Ditching the flat iron

**lapushka** · November 25th, 2019, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Proverbs31

I used to use a flat iron 3 or so times a week because I hated my hair unless it was straight - then I decided to try and keep it in two braids at night, and I actually like the braidwave texture even more than it being pin-straight! I know that's really more a matter of preference from person to person, but I found that it kind of made my hair appear longer because it kept it all at one length, protected the ends, and let me keep an oil or leave-in conditioner in it overnight instead of sleeping on it flat =)

I find that so odd coming from someone with as good as pin straight hair (1b/c), though. Maybe it's me, that I don't understand and that could very well be!!!

I mean it's easier for someone in the 1s to ditch a flat iron than for someone in the 2s (a lot of *poof* and fuzz/fluff/frizz).

**Proverbs31** · November 25th, 2019, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by lapushka

I find that so odd coming from someone with as good as pin straight hair (1b/c), though. Maybe it's me, that I don't understand and that could very well be!!!

I mean it's easier for someone in the 1s to ditch a flat iron than for someone in the 2s (a lot of *poof* and fuzz/fluff/frizz).

Oops, that was my mistake - I still need to update my profile. Originally I didn't really understand the hairtyping system, and, now that I *kind of* do, I need to go back and edit that =)

**lapushka** · November 26th, 2019, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by Proverbs31

Oops, that was my mistake - I still need to update my profile. Originally I didn't really understand the hairtyping system, and, now that I *kind of* do, I need to go back and edit that =)

Oh OK! Ignore my post then. What's your hairtype?

**spidermom** · November 26th, 2019, 11:50 AM

I am another who used to think that my hair only looked good straightened. I was wrong! Braiding and bunning (one or the other or both) hide a multitude of wonky hairs. Also, once you learn how to work with your natural texture, you might learn to love it. I love mine. Not every day in every way, of course, but there's always braiding and/or bunning.

**CuteCrow** · November 27th, 2019, 05:09 AM

Originally Posted by lapushka

I find that so odd coming from someone with as good as pin straight hair (1b/c), though. Maybe it's me, that I don't understand and that could very well be!!!

I hand a cousin with 1a/b hair who used to straighten it everyday. I never understood it. She said that it made her hair look better, shinier and less "frizzy" (I never saw any frizz tho)

**CuteCrow** · November 27th, 2019, 05:10 AM

Double post

**tangocurl** · November 28th, 2019, 03:33 PM

Hooray! You will be so much happier in the long run. When I want stick-straight hair, I wrap it like this video. It takes a little practice, but is worth it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CpG0LaYCMg

It does take some time to dry, but then it stays smooth like a blow dry for 2 or 3 days if I don't do a heavy indoor workout. Days 2 and 3, I wear my hair up.

If I have to go somewhere and my hair is still drying with all the bobby pins holding the wrap together, I just put a beret over it. The warmth of the hat speeds up the drying a bit.

Good luck! You will be so glad you ditched the heat styling. I never got much past APL until I did.

**Arciela** · November 29th, 2019, 11:35 PM

I ditched mine back in 2012 and never looked back! At first it was hard...really hard. My hair was bleached, then dyed over..so it had that orangey look, was super dry and dead looking too.

What I did was lots and lots of updos, braids or just rocked the damaged hair. A year later I learned I had wurly hair, started the CG method and now my hair looks so much better! It's shiny and smooth, I don't need to iron anything at all anymore. It just takes time I guess for all the damage to go away.

**2gaits** · December 1st, 2019, 05:28 PM

I think it is just hard to give up the habit or routine of it. I don't think my hair looks fabulous curled or flat ironed but it's just something I've always done. It's part of my getting ready to look presentable routine. Funny but as I get older I want to do less and less. I want long natural hair in a braid and minimal make up. I think a bit of thumbing my nose at society rules. I love that some women keep up the make up, hair styled, nails etc but I don't think it's for me. On vacation it was easy to ditch the flat iron.. I'll see how I do with work and giving up the routine of it.

**plonter** · December 1st, 2019, 09:51 PM

I'm all for natural hair texture! I used to straighten every day in high school and into the first year of college, and then wound up chopping like 10 inches to chin length. It's hard to break the habit, working with my natural waves saved me SO much time and helped with both the smell of burning hair that seemed to linger around my room and hair all day, as well as the nagging feeling that i never quite looked perfect enough. The approach of getting a haircut to break your old styling habits may work for you if you're up for it, but it's not necessary.

It sounds like your hair isn't very curly. I recommend some styling cream and a silk pillowcase to prevent frizz, but YMMV. Some people swear by boar bristle brushes for taming frizz; some find the opposite to be true. Practice styling your hair on weekends if you don't want to feel disheveled at work, but I guarantee you'll get used to managing your hair without a straightening iron in no time. I won't share my hair routine because it is very lazy and not particularly neat, but for weddings I usually go for a low bun or half up and it looks good enough.

Cheering you on on your journey!