How Straight Hair Naturals Retain Length
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- Опубліковано 20 січ 2017
- Heat styling can be damaging to the hair, but some naturals can grow long hair and retain length while heat styling for several years.
As a Licensed Cosmetologist and Natural Hair Specialist I speak from personal experience as a witness, seeing first hand my own clients who desire to achieve a washngo with my professional help after years of heat styling.
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My sister gets her hair flat ironed once a month (Hair Roller Set & then her hair would be blow dried with a round brush. Afterwards hair would be flat ironed with Mizanni heat protectant, from a stylist) She used to play soccer and her hair would last 3 weeks straight and she wrapped it every night. She would wash her hair and wear it natural for one week. She grew her hair from pretty much her ear to mid back length, it really works for her. She has a 4B curl pattern with low porosity hair. I think it works for her, because her hair doesn't like a lot of product and it keeps her hair detangled for a long period of time !
Wow, and she was playing soccer! This is good to know. Thank you for sharing!
I’m the same!
That's so lovely! She must not sweat in her head like me. Id be drenched!
I have 4b hair and it breaks a lot especially when i do protective styles myself like crochet braid. I just want to stop the knots and whem i straight with low heat hair drying without straighteners my hair is still stubby at the ends.keeping its straight and detangle is impossible
Straightened hair has less tangles and less manipulation. Heat styling natural waist length hair for 14 years.
Miss Chanda That’s exactly how often I straighten my hair! 1x month. In the summer however, I straighten it maybe 2x the whole summer because I sweat it out too fast. So I have to do a wash and go every other day-it will get too tangled and dry if I don’t. When I straighten it, I use 450 degrees. My hair laughs at any temperature less than that!😃 Just use a ceramic ion flat iron with the temperature gauge. I used to use a bonnet at night but I swear it caused my reduced hairline. I use a silk pillowcase now. I used Target brand Rogain for men and got my baby hair back! It was gone for 20 years!! Yeah!!! Get a good trim 2x year.
@@500deanna I think my years of using a bonnet/scarf maybe the reason my hairline has receded in the last few years. I never had problems in the past but with my hairline thinning and the skin there being lighter in tone demarcating the hair loss, I'm think it may be the culprit. I want to try rogaine but I I heard once you stop using it, all the results go away too. Is that your experience?
@@Kikigreentea I stopped with the bonnets too because of lose of hairline - just a theory. Yes, the genetic version of Rogain (Target bran really works!) and yes, your new hair will go away if you stop using the product. But hey, you don’t stop using deodorant!
And it's way weaker💃
Luv to hear these kinds of testimonies
I have natural hair and I often wear my hair in straight styles. I’ve been able to achieve 22inches of length after having a short bob 2 years ago! I silk press my own hair once every 4 weeks or so (I wear my hair in curly buns for a week in between this) and trim my ends every 2 months. It has been working for me for so long. I’m 4 inches from waist length and know I will reach that goal this year!
@Officially Aspiring I have 3c/4a hair! My hair isn’t naturally “soft” or “silky”. It’s very textured. And no I don’t use heat to maintain my press, I simply wrap it at night and once it gets too oily to wear down I put it up into a ponytail or bun and wear that for a week or two before washing and wearing it natural for a week before my next press! I hope that wasn’t too confusing!
Love this video! Straight BLEACHED natural here. I blow dry my hair every 2-3 weeks. I install 8 flexirods and let my hair set overnight, and pineapple to keep the curls. My hair has grown tremendously and I see wayyyy less split ends than if I were to keep my hair in a wash n go/twist out.
MyKenyanPuff hey! I have a video on my channel with my favorite products and frequency. As for trimming, I do it only when my ends looks scraggly - maybe 2x per year. Lmk if you have any other questions!
I'm definitely going to watch your videos. I've been bleached blonde for 5 years now and I do go so far with taking care of it but I would love to see how another natural with the same hair color as mine manage their hair.
Wow this is awesome. I have dyed hair and I want to grow it out but also straighten it. I’m going to check out your channel.
@@RiaRich how do you keep your hair from breaking off with heat styling since it's bleached
Natural yet want blonde to look white??
I just stumbled across this video and wanted to share... I have a couple things to say, one of my best friends goes to a beautician once a month for a silk press. Her hair seems to look healthier/longer then mine and I'm the 1 who's a natural 98% of the time. Growing up my hair was really long because my mom always kept my hair stretched in braids and then when I got into middle school she taught me how to hot comb me and my sisters hair (one pass) Which we would wrap every night with some kind of oil. Always had really long hair, and fairly healthy hair. My mom was a hair stylist when she was younger so she made sure we did mayo treatments and trimmed out hair like 3 times a year. The only time I ever suffered from heat damage is when I got too full of myself and tried to straighten it every morning (sweating didn't really agree with my hair that much 😂😂😂) I was working out and in a sport so I'm kinda shocked your hair looked so nice after a whole class. To be fair I didn't wanna wrap my hair up around my friends so that's probably why my hair would frizz up. Anyways, My senior year I decide to cut my hair up to my ears and let go of the flat iron completely. my curls were popping but they pop so much that my hair was very short, so i tried jumbo perm rods and got big, fluffy, and soft results that made me like my hair short. I would wash my hair once a week. Install the rods. And then not touch my hair again till the following Saturday. My hair just flourished, and all I using was shea butter, water and aussie moist conditioner too. Out of no where my hair was long again. I started feeling myself (oh no) and tried to dye my hair, and it broke off completely. So last year after Thanksgiving, I cut it all off again, to my ears, to start fresh its growing nicely. Its already an inch away from bra strap length .... I honestly feel like it acts better when I use a little heat. I have high porosity hair, so the combination of oil and heat just really soothes my hair. I only allow myself to straighten it every 3 months for a length check, but I have been going to get blow outs and my hair is just flourishing. Mind you, they use really good silky heat protectants and my stylists blow drys my hair with a protien leave in conditioner in it, which is something I would have never thought of. When it starts to sweat out I do a wash and go and wear that till it becomes too big for me (2weeks) I currently wash my hair every other week, followed with a protein treatment once a month, religiously!! I feel like if you wanna be a straight natural and it's working for you, don't feel bad. anything's better than putting chemicals on your head. I also wanna point out that and a lot of natural hair UA-camrs say "low manipulation is the key to length retention" so technically if you're wearing ur hair in a blown out/silk press, then you don't have to touch it for 2 to 3 weeks.... Isn't that equivalent to low manipulation?
