oil and Jamaican black castor oil to the conditioner, mixed it up, and applied it to each small section of my hair from root to tip. I let it sit for 45 minutes then rinsed it out. I randomly got the thought to add the oils to the conditioner some months ago because I like mixing up products and stuff :) Along with pre-pooing, I found that this step really gives my hair so much moisture!
The Blow Dry
This part was challenging because my hair roots were very tight and had not been blowed out in over a year. Though with a few self-talks, a dose of patience, and a BOMB detangling brush, I was able to get the deed done. To protect my hair from the heat, I used a light heat protection spray beforehand. I could tell that the pre-poo and deep condition paid off because my hair turned out to be really soft after the blow-drying process.
The Silk Press
After blow drying and reviewing the ends of my hair, I separated it into very small sections. Then I gently combed each section and lightly sprayed the heat protection spray. I treated my hair very gently and delicately while flat ironing because it had been awhile. I was quite pleased with the final results! And although the no-heat journey and straightening process required a great deal of patience, it felt well worth it in the end.
In all, the process of straightening my hair after a year was worth the wait. I was able to work on patience and discipline while my hair seems much stronger and more durable. Setting hair goals keep us motivated and in tune with our journey! What are and have been some of your hair goals? How far did you get with them? Share on Facebook or Instagram! Thanks for reading! With love, S
