As chilly fall weather approaches, silk pressing season is on many natural hair girls’ minds. Protective styles and curly hair wash days are key from June to August to beat the summer heat. But when the weather cools down to temperatures that won’t make you sweat from head to toe, many people decide to dust off their irons and curling wands. The only question is, how can I make my silk press last longer after straightening my hair, whether I do it myself or go to a salon? to go and collect the money. So we asked top hairstylists to share their silk press tips for keeping your hair looking fresh without the heat.
According to Tim Wallace, a celebrity hairstylist and self-proclaimed “minister of hair,” a silk press lasts about two weeks, which is the longest it can last. Doing so for a long period of time puts the health of your hair and scalp at risk. She also adds that you shouldn’t get a silk press every week, as overexposure to heat will damage your hair. However, when it comes to hitting that two-week goal, Wallace insists there’s a maintenance routine to follow closely.
Don’t know where to start? Wallace and Kim Kimble, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Kim Kimble Hair Collection, give TZR a comprehensive guide on how to make your silk press last this fall I did. Below you’ll find tips on how to curl your hair at night, how to keep it looking good during the day, and answers to the big question marks about how to go to the gym.
How do you protect your silk printing machine while sleeping?
You’ve just left the salon and your straight-to-the-bone silk press is perfectly smooth and silky, but it’s time for bed. How can you make sure your hair looks just as good when you wake up in the morning?Wallace says it’s best to wrap your hair properly at night so it doesn’t move too much or get messy under the covers. Apparently it’s important. She also adds that fixing your hair at night helps keep it straight, so you don’t have to keep touching it up with hot tools. Before curling your hair, Wallace recommends applying Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum to prevent moisture and boost shine.
When it comes to actually achieving the perfect wrap, every natural hair girly knows it’s an art form, so don’t worry if you haven’t mastered it yet. Kimble says you should start by brushing your hair around the shape of your head, “turning your head into giant rollers.” To keep it in place, use flat wrap clips or non-crease clips to hold the strands. Use a scarf or silk wrap cap to tie the whole thing together. For extra protection, Kimble says sleeping on a silk pillowcase protects the area that falls off the wrap.
You can also wear a bonnet as an additional layer. Wallace recommends the Evolve satin wide-edge bonnet. The wide band prevents the edges from curling or bending while you sleep.
If your style has a little more curl or waves, you can also tie your hair up with a chignon, curler, flexi rod, or Bantu knot to maintain body and prevent your hair from falling completely flat. Wallace said.
The last important factor is to make sure the temperature of the room is cool, argues Kimble. This will keep you from sweating while you sleep and prevent your roots from curling up. Follow these steps every night and you’ll wake up with hair in the same condition it was when you left the salon.
How should I maintain my silk printing machine during the day?
When you’ve just woken up, be careful when removing your hair wrap, no matter how long it’s been since your styling appointment. Wallace explains that you should gently brush your hair downwards to help shape it around your face. His recommendations are a Denman brush, a regular paddle brush, or a wide-tooth comb.
You may notice your hair returning to its curl pattern throughout the two weeks. So if your silk press needs to be reheated to run at full capacity, a heat protectant is essential, says Wallace. His favorite is Mizani Heat Screen Heat Protection Spray.
Plus, frizz and pesky fuzz are bound to show up, so Kimble recommends using just a little serum and a wax stick to smooth everything out. Wallace’s suggestion is Goddess Strength Shaping and Smoothing Hair Balm from Carol’s Daughter.
A general rule of thumb when going about your day is to avoid humid or other warm environments that make you sweat. “This is the easiest way to restore your silk press when the roots start to swell. Do your best to stay in a cool, dry place,” says Kimble. Wallace adds that you should also avoid hot showers, as steam and sweat from high temperatures can cause your natural texture to return.
If you can’t avoid hot, humid air, Kimble recommends Color Wow Dream Coat Extra Strength as a great product to help combat stuffiness. “The Extra Strength version was created with textured hair in mind, with the goal of achieving glass-smooth hair in mind, so if you live in a particularly humid climate, it’s best to use a silk press. It really helps make it last longer.”
After a few days, you’ll notice that your hair is coated with oil and grease, making it stringy. According to Kimble, this is impossible to avoid with straight textures as oils travel down the hair shaft, but a little spray of dry shampoo can help absorb some of the oil and give it a cleaner look. That’s what it means. “Overall, be careful not to add excess oil to your hair,” advises Kimble.
How do I store my silk press during a workout?
The workout scenario is a situation that every girl with a silk press encounters and fears. Do you want to stop working out for two weeks to maintain your style, or risk messing up your hair with sweat in it? According to Wallace, there’s a way to enable the second option. “It’s a battle,” he says. The ultimate product he recommends to his clients is Nicole Ali Parker’s GymWrap Save Your Do Sweat band, which protects the edges of your forehead from moisture. Once the headband is in place, he says you should combine hair ties and bobby pins to pull your hair into a ponytail or two buns. “Buns and ponytails prevent moisture from moving from your scalp to your hair,” says Wallace.
In general, if you sweat a lot, you should avoid high-intensity cardio while getting your hair silk-pressed, says Wallace.
She also adds that there’s no shame in styling your hair in a bun or ponytail near the end of your silk press to give your straight style a little more polish before washing. “Try adding some accessories (to spice things up),” says Wallace.
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