Aaliyah heat styled her hair for years. Her routine was every 10 days.
Wow I didn’t know that I thought she was relaxed
Aaliyah had Affirm relaxer at her younger age and then she cut it and grew it out until she was a straight natural.
Or every 2/3 weeks. Prince and Queen Latifah too!
Really, wow, I didn't know that! That's why her har was always so healthy looking
I have been a heat styled natural 20 years (since I was 15 years old). I now have full waist length hair, and will be tailbone length by the end of the year. I have high porosity hair and my curl pattern is still fully intact. Recently (2 years ago) I began to color treat the first signs of grey hair with demi permanent color every 6-7 weeks as I am about 5%- 8% grey. For most of the past 20 years my hair was pressed by a licensed professional. In 2014 I learned to press my own hair and did so every 2 weeks. Recently I have begun stretching to 3 weeks. Yet it was NOT long term heat styling that contributed to my length retention. I only began to retain length during the past 4 years. During the past 4 years I began focusing on hair care practices with particular attention to the ends of my hair, gentle handeling, and moisture protein ballance (deep conditioning each wash, and 2 step protein treatment every 6-7 weeks). It was only after making these changes to my hair care practice that I really began to notice that I was retaining length. I also use a resting phase from heat in the summer. During this time I wear individual braids for 3-4months. This year I am shifting focus to include stimulated hair growth in addition to length retention. I will be using vitamins and supplements, and biophotostimulation with low level laser therapy.
Wow! Thank you for sharing your story. I appreciate all of the detail you provided as it will be helpful for so many to see the difference healthy hair care practices have made to your overall length retention. I understand you plan to incorporate vitamins and laser therapy. I encourage you to try one method for a while in order to determine if it plays a role in increasing your growing phase or growth rate. I am concerned that if you do three new things at the same time there is no way to isolate which one is beneficial and which are not adding value. I hope you will consider my recommendation. Wishing you the best with your hair goals!!
+Embrace Natural Beauty Thank you for your recommendation. I intend to get a disconnected undercut an side shave while keeping the bulk of the length to test my rates of growth from bald to grow out over the course of a year. I will test one intervention on each side -Lower level laser therapy (LLLT) on the left side, an oil growth mix of peppermint, rosemary, thyme, cedar, frankincense, lavender with a carrier oil of jojoba on the right side. After 4 years of testing I have determined that my normal rate of growth is 0.5 inches per month/6 inches per year. Anything over my normal rate can be attributed to the intervention in the test area. I am considering having some other people test the hair oil. There are plenty of double blind peer review studies on LLLT. It works. Thanks again for your suggestions.
tacthom this is awesome thanks ❤❤❤ so you can protein treatment that often colored hair?
Wow, this was super helpful! Do you have recs for a conditioner/protein treatment that works particularly well for high porosity hair? I'm also naturally very porous
@@tacthom what was the outcome?
I’ve been heat styling my hair since 2021 and I couldn’t be happier. I am natural and was 1 of those who was scared of the blow dryer and flat iron and only straightened my hair twice a year. But my hair has retained length since heat styling. I do this ever 4-6 weeks. So much easier! I have 4 daughters and this has hey me tremendously! The secret to this is to do PROTEIN treatments and to balance with moisturizer conditioner because the protein is being broken down when heat styling. So you are building the hair up for the break down occurs in the heating process.
Is it better to do protein treatments before or after straightening?
True. It's like a protective barrier. Henna is also an excellent permanent protective barrier. Highly recommend it. Specifically Curly Proverbs brand. She has a UA-cam channel all about henna and other Ayurvedic herbs for hair.
@@imarip9781 Before
I'm really considering this, I've been natural for 5 years and not happy with my length I'm 4c and in bra strap length. so I choose to start wearing straight hair to see if I can retain more length, wish me luck,
belfam89 update ?
belfam89 Did it work?
belfam89 has it worked?
belfam89 any updates?
+belfam89 @belfam89 update please!
I am actually experimenting with this as well. I have worn my hair curly in its natural state since 2008. I am sort of sick of wearing my hair curly. So I will see what happens. :)
What Chelsea Eats So have I ... since the 90s. Finally decided I needed a change, too, and recently started wearing it straight or stretched often. As my stylist says, versatility is what’s so beautiful about natural hair.
Twins!!
I am natural and have heat styled my hair for years. I have nearly tailbone length hair. I straighten my hair once a month or so. Biggest key is do not refresh with heat if you can avoid it, I use the tresemme heat tamer, I oil my ends every other day and I oil my scalp as needed while it is straight. Hope this helps someone.
How can u straighten your hair and wash it every week
@@dominiquewyatt6704 some people don't need to wash their hair every week
@@daughterofzion778 I'm always allergic to oils, and haircare products. I'm at a point I'm tired 😫. Right now I'm having a allergic reaction
Hi Abena!... Great vid!!!
I am a natural who has worn my hair straight for about 8-9 years now. I have had several cuts, trims and I have done my own hair for almost 5 years now. I wear my hair straight only about 5-6 times per year max. I actually increased my heat usage this year because straight hair is so much easier to manage!.. It is definitely possible to maintain long straight natural hair with the right regimen. Moisture and protecting your ends is key!.. I hit my hair goal of waist length two years ago and now I am just between mid-back and waist length comfortably! My hair type is tightly , coiled and easy to tangle (type4c).. I just wanted to respond to your vid! Thanks for being an inspiration to so many!!
Shayla Hicks hi how often do you trim and straighten your hair? Protein trx and such. Thanks
Did you use flat irons?
My routine! A lik diff but similar
Hi I have a niece who usually keeps her hair silk pressed. She has the same lenght with no damage. She also colored it. The one thing I see is that she always has her hair professionally cared for. Your hair is very nice. Great video.
i find what helps the most is protein treatments...i have coarse 4b/c thick hair(i call it the bush lol)so once a month i do protein treatments and blow dry on high(1800 watt flat iron when i switch to 1875 i can use medium) and flat iron on 375 been doing this for years...also trim once every three months (its time now i need to trim ) ..i wish the community would accept us and know we exist...deep conditioning once a week is a must ...im sorry but i think that my hair is healthier now than when i was relaxed ...i think the main thing is to KNOW YOUR HAIR ...glad oyu made this video..
This is a very interesting topic, and I would love to hear all the information you gather from other ladies.
