Straightening without heat?...please help!

[jadelouise]

I have naturally curly, BSL hair and, although i don't mind it, i would much prefer it to be loose waves/straight. I am trying to stay away from heat as I am trying to reduce damage to my hair.

Are there any methods of air drying my hair and doing something in order for it to dry straighter? :)

[oscarthehamster]

There's no perfect straightening methods without heat for most people. You can try a head wrap as a method, blowdrying your hair on a cooler setting and combing it through. Those methods might create softer looking curls. You could try braiding your hair into a LOOSE braid and sleep with it. Anyways you just have to try things out and see what works for you ! Otherwise you need to accept your natural hair. My hair will never change it's texture for any method except loose braids.

Good luck !! :)

[CurlyCap]

Heya.

Yeah, heatless straightening is the holy grail for us curlies. Pin straight isn't possible, but big waves is.

Have you ever tried to put magnetic rollers in and let your hair dry on them? Use the biggest rollers you can find. My set is 3" in diameter and I used about 30 of them for WL hair. I have a picture in my album of me hair set with magnetic rollers. I'm wearing a blue top. Roller setting without heat is the most reliable method I've found for getting heat-free curl release.

Pros:
Beautiful, voluminous wavy hair.
Structure has staying power. Last until you wreck it by going to sleep.
Highly resistant to humidity

Cons:
Takes practice to learn to rollerset in giant rollers (or any rollers really).
It takes forever to dry without heat. Be prepared to put them in in the morning and look crazy all day and into the night or sleep VERY uncomfortably.
It's a one day thing. If you put it up to sleep, the next day it's flat, not as sexy, and unless you do a headwrap (which I never liked the results of), it just looks like an old flat iron job.

Hope that helps!

[layla<33]

I simply fingercomb my hair several times while its drying starting as soon as i wash it. If i do that while dry or mostly dry it has no vertally effect.

[NymphSpirit]

You can try the "toga" or "toca" It's really effective and it doesn't damage your hair :), here's a video, it's in spanish, but you can easily follow the instructions without listening :p you should do it with damp hair. Hope it helps :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbljFjSjacE (Com hacer la toca o la toga.)

(If you still need a translation just tell me and I'll do it)

[NymphSpirit]

Also, once you do it to one side, leave it for.... 3 hours and then do it to the other side, (Oh, and sorry, I messed up with the link, you'll have to copy it :o)

[owlathena]

Henna took out most of my wave. The effect varies from person to person, but if that an option for you, it might be something to consider.

The other day, at Thanksgiving dinner, my grandpa said "Did you straighten your hair?"

[Anywhere]

The "toda/toca" Method mentioned (Which is more commonly called wrapping on this forum from my experience) works well for me. I only do it to one side but I do take out the pins and "tighten" it up a bit once before it gets too dry.

[jadelouise]

Henna took out most of my wave. The effect varies from person to person, but if that an option for you, it might be something to consider.

The other day, at Thanksgiving dinner, my grandpa said "Did you straighten your hair?"

i was thinking of trying henna to colour my hair darker anyway so this is perfect! :D

Thankyou everyone! you've all been very helpful ^_^ xxx

[julliams]

I have just had an experience with Dove Intensive Repair shampoo and conditioner that might work for you. My hair is normally pretty wavy when I wash it and then it flattens out the next day - but never like this. Here is the pic from yesterday, and the one from this morning. I just put a brush through it but it's totally straight (well not completely, but enough to be called straight). No heat was used here and it might be something you could try???

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6440418957_be8dab977d.jpghttp://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6443720745_69097af352.jpg