At home hair straightening for extremely fine, curly, Caucasian hair.

[Ilovemycatsomuch]

Has anyone ever done this successfully?

I don't want my curly hair anymore. I've had enough of it! I want straight hair!!

I've been doing the curly hair method for a few years and it has definitely improved the condition of my hair, and my curls are much more defined and ringletty. But I don't want the curly hair any more. It's too much effort. I have to wash it and style it every day because every morning it looks like candy floss! And then the slightest breeze or drop of rain and it's such a mess again.

I straightened it today with my ghds (takes ages, so rarely do this)....and I felt so much better when out and about. I just feel like i look so much neater and tidier with the straight hair. I've really had enough of embracing the curls.

Ive previously had permanent japanese hair straightening done in a salon. I absolutely loved it! But it costs over £250 a time and needs to be done 3 monthly to address the roots. Eventually I grew it out and returned to the curls. Unfortunately I'm in a different financial situation now and I can't afford that again.

Im aware of the salon keratin treatments that are out there, but I understand they would only reduce frizz and not straighten my hair.

So I'm considering using a chemical relaxer at home.

I have found this one which is designed for black womens hair, not Caucasian hair, but I'm really really tempted to try it. In fact I have ordered it! It should be delivered in the next couple of days.

It looks very gentle as it seems to be aimed at children's hair/very fine hair.

Anyone out there, with similar hair to mine, tried anything like this?

What happened?

Hmmm, as I suspected.....At home hair straightening for weak, curly, fine hair is not a very common occurrence!

Please do comment here if you have done it!!

My order will be here in a matter of days!!!

Your hair sounds just like mine - it is really difficult to deal with 😢. I don’t really suit it straight as it’s so fine and just looks a bit limp so I have to stick with the curls but I agree it’s so much effort. I’m no help - sorry - but would be interested to see how you get on. Good luck xx

@Strumpetpumpet I will let you know how it goes if I decide to do it.

I've actually got some long straight clip in hair extensions that I used to use when I previously had straightened hair. They were amazing for increasing the volume.

I may try and take some before and after photos.

No advice but am really interested in your results if you try it. I have fine, curly hair too and it’s a love/hate thing for me. When it curls well, I love it but it’s just so hit and miss. I can do the same routine after every wash with the same products and the results can be amazing or a total birds nest! I then get fed up and go back to straightening for a few weeks. I spend a fortune trying to find the holy grail of products and am still looking.
I know what you mean about feeling neater with straight hair, it’s so nice to be able to get a brush through it.
Good luck if you do it, 🤞you get the sleek, shiny, swishy hair!

I think it is better to work with your own texture than go against it. Unless hair is naturally sleek and shiny it cant really be imitate regardless the one they want us to spend on products.

I also think going with your own texture the best you can is more current, flattened hair is really weird now.

it cant really be imitate regardless the one they want us to spend on products

correction: it cant really be imitated, regardless the money they want us to spend on products.

even weirder keyboard!

My hair straightening kit has arrived. I do feel a bit uncomfortable with this...feels a bit like telling black children early that their hair is unacceptable. I'm not sure if I'm going to use it anyway.

Love curly hair but completely agree with you about the effort required with no guarantee of it ever looking the same twice!

I've got curly/wavy caucasian hair and have straightened my hair several times using Matrix Opti Smooth and was really happy with it. Takes a good 4-5 hours to get through process but it's only once every few months, then I have wash and go hair.

The active chemical is thio, which is the same as Japanese straightening as well as some relaxers for afro/Black hair types.

It's supposed to be hairdresser only, but you can acquire it online or ask a hairdresser mate to buy it.

@CombFromAShoe oh thank you! I haven't used the relaxing kit I bought yet.... I keep getting cold feet! But this evening my curls look really really nice!! Literally washed my hair, conditioned it and it's fallen into perfect ringlets! I'm not even going anywhere, I've literally just put my pyjamas on and I'm planning an early night. If it would do that every day I definitely wouldn't straighten it! Yes, the unpredictability is so frustrating!!

@CombFromAShoe

4-5 hours is quite reasonable. When I had the Japanese straightening, that's exactly how long it would take. Very taxing sitting in a salon for that long!

@Ilovemycatsomuch I definitely think the time tradeoff is worth it! Saves so much time day to day.

It looks like the relaxer you got might be sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide based? I only have experience of using straighteners based on ammonium thioglycolate (thio) which is the same chemical used for curly perms.

Word of warning - it is damaging so you will have to be very careful about any other chemicals on your hair. If you use another relaxer on the same hair in future, it should be the same chemical. And dye/bleach might cause more damage.

Ive not done this myself (I have fine curly hair too). But might be worth doing a test patch first if you can, to check its not too strong for your hair?

Especially if you have any colour on your hair, as that will make your hair strands weaker.

My hair was very unpredictable too until I started using this method finger rolling method on the top layer of my hair where its frizziest. Now it comes out it nice ringlets and lasts for a few days. Could be worth a try?