Yup my hair was so long during my teenage years until mid 20’s because I used to straighten my hair. It was so long I used to sit on it. Wish I could post pictures here… Then I got pressured into the no heat curly hair movement and it all went down hill in a matter of months. I constantly had to trim my hair because of the breakage whereas before I only did a yearly trim. Now I’m at freaking shoulder length.🤦🏽♀️ The constant product build up and having to shampoo gave me such a dry scalp, nasty breakage from detangling, and air drying also affected me… I’m going back to only washing it every 3-4 weeks and giving myself a blow out with the Dyson dryer and then flat ironing it with a fancy super sonic flat iron I invested in. I’ll grow it back to booty length in 4 years tops. Just watch me!!!🦁👑✨
Ps. You do YOU with your hair! I know it’s hard not to feel ashamed for not embracing your natural curl pattern but it’s HARD to maintain consistently when you’re not rich. I’d be natural if I had a styling team but since I’m not, my gorgeous curls will be straightened. I love my hair so I must do this to protect it before I go freaking bald!🙈
I was thinking the same thing. I've been natural for close to 30 years and never has my hair reached beyond shoulder length( and that was with 6 years of sisterlocks). I have done EVERYTHING to maintain length, money not being much of an issue. I know it grows slowly but maintaining 2 inches a year is crazy. It breaks and I haven't found the reason YET. I was just thinking about hot combing when I found this video. I may give it a try.
@deva190 did you try it? Just curious Maybe being a straight natural is for you. I've been doing it for a year and my hair loves it ❣️
@@deva190 I think you should try the tymo ring plus comb on airdried hair as an alternative to the hot comb. I plan on doing the same. I have rocked my curls for 10 years. I am currently just above bra strap length but I am ready for some flexibility. Some weeks straigth and when I miss my curls, I would rock a curly style.
I'm going to visit this before I decide to texlax. Thank you for this.
This is a wonderful video. Since deciding to go natural 2009 I am still on the hunt to find the right style/regimen that will not only give me healthy and strong hair but will also provide me freedom and less maintenance as possible. I would prefer to not use heat but I find when my hair is stretched with heat and styled it less maintenance and less knots . After trying wash and go's, damp/wet braid out and twist outs and protective styles I am now using heat/blow dryer to stretch my hair and eventually will add the flat iron for even more convenience.. I have found as long as I deep condition under a hair dryer min 30 min and use a great leave in with a great heat protectant I have little breakage and my style last longer.. Good luck on your hair journey... much love
Thank You!💕 I have been transitioning since May 2019. I think I have about 2 inches of ends that need to come off. I appreciate this video. I find that blow drying and silk pressing 1x a month is safe, and I feel best to manage and less breakage and dryness.
Hello Abena, I feel like I have watched a million hair videos on UA-cam and tonight this if the first time I am seeing your channel. This is probably because I have mostly been focusing on channels about 4c hair care. My hair is grown a few inches past my shoulders, I'd like to straighten my hair to see what it looks like, but I am afraid that my hair will start breaking even more. Well anyway, great videos and your voice is very professional and calming.
Thanks for sharing and being a passionate natural!
Wish I had seen this when you started it. I have low porosity hair. My hair's texture is mostly fine. I have had issues with iron deficiencies and other health stuff. About 4 years ago I cut my hair to chin length. I do flat iron my hair about once every 6 to 8 weeks. Also, my hair is about 85% gray now. It has increased to bra strap length and it's still growing. I don't really do anything special to it. Mostly I just leave it alone. I really enjoy your presentations here. Thank you so much for the inspiration. Peace, Love, and Light!
Abena, this sounds like an interesting research subject. I have 2 sisters that heat style their hair and both have waist length to hip length hair. One goes to a professional every 2 wks, whom roller sets and use flat iron on the roots only. The other is a DIYer. She air dries and uses the flat iron monthly. No touch-ups. I do not know if heat protectant is used, however they both use silicones. Not sure about porosity or Protein DC either.
Hey Mjgarner123, great information. Thank you for sharing!
I love the Minimal heat they both use .I am about to use your DIY sister's method. Airdry in chunky braids and then straighten with a tymo ring plus comb!
I love your videos! I am over a year post relaxer. I do mainly protective styles to avoid heat. I may bun for a week, twist out the next week, 2 braids to the back etc. if I do straighten it, it's every 3 months and I will prepare my hair for heat. Before when I got relaxers and didn't know about how to care for hair, I straightened about every 3 weeks and still retained length. Guess I was that exception lol
I have been pressing my hair with a hot comb for years. My hair has grown long for years. The few times, I used a flat iron my hair would be fried for weeks, so I stopped that. I have used a hot comb stove version for over 30 years. I did my hair only once a week after it was washed, and used based shampoos and conditions with pressing oil only.
My hair began to thin over the last two years. I am 50 now. I thought it was due to aging.
With the last two used I started using anti- frizz products.
Something funny happened. My friend introduced me to Jamaican black castor oil which I started using 8/21/2016. I also stopped using silicon products, and as my hair grew out it was noticeably thicker. It never stopped growing long.
After listening to one of your videos, I now believe my hair began to thin because I wasn't cleanings the silicon products out properly. I had stopped using sulfate shampoos before I began using silicon products.
For the last two months or since March 2017, I stopped pressing my hair also, started using all natural products and oils, mayo treatments, and no sulfates.
I totally believe the cause of my hair damage was due to me using silicone products, not cleanings properly, and then pressing my "dirty"
Hi Abena! Your channel is very informative. Your content is arranged and presented so clear and orderly. Thank you for documenting and presenting to us! With that being said, although this is an old video, I’d like to add 2 more cents please lol. I began my NHJ in 2007. I am mid-back length straightened, and full shoulder length curly. The 3 biggest tips I have benefited from are:
-Drinking more water-usually 50 ounces(about 3 16.9 ounce bottles)
-Dusting the ends VERY little before cowashing (to open the hair shaft to ensure better product absorption)
-Refreshing at least once a week in the dry/special areas.
There are more tips but of course these are the most important to name a few. Thanks for your content!
For anyone at a loss on what to use to remoisturize straightened hair, I highly recommend Qhemet biologics 'amla olive heavy cream' (applied sparingly ofcourse if you dont want your hair to be weighed down). This cream has water as the third ingredient so it's better than applying straight oil because the water offers hydration, but it's not so liquidy/ water based that your hair will revert/shrink up significantly. I love it :) Hope this helps someone!
