Straightening My Hair

Naughty and njqt told me to find some assistance to get my hair straightened. That's two votes contrary to what my pocketbook tells me.

I mean, it's nice to be able to have that stuff done for you, but sometimes you have to be self-sufficient and do the best you can.

I let my hair go natural for a few days and straightened it again because I have to get a driver's license for Arizona, and I figure that it merits at least a "decent" picture.

If you too have to bear it alone, then here's my process (at least the most recent one I've tried that actually worked out a bit).

Ingredients:
1 ceramic straightening iron
1 fine tooth comb w/ metal separator rod
1 bottle Paul Mitchell Heat Seal spray
1 bottle Paul Mitchell Super Skinny hair serum
elastic rubberbands / clips to separate hair

Preparation Time:
5-15 minutes

Steps:
Shampoo and condition hair if needed, then blow, towel, or air dry until fully dried.

Pre-heat ceramic iron to desired temperature. I usually have to go with the hotter settings because of the curl in my hair.

Part hair in middle. Starting with left side, run separating rod through top layers of hair, making sure to get a section no more than an inch or two of the same lateral level. This means that it's harder to straighten a section of hair if some of it is in a top layer (closer to the crown of your head) and in a bottom layer too.

Spritz section of hair with a pump or two of Heat Seal, running it through with your fingertips. Press the iron at the root closest to scalp as possible and run it straight outward from the section. Be careful to minimize scalp or finger burn when handling hot hair.

Run iron through section two or three times to ensure a straight section emerges.

Repeat the previous two steps per section of hair, slowly working top to bottom, front to back until left side of hair is done. As hair is being straightened, flip it to the opposite side of your part to expose lower layers. Once finished, pull hair back to original side and secure straightened hair with elastic band or clip.

The back of the head is hardest to do on your own. Use separating rod to pick sections of hair starting at the back of the crown of your head. Spritz, then pass the iron through. Gradually move from the left side of the back of your head toward right, then up to down, using your fingertips to pick at curly sections.

As you straighten the back of your hair, try tucking straightened strands into the existing separated section or loop them over. You may also find that straightening the left part of your hair, you may have covered some terrain back there too.

Repeat separation, spritzing, and ironing for right side of parted hair -- top to bottom. Flip straightened hair to the left, then continue to work through until finished.

To ensure straightened hair around the part of your scalp line, separate hair as close to part line as possible and hold vertically to straighten, letting it fall to one side when fixed.

Once done, unbind any clipped or restrained hair and comb through with fingers, searching for any missing or incomplete sections. Fix hair into intended style, whether parting in middle, toward one side, or other desired hairdo.

When arranged, squirt a couple pumps of Super Skinny serum into palm, rub into both hands and work through hair with fingers. You only need a little bit of product to get hair smoothed down and neat. Don't use too much or else hair will feel really greasy.

Completion Time:
*sigh* A bit too long, but hey, what else are ya gonna do?

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