I have this very curly hair... but I want this straight style - suggestions?

[EvergreenEffect]

Yay, first post again since my little used profile was deleted. Again. :(

I would appreciate input from anyone with experience in using straight hairstyles with curly hair - WITHOUT resorting to dreadlocks or straightening. I have been growing my hair out for 3 years now, and I would really like to have some other styles, with a strong preference to ones with bangs.

Specifically, I am here:
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1705/glacierpictures007.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/i/glacierpictures007.jpg/)

I would like to have this - or at least the bangs:
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/660/39124272.th.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/i/39124272.jpg/) http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/1778/61496787.th.jpg (http://img31.imageshack.us/i/61496787.jpg/)
(Rest of the videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF1wZQzpeKA, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxNAVq2qYmU&feature=related)

Yes I want Jared Leto hair. :p

[spidermom]

You can't do these styles without chemical straightening or flat-ironing (and I'm not sure the flat-ironing would work).

[marajade]

I was gonna say chemical straightening is probably the way to go if you are dead set on that style. I've heard some curlies trying really big rollers or coke cans to get their hair to relax. There are two problems with this 1) as soon as your hair gets exposed to moisture it will curl back up, 2) It may be more wavy than straight. Also, with as tight as your curl is, this method may only give you a wave than pin straight. Hopefully some of the people with similar textures can weigh in with their suggestions.

[spidermom]

And of course with chemical straightening, the new growth is going to be curly. Straight hair on curly roots tends to look rather odd after awhile. The more times you straighten your hair, the worse the condition will become. But some people do manage it so hopefully one of them will come along pretty soon and give you some useful tips.

[Poetic]

If you desire straight hair without use of chemicals, you can try pressing the hair with a hot comb. The old school hot combs tend to work best (ones placed on a stove). But you can find electric hot combs at beauty supplies.

Hope this helps. Note that if you decide to press your hair, do this no more than once a week . . . lest your hair may suffer damage.

[Gem]

[Hint from the girlfriend]

I hope he won't mind me jumping in :p

I think there are probably braided or locked styles out there that he would like, but I haven't found good enough examples I think. When I look up locked styles, I can only find ones for Caucasian hair or for women, so if anyone has ideas that would be nice :)
That picture was from two years ago - it's way longer now.

[Nyghtingale]

Welcome back!

[rhubarbarin]

I have curly hair but I use a flatiron on my bangs. Not sure how that would look with a cut as short as yours..

[Rain]

Yay, first post again since my little used profile was deleted. Again. :(

I would appreciate input from anyone with experience in using straight hairstyles with curly hair - WITHOUT resorting to dreadlocks or straightening. I have been growing my hair out for 3 years now, and I would really like to have some other styles, with a strong preference to ones with bangs.

Specifically, I am here:
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1705/glacierpictures007.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/i/glacierpictures007.jpg/)

I would like to have this - or at least the bangs:
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/660/39124272.th.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/i/39124272.jpg/) http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/1778/61496787.th.jpg (http://img31.imageshack.us/i/61496787.jpg/)
(Rest of the videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF1wZQzpeKA, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxNAVq2qYmU&feature=related)

Yes I want Jared Leto hair. :p

I want straight hair too but it's not going to happen without chemicals or a flat iron and my hair is not even as curly as yours. If you just want it straightened some of the time, why not go for a flat iron? Use a lot of leave-in and don't do it daily.

[cuddledumplin]

I agree with the others. You won't get the Jared Leto look without chemicals or heat. Occasional use of heat, say every couple of months or so probably won't wreck your hair if you deep condition, but I wouldn't try it more often than that. Like me, you might have to look for styles that work with your hair. I like your hair the way it is: it's cute.

[SimplyViki]

Aww, what's wrong with your curls? I think they're perfect! But as others have said, not likely to get straight hair without heat or chemicals.

[goodluckcharm]

You should probably blow dry it first before using a straighting iron.
Use a heat protectant cone-y leave-in, small amount of gel on super-wet hair. Blowdry with a paddle brush pulling hair straight and follow the brush with the dryer. For best results use the plastic air compressor that came with the dryer to direct hot air at the hair you're working on.
Use the iron to further straighten.
Use a silicone shine serum on dry hair to help lock out moisture and keep hair from frizzing and curling back up. Hitting your hair with cool hair will also help lock in the style.

All this is very bad for your hair. But if you're set on straight hair, it'll work, promise.

