How to relax curly hair – My Crown Wrap method

[Heidi_234]

No chemical relaxer, no blow drying, no flat-ironing, no styling products (unless you what to use some), just less than 10 bobby pins and you have your curly hair relaxed and long!
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The basic idea is that hair would acquire the form it was air dried into. It depends on your hair type, but mostly damp braids would result in braid waves, rope braid would give cork screw curls (curlier types form in those better as much as I know), and so on. So the idea is to air dry your hair as straight as possible, so when it’s dry it’s going to be straight.

This wrapping idea came to me very suddenly, that light bulb near my head just lit up and I knew how it could be done. Wrapping your hair straight around your head like a crown braid and leave it to air dry, would provide the needed straight position, and would be comfortable for you.

I'm not sure which hair types respond best to this, I'm 2c/3a (or at least I think I am) and it works for me. I'm also not sure about the length, I'm BSL/waist-ish. I think beyond APL would do.
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So here’s the system I worked out:
For the sake of this guide I invited this Barbie to model, she’s got great 1a hair but was still willing to help and show how to make your hair straight (Is it that wrong to envy your baby sis old Barbie’s hair?). I’m sorry the pictures are not that easy to understand, but they are better than just words alone.

After the shower, when you’re done with your hair (after-shower oiling or anything else you might do), divide it as you’re going to do 2 ponytails and let it hang on both sides of your head. Finger comb or comb it so later on it would be easier to work with. Make sure you hair’s straight while you wait until it would become damp instead of wet. If curls are forming, straighten them with your fingers.

Wait until your hair is fairly damp, but not too much, because it doesn’t dry very easily in the crown wrap. But also not too dry, because then it’s already too late to air-dry-style it.

Take the section of your hair on top, which contains hair of the top most later, the canopy that overlaps on the rest. Hold it with a clip where it won’t interfere. It’s not a must do, but you’ll see that the crown wrap creates this ripple near the nape and you’ll wish to cover over it with straight layer of hair to mask it.


Take both parts of your hair in both hands and cross them. Then cross them again (in the same direction). This way, both part hold each other at the nape of your head, and make sure all the hairs from either section won’t escape. I marked the right part with orange anf the left with purple to make it easier for you to understand where each one goes in the pic.


Take the right part, and wrap in around your head coming from the right (the way you’ll place crown braid). Don’t pull it, as the left side is still unsecured and would be pulled along with it. The twist on the back should preferably remain in the middle. Take two bobby pins and secure the part, about 2 inches from the ends and also in the middle of the strand or 2 inches from shorter ends if you’ve got layers. No need for too much bobby pins as overlapping strands would need to be secured as well and the bobby pins would grab the first one as well.


Take the left part of your hair and wrap it around your head in the other direction. Make sure to tuck the ends of the right part underneath the left so that they will remain straight on the head. Secure the left part just like you did the right.


Now take off the clip with the top layer hair. As you see, we didn’t put it into the crown wrap with the rest of the hair so that we won’t have to twist it on the nape and get the ripple.


Take the right half, and bring it under the twist and then around you head along with the rest. Secure it with bobby pins, on the ends and also one behind the ear or nearer the nape so that the strand won’t escape from under the twist and get messed up. Do the same with the left half.


Here, you've completed your crown wrap.


I found that there was no need for more bobby pins, as everything was secured quite well. Well enough to sleep in this crown wrap without it getting undone. You can also wrap a silk scarf around the head or sleeping cap for your beauty sleep, it probably would do good.

If you’re not doing it right before bed, it’s okay too. When you feel that the length and ends have dried take all the bobby pins out and put your hair down. You’ll see that the area where the twist holds the parts does not dry well. Air the damp hairs and run your fingers through them. Don’t leave it down too long, as it might curl and dry like that. Redo the crown wrap, and go about your business again. Airing the damp part once in a while like this would speed the drying process without the hair curling.

Eventually your hair would dry and leave just the smallest hint of dampness, which is a great opportunity to oil it and seal the moisture in. If you wish to put styling product of any kind that you know would preserve its straight state, do it.
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I won’t say it would flatter your hair, but it’s great if you want to take length shot, or you’re tired of the curls and wish to be care free for at least the next shower, or just want to enjoy your actual length that is hidden in the curls usually. It does not make your hair really straight, shiny flowing straight, it makes it appear relaxed. It is definitely better than blow frying, and not that hard to do at all.

This method is by no means perfect, I only did it a couple of times so there’s still quite a lot to perfect. The hair near the nape might still be somewhat rippled, but for the most part it’s relaxed and straight. I would be more than happy to see how it goes for you, and if you’ve got suggestions to make the result even better, please do post them! Any feedback would be great.

P.S. Excuse me if my English is little bad, I'm not a native speaker. I won't be offended if you correct me, I welcome it!

[PurpleAshes]

Hehehe, Here in Dominican Republic, most of the population do something that looks a lot like like that, the differences are that:
1) We wrap all of the hair in the same direction, including the nape, and without doig that twist in the middle.
2) We use it AFTER blowdriying, so that it stays straight and doesnt get frizzy.

It had never ocurred to me that it could be done with damp hair to achieve straighted hair
We call it Tubi (toobie)

BTW, where are you from?

