Wrap Hair with Saran Wrap, Alternative to Flat Iron?

[sweetbluesky]

Hi Everyone,
I saw this video, she has BEAUTIFUL hair. I saw there are some threads on wrapping hair to smooth and straighten it. For those of us who need videos in addition to pictures (me) this is a helpful video, because her hair is longish (compared to other videos I saw).
Also, the idea of using saran wrap is so fascinating to me. Has anyone tried this to straighten hair? If someone tries this, please post pics and share your thoughts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDOPWlDylV4&feature=PlayList&p=E967148ACA05DEEF&playnext=1&index=40

[going gray]

Thanks SO much for posting this link, I think it's going to be wonderful for my hair.

[RancheroTheBee]

Bah-haha! The second I wean myself off flat-irons, you show me an alternative. Great! :)

[Copasetic]

I tried something like this before, but without the Saran wrap, and it didn't work. Maybe the Saran wrap is the magic ingredient. :P

[Oskimosa]

The first thing I was thinking while I was watching that was "holy cow I can't imagine spending that much time on my hair." But then again, flat ironing takes alot of time too. Still, she uses rollers, dries them, blowdries her roots, wraps it, sits under the dryer again, and then combs it out. Wow.. but I guess if you have a special occaision or if you only wash your hair once every week or so, it wouldn't be so bad...

I'm thinking the saran wrap pretty much amplifies the heat without taking it to that dangerous 400 degree mark that the flat iron uses. I'd also think it holds in moisture and acts like lightly steaming the hair, don't you think? I mean the dryer not only adds heat but causes water to evaporate. Even though the hair is dry, it's got to have SOME moisture left, not to mention any your scalp would release under the dryer. Just using a heat wrap or warm towel would absorb some of the moisture while the saran wrap is repelling it and making it stay in the hair. I'm just speculating though, I don't know if I'm right :p

I think I'll just stick to using my iron, since I only do it like once every 6 months.

[Heidi_234]

She had her hair straightened before the wrap.

[Aisha25]

She had her hair straightened before the wrap.
Yup she did, so its not really showing you that you can have straight hair like from flat iron hmm:ponder:

[Oskimosa]

Yea, but she had put them on those big rollers. I think the combination of all those things it what makes it so flat.

[Heidi_234]

Yeah, that's what I meant. The bottom line is that the saran wrap itself doesn't replace flat-irons the way we LHCers would like it to. If there was a way to dry the hair straight without a use of any styling tools that would be a flat-iron/blow-fryer alternative.
I tried to do it with my crown wrap method thing, with moderate success.

[Aisha25]

So the idea is to make it straightish then the saran wrap to flatten the hair??

[somethingwicked]

I'm gonna give this a try without the rollers, although I suspect my hair is going to snarl up like crazy when I wrap it around my head. I have a huge, extra long roll of plastic wrap from the $1 store that's just dying to give up a piece of itself for science.

[oldgregg]

its worth a shot! thank you

[rach]

i've tied it a week ago and my goodness its difficult . probably work better if my hair was shoulder length .
made the front of my hair lovely (which is shorter) , the rest looked odd , think it's going to take allot of practice but i'm not sure if i have the patience to do it very regularly.
but im determined to use this idea as an alternative solution to straighteners.
utube link of a variation (though she does have and annoying voice)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3pOtV_QXMU

[Sissy]

wow her hair did look really nice! What is Oil Sheen? Can someone like me use it in their hair?Or would it make hair like mine too greasy?

[AnnaMarie]

Do you think this would work without sitting under the dryer, like if you wrapped your hair then wrapped a warm towel around it for 20 minutes or so. I don't like the idea of putting all that heat on my hair, or is the saran wrap supposed to protect it:confused:

[AnnaMarie]

I just watched the alternative method, so what does she do after its wrapped?? Does she leave it like that overnight?

[WavyGirl]

I just watched the alternative method, so what does she do after its wrapped?? Does she leave it like that overnight?

I think so. The next video shows her taking it out (yellow green make-up video). I might have to try this way of wrapping at night instead of a braid or bun. I've done it on wet hair with fairly good results before now but it takes sooo long to dry and I feel an idiot walking round with it wrapped. I'm thinking maybe my usual wet bun in the morning after washing and this the same night on damp hair. Anyone else tried it before?


wow her hair did look really nice! What is Oil Sheen? Can someone like me use it in their hair?Or would it make hair like mine too greasy?

Lots of us use oil even though we don't have her hair type. That sheen must be very light the way they spray loads on. I wonder if the spray helps you to use a smaller amount. I normally apply a couple of drops of sesame or sweet almond oil to mine. Just warm them in my hands and spread carefully avoiding the roots. Try it when you don't have to go anywhere special and see how you get on.