[redcelticcurls]

First, you have awesome curls!

Your curls are tighter than mine, and I need heat to get it as straight as the pics you've shown.

I can't get my hair straight with just a flatiron. It has to be rollerset, blown out with a brush, and then followed up with a flatiron. Between the curl and the coarse strands, it takes some time.

As was suggested above, you could get your hair pressed once a week, but you have to be careful not to get your hair wet or it will revert. Or, you could get it chemically relaxed with relaxer/thermal reconditioning/"keratin" treatment, etc.

[ericthegreat]

There is not one way at all with your degree of curl for you to get that kind of sleek, straight hairstyle without the use of a flat iron, blow dryer and preferably chemicals Evergreeneffect. Trust me I'm a budding hairstylist, the only way you can get tight curls to lie as straight as the pic you showed is by A)Getting a thorough blow out with a round brush, then running your hair over and over with a flat iron. You should definitely go to a salon to get your hair blown out and flat ironed, they are pros at this.

B) There are many types of chemical relaxers and chemical straightening methods. You could get a relaxer done at any African American hair salon, they specialize in relaxing kinky hair. Or, you could go to a salon that offers either Japanese straightening or the Brazilian Keratin Treatment. Be warned though, both the Japanese and Brazilian straightening treatments can cost upwards of $500 or even more.

If you only choose option A), your hair will go back to being curly the moment you get it wet or if the humidity in the air is too high. If you really want to have straight hair permanently, then you have to use the chemical methods I've listed for you.

[prittykitty]

Good luck! You will need it if you think that hair as curly as yours is going to go straight without using any kind of heat or chemical. I also have naturally curly hair that likes to frizz and I have never found a way to straighten it without at least a blow dryer or something with heat. For a while I was using this product called Get It Pressed by Regis. You spray it on dry hair and use a blow dryer to style or a straightening iron. Bedhead smoothing serum works great too but only with a straightening iron. If these kinds of things are not options for you, then a chemical straightener is your next best option. Still, all these can really fry your hair if done every day. I bet your hair would look great with dreads. If you want them longer, get dreads with extensions added. Another idea is cornrows that are braided very thin. Again, add extensions for longer ones.

[physicschick]

Yay, first post again since my little used profile was deleted. Again. :(

What was your old account name? We can merge the accounts if we can find them.

[renarok]

Your hair is so beautiful. I'd hate for you to damage it trying to achieve a style that is so opposite of your natural texture.

[EvergreenEffect]

Wow, so many replies. :)

I think that I didn't communicate that I want that shape and bang styling - but not straight - very well...


You can't do these styles without chemical straightening or flat-ironing (and I'm not sure the flat-ironing would work).
So I have gathered. My dad's side of the family has a very similar hair type and they all straighten it... it makes me really sad. Straight ironing it would probably work, but I have zero interest or intention for that matter of frying 3 years worth of growth work.


I was gonna say chemical straightening is probably the way to go if you are dead set on that style. I've heard some curlies trying really big rollers or coke cans to get their hair to relax. There are two problems with this 1) as soon as your hair gets exposed to moisture it will curl back up, 2) It may be more wavy than straight. Also, with as tight as your curl is, this method may only give you a wave than pin straight. Hopefully some of the people with similar textures can weigh in with their suggestions.
I live in the PacWest, so moisture is more than abundant - I couldn't leave the house except in August. Also I am not willing to put chemicals on my hair.


Welcome back!
Thank you. :)


I want straight hair too but it's not going to happen without chemicals or a flat iron and my hair is not even as curly as yours. If you just want it straightened some of the time, why not go for a flat iron? Use a lot of leave-in and don't do it daily.
My Aunt does that and her hair is frizzy as all get out, and her ends are trashed beyond belief - not going to happen to my hair.


I agree with the others. You won't get the Jared Leto look without chemicals or heat. Occasional use of heat, say every couple of months or so probably won't wreck your hair if you deep condition, but I wouldn't try it more often than that. Like me, you might have to look for styles that work with your hair. I like your hair the way it is: it's cute.
Thank you. I would like to find some other styles, but nobody seems to have any suggestions for men with my hairtype and length. Everyone else just seems to hack it off short - also known as the cop-out haircut.


Aww, what's wrong with your curls? I think they're perfect! But as others have said, not likely to get straight hair without heat or chemicals.
Thank you.:)

There isn't anything wrong with my curls, and I don't want to change them - I just want them to sit in a different configuration on my head.


