Cold turkey - hair straighteners!

[WineAndChocolate]

If I go cold turkey with my GHDs now, how long will it take roughly for my hair to look healthy and shiny and not resemble a birds nest if I leave it to dry naturally?!

Piece of string...

Mine never ever, ever, ever would as it's naturally dry and half curly

Wine, you might want to look into a keratin treatment. You can buy online and do it yourself. I use the keratin kits one. I hardly ever need to use my straighteners now. It's about 70 % smoother I'd say. I roughly blow dry it, which now takes 10 minutes as apposed to 30 minutes and then another 25 straightening it.

I did this fairly recently. Tips - invest in decent shampoo and conditioner - I use Kerastase 'Ciment' something or other range, and also a bit of Aussie leave in conditioning spray. And when you're blow drying it, do it in layers with the nozzle always pointing down the hair shaft. Don't stop blasting it until it's fully dry either. I use a vent brush while drying and then a big round bristley brush at end to curl ends a bit. A good hairdryer like a Parlux is also a wise investment.

Oops just saw you don't even want to use hairdryer! All very noble and good for hair condition but I wouldn't expect swishiness on a daily basis without any styling. You could part it and comb it into a low bun until half dry, then use fingers to tousle it - this is what I do when I cba styling it and it results in a fairly smooth top half with curlyish ends which looks alright.

Depends on your hair type surely. I've seen people on here tell others to stop dyeing and using hair dryers and straighteners . I can only think that they must have completely different hair to me.

Thanks everyone. I have had about four keratin treatments but since they have banned formaldehyde it doesn't work on my hair anymore! The last two I had done cost about £100 each which was a complete waste of money as it did nothing. I already have a parlux which is a godsend but still leaves my hair a bit of a frizz ball so I think I need to lay off with the heat for a while. x I have heard that the L'Oreal steampod is like straighteners but better for the hair but don't want to risk spending so much money just in case it doesn't work. x

love the amazon DIY keratin straightner, need a new one at the moment but have just ordered a steampod, comes tomorrow so I will report back. all the reviews are good and I will try anything to lose the damage GHD's have done to my ends, except cut them off just now.

I had same issues with my ghd's. I've got really thick hair and couldn't do without straighteners, my mum bought me some £25 Remington ones for Xmas and they are fab, hair is transformed and it takes about 5 mins to go through whole hair.

I couldn't believe the difference and my ghd's have been relegated to the back of my cupboard

Ooo steampod?...tell me more

Lee Stafford dry faster spray.. Works wonders hair much smoother and really does dry faster..I'm a dandelion without my straighteners

consumersucker I bought one at looks fantastic, got a code for 15% off so £135 for the gadget and two creams / serum they are £150 on amazon.
here code 5618-1390-4093 there are a lot of good reviews as apparently it makes hair all soft and conditioned without drying ends, we will see. I am waiting in the vain hope that yodel actually knock on the door today to deliver.

I decided I had to give up the hair straighteners too. I stopped drying and straightening my hair. I left it to dry naturally and put my hair up every day for 6 weeks. I used olive oil as a deep conditioning treatment every weekend and also bought a keratin kit from Ebay (I know, sounds dodgy but it really, really works!). After the 6 weeks were up I started just blow drying my hair and its in much, much better condition.

I am Crystal Tips naturally - had Wellastrate done last summer and it is AMAZING. It is gradually wearing off and growing out now, but it needed almost no straightening for the first five months or so. Even now I only need to straighten the fringe, which I am less worried about as the ends are chopped regularly. And I can use a comb!

washing less often has also helped - but my natural hair is frizzy and unshiny, and that's how it is.

Step, thanks. Sounds interesting.

Oh and wine, it's a really good thing they banned the formaldehyde in these treatments. It's a carcinogenic.

Tbh, I don't really like my hair for the first few weeks after doing the treatment. It get's greasy quickly and looks a little flat. The reduced styling time though makes it worth it and after a few weeks, my hair get's it's volume back and lasts longer between washes. Also, I HATE doing the treatment. It's not just the time it takes, it's the way it looks at the end. I hate the flat, pump water, painted onto my head look. Some people would love it, but I have quite a round face and it just does me no favours. I heard of a treatment in America where they do it in the salon, but they can wash it out the same day, so you don't have to endure those 3 days of flat, greasy hair. Wish we had it here

Also, OP, I would recommend that you have a the ends off. As much as you can stand to lose. Then after that, have regular trims every month. Just half an inch or so. What length hair do you have?

when mine was longer I used to wash it last thing at night, then tie in a bun and secure the sides with clips. it dried overnight with a lot less frizz, etc that it would have otherwise.

would not give up my ghds for anything tbh.

there is a same day keratin on amazon, <a class="break-all" href="//avawww.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AQHPJUI/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1ilable" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here I have used it and you have to only use a small amount or its impossible to get a comb through as it goes all weird and dry before you straighten it in, no where near as easy as the leave in one and not as good effect IMO, also its lots more spendy. On a happier note, the steampod is fab, I have soft shiney swishy hair! the ends that usually feel a bit crisp after straighening with my GHD's feel soft, I normally have to wash my hair daily if I use products so will see tomorrow how it is as you use a cream leave in thing and a drop of serum before using it but so far I am well impressed. quicker than GHD too.

sunshinemmum has the steampod stayed good then for your sister? no damage? I am hoping it lasts as first use today really impressed me, 15% off made if just about affordable for me at £106 but see its on amazon for anything from £150 - £220