Hair Care, heat styling
“I’ve been wearing my hair pressed straight for the winter. I love the way it looks but it gets greasy so fast. What can I do to get my flat ironed hair to last longer between washes?”
A good press out can make your day, so it’s understandable that you want it to last as long as possible. Whether or not you have a naturally oily scalp, to get your straight hair to last longer, you will need to cut back on the oils that you put in your hair from your shampoo through to your stylers. Wearing your curly hair straight means being smart with your products and switching out some of your normal go-tos for products that work better for straight hair.
You’ll need clean and moisturized hair to keep your press out as straight as possible but you don’t want hair that is loaded with heavy oils and butters like castor oil or shea butter like you would when you wear your hair curly. Start with a good oil-based shampoo that will help to keep your scalp as close as possible to its natural pH balance but won’t strip your curls. Rahua Shampoo, Redken Diamond Oil Shampoo, Eden Body Works Peppermint Tea Tree Shampoo, EO French Lavender Shampoo or Kiehl’s Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Shampoo are good choices that will clean your hair without over stripping it. Making sure your scalp is balanced means that it won’t need to go into excessive oil production overdrive from being stripped.
Use a light rinse out conditioner and leave-in that is oil and/or silicone based to seal in moisture but won’t weight your hair down and leave a streaky, residue mess on your flat iron and hair. Desert Essence Lemon Tea Tree Conditioner for Oily Hair, Rahua Conditioner, Living Proof No Frizz Conditioner, Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner, Living Proof No Frizz Leave-In Conditioner, Carol’s Daughter Tui Moisturizing Leave-In Conditioner and Yarok Feed Your Ends Leave-In Conditioner and Heat Protectant are all great picks. The silicone and oils will help to block out moisture to keep your hair straighter longer and the light oil keeps your strands supple. Oils like argan and jojoba oils are just as effective as a heavier oils but finish light and airy on your hair, allowing for your strands to have better “flow” in the wind. avoid getting conditioner on your scalp to keep it clean and free of residue which can cause your scalp to over produce oil later in the week.
You’ll need a heat protectant when you blow dry and use your flat iron. Using something light like a foam or a spritz is the best option but creams are also great as they go on light like Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protector Frizz Fighter. Phyto Phytokratine Repairing Thermal Protectant Spray has ceramides which seals your hair’s cuticle and hyaluronic acid which hydrates your hair and is a great choice for fine or color-tread or for those who want the top of the line in heat protection. Aussie Hair Insurance Heat Protecting Shine Spray is a very affordable light mist that won’t build up on your hair. Nexxus Pro-Mend Heat Protexx Heat Protection Styling Spray is a really great option for heat styling since in addition to heat protection it contains polymers that stick to your hair and each other which temporarily binds your ends together if you are battling split ends.
In-between washes, a dry shampoo can save your scalp and your hair if you feel like you need to refresh. Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk, Dove Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo and Bumble and Bumble A Tint of Brown Hair Powder (which also covers greys) are three of the best dry shampoos you can use to keep your straight hair fresh and clean. They extend your shampoos by soaking up excess scalp oil and smell great and all have dry finishes.