You should probably blow dry it first before using a straighting iron.
Use a heat protectant cone-y leave-in, small amount of gel on super-wet hair. Blowdry with a paddle brush pulling hair straight and follow the brush with the dryer. For best results use the plastic air compressor that came with the dryer to direct hot air at the hair you're working on. Use the iron to further straighten. Use a silicone shine serum on dry hair to help lock out moisture and keep hair from frizzing and curling back up. Hitting your hair with cool hair will also help lock in the style. All this is very bad for your hair. But if you're set on straight hair, it'll work, promise.
*shudders*
Bad? Yes - I would never get a brush though my hair again! Silicone and my hair should not exist in the same solar system.


There is not one way at all with your degree of curl for you to get that kind of sleek, straight hairstyle without the use of a flat iron, blow dryer and preferably chemicals Evergreeneffect. Trust me I'm a budding hairstylist, the only way you can get tight curls to lie as straight as the pic you showed is by A) Getting a thorough blow out with a round brush, then running your hair over and over with a flat iron. You should definitely go to a salon to get your hair blown out and flat ironed, they are pros at this.

B) There are many types of chemical relaxers and chemical straightening methods. You could get a relaxer done at any African American hair salon, they specialize in relaxing kinky hair. Or, you could go to a salon that offers either Japanese straightening or the Brazilian Keratin Treatment. Be warned though, both the Japanese and Brazilian straightening treatments can cost upwards of $500 or even more. If you only choose option A), your hair will go back to being curly the moment you get it wet or if the humidity in the air is too high. If you really want to have straight hair permanently, then you have to use the chemical methods I've listed for you.
$500... ok. :/


Your hair is so beautiful. I'd hate for you to damage it trying to achieve a style that is so opposite of your natural texture.
Thank you, and don't worry, that won't happen.


First, you have awesome curls! Your curls are tighter than mine, and I need heat to get it as straight as the pics you've shown. I can't get my hair straight with just a flatiron. It has to be rollerset, blown out with a brush, and then followed up with a flatiron. Between the curl and the coarse strands, it takes some time. As was suggested above, you could get your hair pressed once a week, but you have to be careful not to get your hair wet or it will revert. Or, you could get it chemically relaxed with relaxer/thermal reconditioning/"keratin" treatment, etc.
“Keratin”?


Good luck! You will need it if you think that hair as curly as yours is going to go straight without using any kind of heat or chemical. I also have naturally curly hair that likes to frizz and I have never found a way to straighten it without at least a blow dryer or something with heat. For a while I was using this product called Get It Pressed by Regis. You spray it on dry hair and use a blow dryer to style or a straightening iron. Bedhead smoothing serum works great too but only with a straightening iron. If these kinds of things are not options for you, then a chemical straightener is your next best option. Still, all these can really fry your hair if done every day. I bet your hair would look great with dreads. If you want them longer, get dreads with extensions added. Another idea is cornrows that are braided very thin. Again, add extensions for longer ones.
I am avoiding dreads and braids at all costs as people with my skin color and braids/dreads pretty much exclusively belong to a culture that I am not part of and I have to fight very diligently to stop people from grouping me with that group as I do not identify with them. The last thing I am going to do is look even more the part. Thank you for the suggestion though.


What was your old account name? We can merge the accounts if we can find them.
Thanks, but it isn't worth the effort as I only had about 5 posts, and the one before that only had 15.


Your hair is so beautiful. I'd hate for you to damage it trying to achieve a style that is so opposite of your natural texture.
Aww, thank you. I am very protective of my hair - the last thing I am going to do is damage it doing something stupid like frying it with a flat iron or with chemicals.

I've decided that I am going to try growing my front ends out about an inch longer than they are now (there are pics of the current length presumably somewhere here the board from the Portland meet yesterday, but I don't have access to whatever forum they are posted in. *Ticked*) and trimming them at a 35* slope to the right. When I am running around the house I will tuck the ends behind my ears. to get dressed up I am going to use a light spray gel and find something like a black or pewter Ficcare clip and wrap them slightly stretched to the left. Yeah, yeah, I know you are sitting there saying that that will look feminine, but tough... I'm stealing your style. I’m tired of all the nice styles residing in the other section . :P

[physicschick]

Thanks, but it isn't worth the effort as I only had about 5 posts, and the one before that only had 15.

So you have two previous accounts? (And either of those has more posts than your current account...) We have a rule here of one account per lifetime. Please give me details about the previous accounts so we can merge them.