Thank you! All the products I have include water as the first ingredient and I was worried about my hair reverting
Thanks! I used it years ago on transitioning hair and didn't like it but I'm going to revisit on straightened natural hair.
I've very recently started my journey as a straight haired natural. I think that it will be easier to retain length since my type 4a hair won't have an opportunity to tangle up on itself. I use 360-375 to flat iron with no problems. I can't go a whole month without washing my hair as my scalp will be on fire, breakout and become sore. I go about 2 weeks, 3 is pushing it for me. I recently switched to salon products such as Pureology, Redken, Amika and Joico shampoos, conditioners/deep conditioners. I just started using It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in and really love it. I've been stuck at grazing BSL even with regular (every 12 weeks) professional trims. It's time to push past this plateau so straight hair it is.
@Jeong237 it sounds like it's giving the temp in C, not F.
i consider myself a "flat ironed natural." My hair has grown very nicely over the past year. I have kinky 4a-4c hair depending on the area of my head. I also have highly porous hair. What I have found key to maintaining healthy hair while heat styling
is staying on top of trims (I trim during every flat iron -- I call it maintenance dusting), protein treatments, and deep conditioning. NOT using blow dryers with or without comb attachments. I flat iron only 370- 390 degrees using a ceramic flat iron. I also LIMIT tool use. I only use a comb for the comb chase method over my ends and then after one pass once my texture has smoothed out. I also keep combs out of my head during the week. I'll only use a wide tooth comb 1-2x a week (if that). I prefer you use my fingers to rake through my hair. I don't have any heat damage. I was pretty busy last year finishing up my Master's degree so I didn't flat iron once a month. I flat ironed my hair 6x last year. I don't have long hair by any means, but I am retaining good length
Could you do a follow up to this video with your findings, updates, tips?
I managed to grow my natural hair mid-back length wearing wigs. I always thought that wigs was the best & only easy option to maintain my length, but I just discovered that my hair retains its length through straitening as well. I go to to salon every two weeks to a month to get it straightened and I have considerably less breakage and it is flourishing. I am so happy that I discovered that straightening my hair actually helps it to retain length. Twist-outs caused my hair to knot at the ends which was causing breakage. On special occasions, I DON’t get my hair pressed/ straightened so that it can be big & full like I love.
Very inspiring. I love my natural hair, but as a busy mom, being a straight natural looks like a viable option for me.
The only time I ever had long hair is when heat styling. My hair gets matted when curly and causes a bunch of breakage. I also believe if you heat style you should never dye it!
That is true!
you look great!!! so nice to see you back out on UA-cam. I really missed you as alway great advice💋
Thank you so much Evengailbowman! I am happy to be back!
My mom used to straighten my hair often when growing up. My hair grew a lot from it. It was so long during my high school. It was gone when I stop getting my hair straightened. My hair grew from grease (blue magic) and straightened my hair often. I need to go back to my old ways and not ways.
great video! can u make a video on night time routine and gym style to preserve your straight hair before you go back to curly. thanks
I started doing this with my mom I straighten her hair once a month. I spray heat protectant blow dry spray heat protectant before I straighten every piece. Also the heat protectant has anti humidity which helps the style last longer but I'm trying to get her at least to bra strap length by next year. She doesn't like wearing her hair natural just yet because its very short when curly. But I've been doing this for a couple of months now and I haven't seen any heat damage so I'm glad
I have bsl hair after going natural and doing a bc 3 years ago. I alternate between wash and go and diy press. I've had my hair professionally pressed 3 times within the three years. I have more breakage when I get it done professionally because of the stylist combing technique. I have experienced a lot of shedding but thankfully I've found a product that helps stregthen my hair from shedding.
Mimi Lee Can you please share the product you use to combat shedding?
Mimi Lee Hi Mimi Lee is this still a regimen that you use? I ask because I’m thinking about using straight style bling as well but I still want to be able to wear my washing ours. To some extent I’ve kind of mastered the wash and go considering I am a low prosody foresee for being natural. So my question is what is your exact regiment if straight styling or DIY stress styling is something you still use and washing goes.
Any follow up with this video? I'm very interested.
This is just what I'm looking for.. I'm about to flat iron this week after testing it in a mall, noticing how my hair lovee the softness of each strand. I actually think its what I've been looking for healthier smoother hair, I'm 4c low porosity. I'll certainly gonna have a go. Its been so hard to maintain length after 9 years only armpit length. Time to try something else. .. Encouraged by comments below too.
Abena have you ever used a steam/vapor flatiron? I've read that this type of pressing tool is better for natural hair. What are your thoughts?
In March I'll reach the end of my 3 YEAR no-heat challenge. The challenge began while I was transitioning. I BC'd in November 2014, to a 1 inch TWA, and my hair is now BSL (in just over 2 years). I may straighten it for my 3-year kinkaversary, in November, but not before. I want to get to MBL before I straighten my hair (maybe the end of this year).
Congrats girl...thank you for sharing! Just a reminder I am not encouraging straight hair, just opening the dialog for the naturals who want to consider it for an option. Thanks!
I currently am a heat trained natural and have been for 4 months. I have lost my natural curl pattern but do not experience excessive breakage and my hair is bra strap length. I wash my hair once a week with sulfate free shampoo and deep condition. Then I use Gabrielle Union’s “Flawless” blow dry cream (small amount from root to tip) and blow dry my hair in sections using the comb attachment on my Chi Brilliance blow dryer. I then proceed to straighten it with my chi brilliance titanium 1” flat iron with a snake tooth comb as I straighten for 1-2 passes with each section. I only straighten my hair once a week rarely in between washes and wear down a few days then up a few. About 1-2 a month I may use my wand for some curls (few days before wash day on old hair) and add chi heat protectant prior to using my wand. Also I sleep with a satin bonnet each night no wrapping required and get up and go each day. I also plan to keep getting trims every 4-6 months to keep my hair healthy. So far so good! My hair is healthy and long ! I may start a vlog for straight haired natural
so they know it is possible and some do’s and don’ts as we are few and far in between. There is also a lot of misinformation within the natural hair community and I would like to be a resource if I can as I wished I would have had one rather then everyone telling me to cut all my hair off because I lost my curls. This journey has made me feel more free and feel like I can be myself without having to constantly be scared of big chopping again because my curls indicate “health”. I also feel more freely about my hair in knowing that if I do cut my hair it will grow back like any other race or ethnicity. Truly is a wonderful experience!