[Heidi_234]

Hehehe, Here in Dominican Republic, most of the population do something that looks a lot like like that, the differences are that:
1) We wrap all of the hair in the same direction, including the nape, and without doig that twist in the middle.
2) We use it AFTER blowdriying, so that it stays straight and doesnt get frizzy.

It had never ocurred to me that it could be done with damp hair to achieve straighted hair
We call it Tubi (toobie)

Oh, really? Interesting!
I wonder how can one wrap it all in the same direction. Can you tell how does it goes? It might be better than my twist thing.

[Sissy]

Wow, I appreciate your taking the time to post all this. I am going to print it out and take the pictures to my sister and have her and my husband help me figure out how to do it. I'm sure your directions are great but you're talking to a girl who have never even braided her hair so when it comes to doing any sort of updo I'm a complete incompetent. LOL, I hope to learn a lot here and have high hopes of trying some updos (with the help of my sis) while visiting family for Christmas. I'll let you know how it goes for me.

[PurpleAshes]

First, you do a part (wherever you want, and it generally depends where you want your part to be when its down, for example, when I blowdryed I did mine on the right side) that goes all the way from the nape to the end of hairline (I dont know how to call that xD).


Then you start wrapping carefully using a brush and a bunch of bobby pins,


specially at the nape (to keep the hair near to the head and avoid a little tornado thing xD), and at the bottom (so that the hair doesnt fall out).




Here I am wrapping counter clockwise.

You keep wrapping the hair around,



and when you reach a part that already has a layer of hair under it, you can take out the pin that it had and put it to hold both layers.


Here, it's finished:



At first it's a bit tricky, but with practice it gets better, and once you know how to do it right, you'll have to use very few bobby pins. I used to use like 6 for myself (thats my mom ).

[Heidi_234]

Wow, I appreciate your taking the time to post all this. I am going to print it out and take the pictures to my sister and have her and my husband help me figure out how to do it. I'm sure your directions are great but you're talking to a girl who have never even braided her hair so when it comes to doing any sort of updo I'm a complete incompetent. LOL, I hope to learn a lot here and have high hopes of trying some updos (with the help of my sis) while visiting family for Christmas. I'll let you know how it goes for me.

It's really easy! You just need to figure out where each strand goes and then secure it with bobby pins, and i hope I was clear enough explaining that.

First, you do a part (wherever you want, and it generally depends where you want your part to be when its down, for example, when I blowdryed I did mine on the right side) that goes all the way from the nape to the end of hairline (I dont know how to call that xD).

Then you start wrapping carefully using a bunch of bobby pins, specially at the nape (to keep the hair near to the head and avoid a little tornado thing xD), and at the bottom (so that the hair doesnt fall out).

You keep wrapping the hair around, and when you reach a part that already has a layer of hair under it, you can take out the pin that it had and put it to hold both layers.

At first it's a bit tricky, but with practice it gets better, and once you know how to do it right, you'll have to use very few bobby pins. I used like 6. Maybe I'll convince my mom to let me do one to her so that I can take pics.

I searched the net, for some reason it's more known as 'Doobie'
I found this one video:
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/7...r-dry-wrap.htm
It shows quite well how to do it, but will it be good for long hair? BSL is quite long compared to the girl's hair. I'm going to try wrapping it tonight, see what comes out.
There are also this, this and this, additional instruction, pretty much say what you've said.

[Buddaphlyy]

I used to wrap daily when I was relaxed. It would never work on my hair now though. Check out Youtube for a lady named Ateya. She has really good wet and dry wrapping videos.

BTW, if you can truly wrap, it doesn't matter the length of your hair.

[PurpleAshes]

It's really easy! You just need to figure out where each strand goes and then secure it with bobby pins, and i hope I was clear enough explaining that.

I searched the net, for some reason it's more known as 'Doobie'
I found this one video:
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/7...r-dry-wrap.htm
It shows quite well how to do it, but will it be good for long hair? BSL is quite long compared to the girl's hair. I'm going to try wrapping it tonight, see what comes out.
There are also this, this and this, additional instruction, pretty much say what you've said.

Yeah, it works on every lenght. When I used to do it, I had BSL and at one time it was longer.
The only difference is that you get to wrap several times

[Heidi_234]

I used to wrap daily when I was relaxed. It would never work on my hair now though. Check out Youtube for a lady named Ateya. She has really good wet and dry wrapping videos.

BTW, if you can truly wrap, it doesn't matter the length of your hair.

I wish I knew about the wrap before!!
I found the video you talked about, here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Am-8RbpiSk
She started from the right side, doesn't make the hair on the left side go the wrong way?

PurpleAshes, thank so so much for adding photos to your instructions! I'm beginning to understand how it's done. The excessive brushing I've seen in the videos so far puts me off a little bit, I've thrown my brush to make sure I've got hair remaining on my head, I'll try to comb it maybe, see how that works.

[PurpleAshes]

PurpleAshes, thank so so much for adding photos to your instructions! I'm beginning to understand how it's done. The excessive brushing I've seen in the videos so far puts me off a little bit, I've thrown my brush to make sure I've got hair remaining on my head, I'll try comb it maybe, see how that works.

You're welcome
You can do it with a comb, just use your hands a lot to make sure the hair is straightened and very close to the head. In fact, I barely used the brush to make my mom's tubi.