[manderly]

Here are a few more threads on this same subject for more info :)

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=20740&highlight=straight+hair+wrap
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=17291&highlight=straight+hair+wrap
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=13459&highlight=straight+hair+wrap

[Alli.2009]

In this video the lady has a chemical relaxer, then sat under the dryer with a roller set, then did the saran wrap thing. I am trying not to flat iron myself but wrapping natural curly hair will not get it really straight whether you use the saran wrap or just tie it down with a scarf - unless you hair wasn't that curly to begin with. However, I have used this method -without the saran wrap- followed by either pin curls or 2-3 small buns (i guess it's a cinnamon bun - when you just twist a ponytail around itself) to get big loose curls rather than my tight spirals. It's cute, no heat and the fact that it's was not super straight hardly matters

[Sissy]

Lots of us use oil even though we don't have her hair type. That sheen must be very light the way they spray loads on. I wonder if the spray helps you to use a smaller amount. I normally apply a couple of drops of sesame or sweet almond oil to mine. Just warm them in my hands and spread carefully avoiding the roots. Try it when you don't have to go anywhere special and see how you get on.


So oil sheen is just using oil in your hair? I thought it was some sort of special product?

[Miyani]

I can't rollerset to save my life lol. But she roller set her hair, then sat under a dryer for a couple of hours then she wrapped it in saran wrap. If I could do a roller set and wrap my hair, then I could have straight hair. But it seems like a lot of work though just to straighten your hair :(

[Miyani]

It is a product and some oil sheen contains alcohol so it's not advised to use it. You could put some oil into a spritz bottle and spritz it into your hair...at least that's what I do lol.

[Miyani]

So oil sheen is just using oil in your hair? I thought it was some sort of special product?


It is a type of product but some oil sheen contains alcohol that's why it's not advised to use it. You could put some oil into a spritz bottle and spritz it onto your hair...at least that's what I do lol

[manderly]

From what I've seen it's like Pam for your hair. And I've considered using Pam.....lol.

[Copasetic]

wow her hair did look really nice! What is Oil Sheen? Can someone like me use it in their hair?Or would it make hair like mine too greasy?

Oil sheen is a spray on hair conditioner that can be found in the "black hair care" section of drug and beauty stores. I don't think it would make your hair too greasy, but you would probably want to use a very small amount. I really like oil sheens, but I find them to be a bit pricey.

[Starr]

Just a quick fyi, most oil sheens contain mineral oil. . .

[Sissy]

Ok, thanks to everyone for explaining what Oil Sheen is... I would consider it if I can find some Alcohol Free spray stuff.


Just a quick fyi, most oil sheens contain mineral oil. . .

Thanks for the info. Is mineral oil good for the hair or not?

[WavyGirl]

So oil sheen is just using oil in your hair? I thought it was some sort of special product?

Sorry I confused you :o I just said about using the oils as an alternative to that specific product. I was also thinking "aloud" when I wondered if putting oil in a spritzer would have a similar effect and help with using less. I haven't tried yet though.

Like everything else I wouldn't say mineral oils are bad for everyone's hair. Some people use products containing them with good results, others don't get on with them well. I think Starr just posted that in case you're one of those whose hair cannot tolerate mineral oils.

[mugglemomof3]

I tried this method quite some time ago, and if I remember correctly, I slept with my hair wrapped in the saran wrap, and it turned out pretty good. I'll have to try it again and post the results. It took me forever to get the "wrap" just right. :rolleyes:

[Heidi_234]

I tried this method quite some time ago, and if I remember correctly, I slept with my hair wrapped in the saran wrap, and it turned out pretty good. I'll have to try it again and post the results. It took me forever to get the "wrap" just right. :rolleyes:
You mean, blow dry your hair straight, spray it on with something shine boosting and then wrapping it in saran wrap? :confused:


I tried air dry my hair wrapped. It was hard to get it all wrapped, as my hair is quite long for that (unlike the hair of the women on youtube who shown how they do it). It wasn't easy to get secured. And anyway you look at it, some sections of hair will lie against their natural direction, making it a bad way to air dry (since it causes sore scalp).
I tried to come up with my own wrap method so it won't go against the natural direction of the hair, but either way the results are not that good, and it takes forever for the hair to dry. If someone comes up with something good, let me know. :rolleyes:

[mugglemomof3]

You mean, blow dry your hair straight, spray it on with something shine boosting and then wrapping it in saran wrap? :confused:


No. I just washed my hair, towel dried it, wrapped it around my head and covered it in saran wrap. Then I put a ski cap on and slept like that. It was kinda damp in the morning but very straight (compared to my usual 3c hair).