DeVonna Smith hi have you completely lost your curls or has it just basically been stretched. I ask because I want the convenience of going between straight styles and still somewhat curly styles after all that’s why I went natural for the versatility. So are you able to have both but just maybe it’s not your original curl pattern?
Wow you straighten with a titanium iron weekly? Might want to space that out to 2-4 weeks.
She is soo beautiful!!🐶
This had NOTHING to do with the title 😔
4c low porosity thick thick collar bone length. 1. Every late Saturday night, Hot oil overnight with olive oil put hair in 12 big twist 2. In the early Morning Squeeze in vo5 one twist at a time and carefully detangle, after all 12 are detangled, spray scalp with water and Poo scalp outside the shower. Using handheld shower handle rinse hair well, squeeze in DC to each twist and GHE for 1 hour, get in the shower and do a final rinse to the hair. Spray hair with leave-in of choice, seal with grapeseed oil (secret heat protectant) then blow dry with Revlon brush/dryer on low or cold. After hair is dry spray one twist at a time with two or three shots of heat protectant, comb through, and flat iron ABSOLUTELY ONE PASS 400 degrees. At night: Massage scalp for 5-10 min. rub hands with olive oil and Put hair in 12 big tight twist or braids and wrap the twist around the circumference of the head and use big Bobby pins to secure it for stretch. After twist are wrapped carefully put on a pair of stocking on your head and ease the bobbypins through the holes and wrap the legs around your head. In the morning untwist and shake and lightly separate I DO NOT USE A COMB AT ALL DURING THE WEEK. I do not use a comb again until my hair is hot oiled and has vo5 conditioner added for slip. So I basically wear a straightened twist out all week and twist the hair every night to insure it looks neat everyday. Doing hair once a week keeps hair and ends moisturized. Keeping hair straightened prevents single strand knots which kill retention because your constantly trying to rake through the knots. Doing a nightly twist up, and daily twist out allows you to look super cute without using a comb.
Ah I’m three years late but thank you for this
I have high porosity hair and wearing my hair natural, doing curly methods, wash and go, natural products all took a toll on my hair. I begins to bald in the crown. My mother use to press my aunt's hair every 10 days using Prell shampoo and Queen Helene Conditioner and no heat protectant and she had butt length hair. Ever since I started back using sulfate shampoos my hair began to change for the better. Then when my mother told me to go back to what I Know meaning what she taught me with pressed hair, I started wearing my hair straight again and that was a double game changer with longer and thicker hair. I just couldn't understand why I couldn't have that wash and go natural hair like everyone else but now I know. Being curly was just destroying my hair. Another thing I learned is that the flat iron destroyed the integrity of my hair but the regular flat iron that you put in the stove didn't. No heat damaged with the pressing comb and flat iron you put in the heat stove but damage with those electrics flat irons and straight ends... go figure
Are you using marcels? The WnG routine doesn't work for me either. I like to rollerset and flat iron, but I want to avoid straight ends.
Hairfanatic1 This sounds like my story almost exactly! Right now I’m wearing my hair pressed as I try to grow out the splits and knots that wearing my hair curly has caused. It’s bitter sweet because I too wanted desperately to wear the wash and go. Finally found a method that seemed to work and wore wash and gos for 6 months straight. At the end of those 6 months I decided to straighten my hair and that’s when I saw all the knots and splits. It was terrible and I knew I would have no choice but to cut. Not sure if it was the products I was using (I did use some pretty harsh gels) or just allowing my hair to shrink up on itself but it’s been rough trying to deal with this. How has the heat styled journey been going for you? How do you wear your hair in the summer when it’s hot/humid?
What brand of flat iron do you use? Your Auntie's hair sounds lovely. Simple hair routines seemed to have grown long hair. 😀
You are right about using Marcel curling stoves something about those electric flat iron seem so much more damaging
That's because you are literally crushing the hair between two hot plates flattening the hair strands. It destroys the structure. They make the hair look really nice but I'm not willing to pay that price anymore so I retired mine. I'm not entirely comfortable using a stove comb even though I have one so I went for the next best thing, an electric straightening brush. I use the FHI Stylus. It straightens very well but preserves the integrity of the hair like a pressing comb. My hair is not pin straight like flat ironing but as I get older I'm over chasing that look and actually prefer a bit of texture to my straightened hair.
I recently decided to become a straight natural after 5 years of mainly wearing my hair in its natural state, with a flat iron and protective style here and there. I do have L.P. hair. I'm currently an itch or so pass BSL and I plan to grow my hair out waist lengthy even while using heat. Look forward to your experiment. I'm only a month in being a straight natural, I wash, DC, blow dry and flat iron when every my hair streets reverting or feel dry. That can be in 7 days or 14 days.
RitaMay's Way
This sounds absolutely wonderful, please keep us updated if you can! 😊👍💕💕
How has your hair done now @ritamay_june
I know I am late to this video But I'm glad I found it I straighted my hair all the time and man has it growed so much I got pics to prove it
This is exactly what I was doing when I was younger with and without a relaxer. I was stretching relaxers 3-4 months at a time and getting my hair done once a month or so and I had hair down to the top of my chest. I miss that length! LOL I had my hair cut to a short bob last year under my ears and now it is back to the top of my back and I'm still doing straight styles, re-heat styling every 2 1/2 weeks or so and using no heat during summer months.
So far for me my hair needs a lot of moisture but hates to much products so how I keep/retain my length is after I give my hair a silk press (my hair can handle heat) I apply oils (small amount) then for when I go to sleep I either put it in a bun or if I want it wavy straight two braids and I only touch my hair up on lower heat and my hair is a mixture of 3b and 3c 🤗but yes that’s what works for me
I have LP hair with medium strands. Years ago, I used to get my hair heat styled professionally every two weeks. My hair did grow, but it is no where near as healthy as it is now. I attribute this to stretching my hair by air drying and daily light oil when its time to go to bed. I know I will reach waist length this year, but I think regular heat styling would slow that process down for me and I would need more frequent trims. If your research is LP vs HP length retention with heat styling I'm sure you will find the results you can currently predict.
Thank you Dr. SB Wilson. Glad to hear your hair is healthier now. LOL, I am was not thinking about LP vs HP, just sharing the common denominators of the ladies I mentioned in the video. I hope to hear of some ladies who are normal or high porosity as well.