[JamieLeigh]

I don't blame you - Jared Leto is smokin. :D

Welcome back!

[linda g]

I am SO glad to hear you aren't planning to nuke those wonderful curls!

Sorry I don't have any styling tips, just wanted to let you know I think you have some awesome hair going on.

[EvergreenEffect]

I am SO glad to hear you aren't planning to nuke those wonderful curls!

Sorry I don't have any styling tips, just wanted to let you know I think you have some awesome hair going on.
No no no - I have way too many years worth of work and suffering put into them to ruin what I have.


So you have two previous accounts? (And either of those has more posts than your current account...) We have a rule here of one account per lifetime. Please give me details about the previous accounts so we can merge them.
Well if you can find them, you are welcome to. Your database doesn't recognise any of my email addresses, so I don't know how you would go about finding them.

[DaveDecker]

Hi EvergreenEffect! :waving: It was really nice to meet you at the Portland meet. :) FWIW and I know this does not address your inquiry but your hair is amazing.

[Amara]

I wonder if that's if you're final goal style or if you're wanting to go longer? If you're maintaining at a short length, flat ironing migth not be a bad option, since you'll be regularly chopping off the damage.

[vkb247]

You can get this hair type very straight with a rollerset and then wrapping the hair with saran wrap and setting under a dryer (some set with the hair in small ponytails. This is called a silk wrap and is popular with AA and other women with highly textured hair who are trying to preserve the health of their hair. Here are some videos of ladies with natural 4a hair straightening their hair this way.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3BQ-GGLzEA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WSgVrQ3cBA

http://public.fotki.com/Pokahontas/2008/random-pics/

http://public.fotki.com/Pokahontas/2007/silk-wrap/

Here is an airdrying technique that you might like. It will stretch your hair out and make it wavy

http://public.fotki.com/Pokahontas/roller-sets/another_way_to_air-dry/


BTW: I know that heat can be very damaging but there are type 3b-4b ladies who wear their natural hair straightened with blow dryers and/or flat irons/straightening combs who have long healthy hair. It isn't very difficult when you use qualities tools and techniques.

[Sister13]

Oil is key. Pressure and warmth also. Add a little oil brush your hair to scalp and cover with a tight stocking cap or wrap with ace bandages. (You can find these stocking caps a.k.a. "Do-Rags" "sleep caps" etc. in the ethnic hair care section & certainly at Health & Beauty stores in Black & Latin neighborhoods). Could add gel or aloe vera gel. Maybe cover with warm towel. Maybe sleep with it compressed.

You could compress the length with rubber bands or cut up stockings. Same deal -- hot towel or sleep in it.

The dirtier your hair the better. Maybe touch up with flat iron.

Keep humidity and high heat at a minimum. That way you keep your hair healthy.

Won't be stick straight but will take the curls and volume down a lot. Experiment with the direction and the part for shaping. But it's what I do.

:disbelief:blueeek::skittles::skittles::skittles:: hifive::hifive:

[Gypsy]

Well, you can flat iron after air drying to cut down on the heat (make sure you put it in something bantu knots or braids or banding whatever to cut down on breakage while it's drying.)
Of course you can flat iron with blow drying and of course just don't do it often.
Make sure you use some sort of heat protectant before hand.
You can use a frizz serum to help with the sleekness and deal with humidity but seriously, I live in Washington state and we have the same weather as in Oregon; I only have weather related frizz if I let rain actually land on my hair; our humidity is not bad. We rarely have moisture without rain.
Sometimes I iron my hair and it's dang near pin straight and yes, I have lived here all my life; trust me, you can do straight here in the PNW; I haven't had a relaxer in my hair for 15 years.
You can do a wrap- you don't have to do the saran wrap route, just some long bobby pins to hold the wrap down and a comb to lay it flat and some serious patience during the learning process. I have never learned how to wrap and I'm cool with that because I get frusterated if I comb and there's a bump and I have to start over.:o
You do a chemical relaxer but not go the full time length or use a child's strength relaxer and do more of a tex-lax so that you can use less heat when you want to straighten as the tex-laxed hair will not be as straight as a full on relaxer and you will retain the majority of your hair's natural body.
There a lot's of options to straighten temporarily, you just have to do a little exploring and see what you want to deal with and then figure how much stress you want to put on your hair.
Any manipulating of the hairs natural texture should get lot's of love with deep conditioning and gentle handling, of course.