New Haircut, Silk Press and Hair Regimen Changes
Last updated on December 28th, 2022 at 03:36 pm
It’s been over three years and it was time.
I’m quite adverse to regular heat styling natural hair. Especially, fine natural hair. That’s because it can cause irreversible damage. That doesn’t mean that those of us with fine hair can never heat style.
With the right tools, products and techniques, we should be able to enjoy straight hair on occasion (a rare occasion IMO).
Natural Hair Mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes when I started my natural hair journey well over 10 years ago. One of those mistakes was heat styling my hair weekly. While I didn’t incur a lot of permanent straightening due to heat damage, I did incur a lot of breakage…specifically at the crown.
Once I discovered that straightening my hair regularly was causing more harm than good, I stopped…cold turkey. I had no desire to ever straighten it again. I decided I would embrace my fine natural hair the way it grew out of my scalp.
As time went on, I learned what my hair liked and didn’t like. I even discovered my holy grail hair products and developed a healthy natural hair regimen (including using coconut oil to pre-poo) that consistently worked well for me. What I didn’t and still don’t do well is cutting or trimming my own hair.
Remember at the beginning of this post I said, “It’s been over three whole years….?”
Well, straightening is not the only thing I did over three years ago. That’s also when I decided to grab a pair of sheers and hack my hair off so it could be “fixed.” It was my intention to level out the bottom layer of my hair so that it would allow my slower growing crown to catch up, causing my overall appearance to be more even.
At the time it seemed like a good idea. Then, I started experiencing an increase in single strand knots and incomplete split ends. I should have just let a professional do it because since I’ve cut my own hair, it’s never been the same.
My Silk Press & Haircut Experience
At the bottom of this post, you’ll find a video that details my entire experience getting my haircut professionally, deciding on heat styling via a silk press, who did it and why I chose her to cut and style my hair. For now, here’s a summary of my experience:
- 30 minute consultation was conducted before my hair was touched
- After shampooing, I received a protein treatment
- Discovered my hair’s porosity levels (there’s more than one. Check out the video!)
- Haircut was performed on dry, lightly blown out, flat ironed hair.
- Flat iron was set to 320 degrees and one pass was used throughout most of my hair. The roots were touched with an additional pass in some areas
- A silicone based heat protectant was used (Silicones are not as evil as you think y’all)
- My hair was cut in stages and approximately 4-5 inches was removed
Hair Regimen Changes
Now that my hair is freshly cut (my ends are so on point, I could poke your eye out LOL!) and I’m more keenly aware of my hair’s porosity levels, I’m going to focus on adopting the most simplified hair regimen possible.
I’m still participating in Mahoganycurls Healthy Hair Growth Challenge and recently shared my revised hair regimen for the challenge. This will typically stay the same but with a few additions:
- Incorporating the use of a low porosity shampoo (to focus on my crown) at least once per month.
- Taking my time when cleansing my hair so that my scalp can be more thoroughly cleansed.
- Only trimming out a knot that can’t be detangled out.
- Doing the inversion method once a month.
In addition to these changes to my hair regimen, I will no longer be “dusting” my ends or conducting “Search and Destroy” sessions.
I’m going to stick to getting my hair professionally trimmed once every 4-5 months. Since I don’t do anything to regularly cause damage to my hair, I won’t need to trim more often than 3 times per year.
UPDATE: I’m now trimming my own hair because these stylists cut too darn much when you ask for a trim.
Your hair looks amazing. It looks good curly and straight. As always your information is always on point and faith filled which is why I love your blog.
I recently decided to straighten my hair. My 4a, 4b hair tends to tangle on itself and while in its curly state and I had difficulty keeping it moisturize especially at armpit length. All the twisting and braiding was causing more damage especially on my ends. I did a lot of research about straight hair naturals and the key was protein and moisture treatments each and every time I shampoo my hair, stretching my hair that had been applied with a heat protectant (Whipped Shea butter) on rollers to air dry (no blow drying I am just not good at doing it), purchasing a more expensive Flat iron and not flat ironing my hair again until I shampoo in two weeks. I have been doing this since December and my hair returns to it’s natural state every time. I have fine low porosity dense hair. My hair tolerates a much higher heat setting to flat iron. I have been using shampoos that clarify and moisturizes, protein, moisturizing, and rinse out conditioners and a heat protectant when I roller set. I do not add additional product to my hair when I start to flat iron. I have notice that my hair does not tangle on itself and no breakage.
The whole purpose of going natural was to stop using toxic chemicals that was found in relaxers not so much to give up straight hair. I think some naturals are using more chemicals in their natural products than what was in their relax products. I am very particular about the ingredients that go into my hair and skin. Right now I am using products from different lines because they are working for me. I use a edge control product on my edges if they start to revert during the two week period and I pin curl my hair and apply an hair oil mixture to my ends about every two to three days or put in a high ponytail at night and sleep on a satin pillowcase.
My stress level has gone way down when it comes to my hair. I am enjoying my hair. My hair is still in it’s natural state. It is just not in it’s curly state. Life is too short to try and make your hair do something that is causing it more harm then good. I am in a good place with my hair, Curly worked when my hair was much shorter. My advice to everyone is find what works and just enjoy your hair.
Thanks again for you blog. I look forward to all of the tips and faith filled messages. May God continue to bless you and your family.
Hi Pamela-
I’m happy you’ve found the regimen that works for you. I’m going to stick with my curly state but I now realize that my ends require more care as well as treating different areas of my hair differently. Ex: the middle low porosity section.
I know I can’t regularly straighten because I did that to my detriment when I was in my earlier natural years. I do however plan to keep my hair stretched most of the time so that it’s curly but not so much that it’s tangling all over the place. I like Kimmaytube on Youtube. She pretty much embraces her natural hair but will not rock an afro or shrunken style.
I agree with you about the chemicals. I’m sticking with my natural lines Mielle Organics, Mane Choice, Okay Naturals and Camille Rose Naturals. I’ve lately given up a lot of Shea Moisture products. They don’t seem the same.
thank you for your support of my blog 🙂