For years I hand my hair pressed my for years and my mom used beeswax and used a hot comb. But I have been natural for two years and don't use any heat now. I have never done a relaxer and my hair is to my bust. I want to grow to hip length. My mom also would do my hair in braids as well during the summer. Then straighten it in the winter every two or three weeks.
Dedeshika Alabi-Mensah
Your hair is amazing😍
Thanks so much for addressing this topic! I haven't found anyone on UA-cam discussing this topic. I really would like to know if there is a healthy way have heat styled hair and still maintain moisture, length, and growth.
Philly Gal Dephne talks about this too!
The Glam Twinz heat style during the fall/winter and wear wash n go during spring/summer. When heat styling they straighten every three weeks. They have tons of videos. My hair isn’t like theirs but I’m trying some of the professional products that are their holy grail.
I just read that straighter hair retains length, and temperature natural oils can get to the ends of the hair. Also, the follicles are round and ours are flat, so that's another factor. Coily hair is just more prone to breakage because of these and DNA of course. When I grow mine out I'd moisturize it everyday in twists. I just kept it stretched...I'll need to try this process because just wearing a "wash n go" or just a fro isn't doing anything and I've noticed a lot of breakage and dumb single strand knows after I cut my bleached hair off.
I’ve had my hair straightened since I was a little girl. Once per month my grandma (a professional cosmetologist) would take a Saturday and wash my hair, deep condition my hair & blow it out and take a hot comb to press my hair. On Sunday’s she’d do fancy things, but she kept my hair in French braids & various other types of braids for school. My braid was so long and thick I could sit on my hair.
I got a relaxer at age 14 trying to be grown and my hair hadn’t been the same since.
She later had to cut the relaxer out and I had a bob hairstyle. My hair didn’t grow as fast after that. Went through lot of ups & downs but she got my hair back for me. I spent most of my life with my natural hair & would sometimes wear it ‘curly’ or straighten it. Then the natural hair wave hit and to me things got weird for a bit. I started doing keratin treatments for a while as a way to manage my thick hair that would get frizzy.
After a while I stopped doing that, chopped off about 4 inches & attempted to do all the things on UA-cam for healthy hair. I felt I’d lost connection with how to care for my beautiful curls & the keratin treatments left my hair looking weird.
But the natural hair routines are too much.
Now I’ll get my hair blown out every 2 weeks. 2 days before going in I’ll soak my hair in all my diy hair growth oils. Wash it out and deep condition or do a diy hair treatment. Then I go get my hair done professionally; Get a trim every 8 weeks or so. My hair is actually looking better than ever. Super healthy.
Hi Abena. Do you have follow up information on this topic?
I have medium porosity hair which means I need a protein and moisture balance at all times. Sheamoisture 10 n 1 renewal mask works best for me for conditioning. Sheamoisture moisture retention shampoo or Jamaican black castor oil shampoo are best for washing. My leave ins are either as I am leave in conditioner or Acure leave in. My heat protect is Ojon rare blending protective treatment with macadamia oil spray. My hair retains length and looks healthy.
And you wear your hair straightened the majority of the time as a natural?
I joined you, I'm straightened, found a great stylist. I find that being straight allows me to retain length because I don't suffer with two strand knots or those fairy knots. I'm about collarbone length and my goal is actually the length you are in this video. Hopefully by the end of this year I will reach my goal. With that much length do you wrap it or do you use huge soft rollers?
Hey! How’d it go
@@zoemcguire8742 I suffered heat damage recently, I’m trying to recover from it. I’m 1 inch from nipple length. I stopped the blow drying and returned to curly. I’ve gotten to the point of balancing protective style and carefree style so I can love my length. In the cold months I’m going to focus on growth and protective style, but in the warmer months I’m all about coating my hair in flaxseed gel in the morning and going about my business loving my length.
Heat too high?
@@deesenuts8730 yep, I thought 400 was ok, but apparently not. I’m done with heat all together. I been up on that flaxseed gel and my hair loves it. My routine is down to 1 hour using flaxseed gel, it detangles my hair beautifully, so I have no use for heat anymore.
@@Ms88keys1 What’s your length now?
My sister heat styled her hair is down her back I was natural w/ heat and hair was horrible..I noticed that if I heat style myself its a disaster...a stylist has grown it
I notice that I have to trim (dust) my ends more often since I went from real natural to straight natural. My growth seems slower, but it's all real growth that looks great, not fast growth of long damaged ends. I'm really excited about that.
The topic starts around 2:53. I'm a heat straightened natural (4c) and have been for quite a while. I hover around BSL to midback length and get regular retention.
Virtuenow can you share more on what your routine is like, your hair type etc?
Amy Lozy sure: stats: I am 4c, 90% shrinkage. Routine Every 2-3 weeks: deep condition on dry hair w/olive oil and apogee 2 min reconstructor. I detangle at this phase (finger 1st then comb combo).
Next I wash with diluted shampoo- w/applicator bottle (focus on scalp). Then I rinse, then I do an oil rinse w/castor (as my final conditioning). I then add plenty of Hair leave in cream and seal w/oil. (My hair needs a lot of product)
Afterwards, I blow dry on hi (cool shot on ends). I use garnier fructis anti humidity cream. then flat iron with FHI platform on 365 - 405 degrees - depending on how I feel that day. I use heat protectant and Aveda humidity cream. I am experimenting w/blue magic grease b/c my hair needs weight.
Amy Lozy I forgot to say - I flat iron in very thick sections (similar to Sunshower143). This leaves some texture (think Chaka Khan, Diana Ross) and a level of protection, but stretches it out. I have thick hair, thick strands, about bsl- mid back length.
Thanks for sharing! And I like the flat iron in large sections idea. I am encouraged to hear how much success you have on this routine and you have 4c hair. I hope I can get to my length goals on this routine
Amy Lozy - I have been doing this for two years and I keep retaining. The only breakage I’ve had is when I take a break from the heat routine. During the breaks I do rollersers (no heat) and/or twist outs. I get crazy breakage down to the root. That’s the only reason I have to keep clipping my hair. So I’m thinking of doing this heat routine solely and consistently. So I can keep more Hair and have way less breakage. I seem to retain way better with heat
I used to straighten a lot, but noticed that my hair is healthier and grows faster when I use less heat. Recently, I got a silk press and a good trim. But after 2weeks, my hair felt dry and I noticed more (new) split ends. I'd rather wear wash and gos and not deal with extra problems.
