Straightening my unruly frizzy hair
Sometimes I love my curls – other days I hate them especially on rainy days when the wild unruly frizz monster aka my curly mop buzzes with anticipation of it’s release form captivity!
If you also have curly, kinky or wavy hair with that halo of frizz and that UN-tameable mess that refuses to co-operate in any way shape of form, you know what I’m talking about!
You may be sitting there reading this nodding your head at this all too familiar scenario.
If you’ve always wished you could have silky straight locks, you’ll be happy to know I’m about to share a natural alternative for gorgeous straight hair without having to use damaging expensive chemical hair straightening treatments.
Curly, kinky or wavy hair is prone to being dry and brittle because the strands are separated by curls and so have more exposure to air and the environment than straight hair does.
When keeping your hair conditioned and frizz-free is already an issue, it’s understandable if you’ve been cautious about treating hair to drying damaging chemicals that leave the hair drier and duller than before.
Heat straightening also promotes moisture loss unless you are using the right products and treatments to maintain the right moisture and PH balance of hair strands. Heat opens hair cuticles, cooling closes them.
How Chemical Straighteners Work
Hair is made up of keratin bonds that form into different shaped cuticles: curved = curly hair, straight cuticles = straight hair. The matrix of keratin structures and bonds that make up your hair shaft are known as disulphide and cystine bridges. Chemical straighteners use alkalis and acids to break down and reform and restructure these molecular bonds.
Disulphide bonds are mostly found in the outer cuticle of the hair shaft (or epicuticle). Alkali perming and straightening solutions target these bonds initiating the de-structuring process. After a period of time (usually half an hour) these structures begin a process called “oxidisation” which start the formation of new bonds into the shape you desire. Acids then neutralise the whole process and close or seal cuticles.
A savvy salon owner in New York discovered a way to do this using fruit acids for perms and straightening instead of using chemical based products. The fruit acids in these natural hair straightening products nourish the hair with vitamins minerals and oils that chemical processes don’t.
The process involves washing with shampoo and a little lemon juice (to open cuticles and remove dirt oil and buildup). The next step is applying an alkali fruit rinse to hair, leaving it on for approximately 20 minutes to further open the cuticles and initiate the de structuring process.
Next you rinse your hair, remove excess water then apply an acid base fruit juice. The acids allows the hair bonds to form new structures. This process takes another 30 minutes before a quick rinse followed by a conditioning treatment made with a mixture of coconut milk or cream and coconut oil or wheatgerm oil (contains important proteins) and/or avocado to complete the process.
Finally rinse out the treatment then brush or comb straight (or use Goody Quick Stylish Brush which removes up to 30% more water than towel drying). Use a blow drier to finish.
Natural Hair Straightening Product – Made At Home – Allow One Hour
Preparation:
Below you’ll find a recipe with a list of optional ingredients to straighten hair naturally at home. Before you go ahead and start making your home hair straightening product, here are some handy tips and items you can use to make the process cleaner and easier:
- Grab a wide tooth comb or open wide bristle brush for combing your hair straight while wet. I LOVE the Goody quick style Goody Quick Stylish Brush – Absorbent microfiber bristles removes 30% of water for faster styling for drying hair faster but its also great for mess free straightening.
- Towel for around your shoulders and floor (drips are inevitable in this process).
- Squirty or spray bottle (optional but easier than trying to pour liquid over your head)
Wash your hair with a shampoo preferably with a squeeze of lemon juice added to your shampoo. This removes all excess dirt, oil and buildup but most importantly opens cuticles ready for the treatment. DO NOT condition your hair as conditioner closes cuticles.
Ingredients:
Step 1: Alkaline rinse
The following fruits are very alkaline and so are perfect for stage one of your straightening process.
- watermelon
- cantaloupe
- mangoes
- pears
- grapes
- passion fruit
Use a base of one cup of any of the juice of these fruits. Add to this a teaspoon of baking soda and mix well.
Step 2: Acid neutralizer rinse
The following fruits are very acidic and so are perfect for stage two of your straightening process.
- oranges
- apples
- berries
- blackberries
- blueberries
- cranberries
- peaches
- pears
- raspberries
- strawberries
Use a base of one cup of any of the juice of these fruits. Add to this a teaspoon of vinegar or strong coffee and mix well.
Step 3:
- 1 teaspoon of wheatgerm, olive or coconut oil
- 1/2 a mashed avocado or banana
- 1 tin of coconut milk or cream
- 3 drops of lavender oil (optional but beneficial)
- 1 teaspoon honey (moisturizing and smoothing)
Directions:
After washing hair with shampoo (without conditioning), towel dry.
Step 1: Apply the first rinse (alkaline) to your hair and brush or comb straight every five minutes for 20 minutes. Rinse out and squeeze dry.
Step 2: Apply the second (acid) rinse and repeat the same process combing or brushing straight every five minutes for 20 minutes. Rinse out and squeeze dry (you can shampoo if you wish but it is best not to).
Step 3: Next make a conditioner with lavender oil, honey, coconut oil, coconut milk and mashed avocado or banana. Leave on for 3 minutes then wash out. Alternatively use your usual conditioner and add a few drops of lavender oil and olive, coconut or wheatgerm oil.
Wheatgerm oil contains proteins that help to restructure hair cuticles. It closely resembles skin serum so is great for skin and hair. You can also use argan oil as it has similar properties.
After applying the straightening rinses to your hair, dry and blow dry straight to “set” your hair.
It’s best not to wash your hair for a few days.
So there you are, there’s the recipe. Check out our hair care recipes for easy luxurious conditioners and glossy locks!
So let us know how you go – and we’d LOVE to hear your comments :)
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