I hear you girl! I am a washngo girl myself. I wonder why the split ends, how much was trimmed?
1-2 inches
I can't wear wash and gos, my hair is way to curly to be left out like that, I'll get single strand knots
I am 15 and have silk pressed by stylist since I was 7. Every 3 weeks. I am able to have minimal straight ends. I never had my hair relaxed either. My hair is past my shoulders too but I think it could be longer if the salon wouldn't trim it every 6 WEEKS.
You may want to have this conversation with your mom and later with your stylist. It would be beneficial to have the stylist thoroughly explain how much is being trimmed and why.
Such beautiful hair!!!
Thanks for the video!
I'm starting my straight hair natural journey now :D. I just got it pressed and cut. Starting at bra strap length hope to get to waist by the end of this year.
how are you doing? i just started my journey recently this week 🥰
@@strawberryfraisier6446 great actually. Still wearing my hair straight. It may seem nasty but I wash my hair once a month then go to my local salon for a professional press. I dont use heat all month after the press. I use dry shampoo and dry conditioner to keep my hair flowy and not so greasy and stinky lol . My last post I said I was my bra strap now im right under my bra strap. Just got another trim because it was time..took off 1 inch and half
@@shyneicemayeux5168 Not nasty. We don't need to wash our hair as often as they tell us. The most successful straight haired naturals i know only wash and straighten once a month.
@@shyneicemayeux5168 how often do you get trims?
Hi Quinta, I'm not on a trim schedule but when I feel like my hair needs it I get one . :)
I’m 27 and have been a straight natural since I was 13. My hair grows very very fast. I keep it at shoulder length because that’s just how I like it these days but to keep it at this length I have to cut it about once a month.
Your hair is beautiful!! tfs👍🏽
A long time ago when I was young up until I was 13 I retained length for years I’m 52 and my mom would send me to get my hair pressed and hot combed on a regular basis and my hair was long
I've never had long hair. The longest was barely touching my shoulder blades. I went natural because I only got touch ups once a season. In 2008, I cut my hair in a Halle Berry-ish style and grew out my natural hair from there. Because I didn't know what I was doing, I was a straight natural for the first 3 or 4 years. I got my hair blow dried and flat ironed about once a month and it flourished. It still wasn't long, just shoulder length, but it looked and behaved like healthy hair. Then, I started watching YT and started experimenting with WnGs, twist and braid outs, etc. and my hair suffered. It has been the same length for the last 4 years and I haven't straightened it once in that time! Not even once! I trim every 3 months and wind up with the same awkward stage looking haircut. My hair is medium to low density and fine. 3c-4a, if you subscribe to hair-typing. I am considering texlaxing because my hair does not like the constant manipulation and tangles. I'm beginning to think that having my texture loosened may aid in it being less dry and the over-manipulation. Sorry about the length of this comment, but I wanted to give you some background and ask what you think I should do.
Hey Tracy, I do not recommend texlaxing as a way to increase moisture. However, any form of styling or chemical process is a personal choice. I am sorry to hear that your hair suffered when wet styling. Let me ask you a few questions to see if I understand what's been happening.
1. When you were a straight natural you had your hair done once per month. Did you wash your own hair in between the salon visits or was it only washed at the salon once per month when you had it straightened?
2. When doing WnGs, twist and braid outs did you wash your hair weekly, every 2 weeks or longer? Were you twisting every night to maintain definition?
3. Were you cowashing or using shampoo?
4. Were you clarifying (using shampoo with sulfates)? if so, how often?
Embrace Natural Beauty Thank you for replying. I really want to love my hair in its natural state, but it's just not working for me. Yet.
1) I did not wash or restyle with heat between appointments. I wrapped, used rollers or pin-curled my hair at night.
2) When my hair is not straight, I try to wash my hair every week. I never go more than two weeks w/o washing or I'll have too many tangles. With twist-outs, I have to twist every night because my hair does not hold styles well. Pineapples don't work for me, so I have to retwist.
3) I used to cowash early in my natural hair journey, but now I shampoo or use cleansing agents like CRN Sweet Ginger Rinse.
4) I don't clarify that often because I tend to use silicone free products. But if I feel the need, I will use Come Clean by Kinky Curly or an ACV rinse.
I hope I've answered everything you've asked of me. I look forward to your response.
Tracy Shuler your hair sounds just like my hair. None of those natural styles worked for me. It resulted in a lot of shedding, knots, and breakage. When I was a child I never had long hair when it was braided and not heat styled. Now that I straighten my hair every other week it is the longest it's ever been and thick. I texlax in the spring and summer only because with the heat and humidity my hair reverted resulting in breakage which is why I texlax during this these times only. I trim regularly and flat iron at 400 degrees max. I have bsl hair now from neck length.
KinkCurlandGo Thank you for sharing your experience with me. You're making me rethink the way I've been doing my hair. Thanks again.
Tracy Shuler hello do you have a update with you hair pls thanks you
Crazy thing is that after I get my hair silk pressed professionally ... the next time I wash my hair my curls are amazing!!
Emphasis on Professionally... I damage my hair whenever I do it myself
Oh wow!
I’ve noticed the same thing with my hair too. I think it has a lot to do with me having low porosity hair. It’s seems that after I silk press my hair, it’s drinks more water and absorbs product better.
How often do you use heat?
Have tried wearing natural, however, I am not good at hair. Dont have professional funds. I do not understand the characteristics of my hair either
I have low porosity, protein sensitive bsl hair. Single strand knots are the only thing that hinders my retention. When I heat style, I have less knots of course and don't have to manipulate my hair for 2 weeks with just nightly wrapping. I've been afraid to consistently heat style since being natural so I'm not sure what the effect would be. It could perhaps help me with the knots which would help me retain length. However, my hair isn't very course so I'm not sure I could withstand much heat. I may try it and post results. How often do you heat style Abena?
dee bee I have a lot of ssk's as well. My hair is only 5inches I get scheduled trims and I still suffer from them. I'm 3c in the back and 4a everywhere else....i don't know what to do
I usually do a seek and destroy kind of thing every other week. It's painful. I've tried everything from oil on the ends, staying away from curly styles, bunning, smoothing products etc. It's been years of experimenting and I still can't get rid of them. I'm wondering if I heat styled regularly if it would help....
dee bee I have 4a hair and medium porosity hair but also suffer from knots when I braid or twist. I heat style every other week and this has helped with the problem as well as trimming hair regularly when I see split ends.
dee bee I have problems with ssn too like on every strand, that's why I'm contemplating just keeping it straight. And yes I keep up with my trims.
I heat styled for about 4 years --Touch ups every other day.
--Heat protectant
--Blow-dry and flatiron
I did this for about 2.5 years before I experienced any damage. I was retaining length and the damage did not cause breakage. It only left my ends straight.
I stopped heat styling after I got my hair done at a salon (I've only visited a salon 4 times) and she placed me under the cap dryer, blow dried my hair and flat ironed my hair without heat protectant. After that I had to chop a lot of my hair off.
I am so sorry to hear of your salon experience. I know there are some stylists who do not believe heat protection is a necessity. That as long as the hair is healthy and has decent moisture it can withstand the heat of the iron. Trying to keep the hair light so that is has more movement. That may have been her approach but certainly not mine. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
Another Informative Video!
Good topic. I'm just about 34 and never not been natural so my styles over the years have run every gamut. It's only recently within the last 5 years or so that I'm experiencing positive feedback because of ( or despite?) me wearing my natural fro everywhere outside of my home/ family structure. When I had a job interview or whatever I felt like I had to straighten my hair, but now I don't feel that way, I just like to mix up my style and give my hair a rest because I feel wearing hair completely natural can also cause damage if you're not caring for it properly. I'm inspired by your and other videos to actually try to achieve the waist length I always wanted, but figured I was more or less "stuck" at bra or mid back length. I do not and almost never in 34 years get my hair done in a salon and I've been doing it myself since I was 12. Tools and products have changed so much over the years, but best results still come the same way. Natural products made for my hair (very similar in texture/ thickness to yours), never color treated though I'd like to try if I thought it wouldn't be too damaging, good heat tools that get hot, but maintain the correct temperature (I experienced hear damage only once with a flat iron that I can't see the exact temp and it was just too hot), heat protectant, moisture, and properly wrapping my hair at night (which doesn't happen as often as it should...) I'm really excited to try new products to see what works best now that there are a plethora of natural products for black hair and really get my hair to look like yours for more than 3 days in row!
you’re extremely well spoken.
Your hair is beautiful it reminds me of my mother do you still silk press?
If I have high porosity can I also heat style
My mother used to heat style my hair when I was younger and it was thick and long. Now that I’m natural and rarely use heat, it seams that my hair doesn’t want to grow. I sat my mother down sis and asked her give me step by step how you cared for our hair back then bc I’m about to go back to that lol. SERIOUSLY THO…
And what did she say???
Ok i was about to respond until you asked all those questions...i was heat trained 8 years...high porosity...370 degrees..haven't relaxed in 15 years....been without heat over last year..hair is almost 30 inches now...medium density..born high porosity....i never had heat damage...and i did it weekly..never wore weaves or braids with hair..medium thickness...ok not feeling good hope that answered something
Sounds like you’ve retained a good amount of length and have not experienced any damage. Why are you not feeling good after answering those questions?
I have 4c natural hair and I want to transition into a straight natural so bad!!! My hair is not long yet though.
My hair still grows long even though i straighten my hair a lot!
I blowdry and flat iron my hair every two to three weeks. it doesnt grow very fast and i want to figure out why. I have no relaxers help
Stop using heat for maybe 2-3 months and see what happens. Not every natural likes heat, my hair just wants moisture. No heat, try that first. straighten every 2-3 months like me.
Change your deep conditioning routine to every 1 1/2 weeks instead and low manipulation/protective styles.
Thank you so much!!!! I am going on my 3rd month with no heat and I am seeing such a difference. Also, are relaxers damaging and how often should I get one
im loving the results!!! what temperature did you use for the flat iron???
Hey, I don't get a chance to record every time I get my hair pressed, so you can reference the video from last year. Same process.
How many times are you suppose to cut your ends??? That is so hard for me
Trimming your ends is based on the condition of your hair. Typically every 3 months when your go is to grow your hair long. I trim my hair every 3 months, sometimes it's a little longer due to scheduling conflicts, but the goal is every 3 months for the entire 6 years + that I have worn my hair natural.
Hair strand width makes a significant difference in how much of an advantage a person will have with retaining length while primarily heat styling.
I agree, coarse hair has more protein than medium and fine. The ladies featured in the video had a mix. One had fine hair strands, one medium, the other medium to coarse hair strands. So there was no common denominator, but it would have been good to mention. Thank you!
I’m your one thousandth like on this video🥰
Love your hair
I think you meant science experiment or hair trial something like that
Hiii! I'm 14 and I really look up to you with my hair!!! I think you're gorgeous btw💛💛💛
heyyy, please reply to this comment if you can inform me on what a “straight natural” is, it your hair isn’t naturally straight how does that make you a straight natural?
daddy curly naturals that consistently straighten their hair
I'm not currently a straight natural, however I was a straight natural for 20 yrs. My hair was about 2inches above waist. First my mom and grandma did my hair by shampooing, dc'ing, and straightening with a pressing comb. When I took over my hair I did the same as they had always done twice a month. I used a flatiron instead of the pressing comb bcz I was a bit afraid that I didn't have the skill they had with a pressing comb. I feel like deep conditioning was key for me. I've been watching YT since 2006 and was in TLHC forum before that, and the first thing that surprised me was how many of us in the natural hair community didn't dc. I never used an instant/rinse out condish until joining the natural hair community.
I’m a straight hair natural
My stylist washes me, places me under the dryer then presses it and flat iron. She does not believe in blow-drying.
Ms88keys1 How is your retention and overall health of your hair? I am a straight-natural, too. I just don't have to patience for wash and go, plus I just like silky hair.
I gave up, went back to my minitwist just yesterday. After the press it was bone straight. I noticed shedding daily which was probably normal but very akward for someone who detangles once a month. My hair after I pooed the curls back in was very healthy no heat damage however my hair seemed much thinner than usual. Not happy with that because it was incredibly thick. I gave up the thought of straight-natural because for 5 years all I know is water, moisture, oils, water moisture, oils now its --------------------no water, little oil--------------I couldn't get used to that. So here I am back in minitwist but this time for good, my focus now is bra-strap stretched minitwist and jazzing up my styling and accessories and perfecting a big bun when I want to look polished and sophisticated. not trying to discourage you, I just want to be honest.
Gorgeous
Following!!