Usually my hair is pretty tamed and straight, but there are just some weeks where my long locks do not want to cooperate with me. I'll end up resorting to straightening my hair with a hot iron or blow drying it with heat for a quick fixer upper. But the more I apply heat, the more damage I get over time. It's difficult to maintain really long hair, and when I apply so much heat, my ends start to really go bad, as in my hair becomes completely flat and dry-looking, no matter what products I use to make it shine. It all made me wonder: Is it possible to straighten your hair without heat?!
All the damage that I had been making ultimately convinced me to change my haircare routine. There had to be a better way to keep my hair straight, but also healthy. So instead of picking up a straightener and going the easy route, I figured out a process that didn't require any hot tools and now, I've incorporated it into my weekly hair routine. Although it takes a little bit more time and dedication, your roots and ends will thank you in the long run.
1. Wash hair with straightening products
Something as simple as changing your hair care products is so beneficial. I try not to use products with too many chemicals, so I absolutely love the Agave Smoothing Shampoo. They also have a conditioner that works great. The product is free from parabens, phthalates, and sulfates too. A serious win-win.
Agave Smoothing Shampoo, $12, Amazon; Agave Smoothing Conditioner, $12, Amazon
2. Use a hair mask
Masks will literally change your hair game FOREVER. I can't explain how useful it is to do a hair mask at least once a week. Whether you use avocado, coconut, or macadamia oil, it really helps replenish your damaged hair and keeps your strands silky, smooth, and shiny. Depending on what products you use, you can keep the chemicals away and stay super natural. Although a little pricy, my favorite go-to product would definitely be Aveda 'Smooth Infusion' Smoothing Masque. Shea butters and organic cupuacu galore. It's totally worth the investment.
Aveda Smooth Infusion Smoothing Masque, $27, Nordstrom
3. Use a wide tooth comb or paddle brush
Your brush is so important. I personally enjoy using the wide tooth comb, since it really gets those chunks of hair and evens it out. Start by grabbing your hair in sections and brush through as many times as needed. The ghd detangling comb is a great start.
ghd Detangling Comb, $17, Amazon
If you have really curly hair, try putting your tresses in wide rollers after combing it. Once that's done, take out your curls, comb again, and pin them straight tightly around your head. Make sure leave them for at least an hour. This will force your hair to mold straight.
4. Use a fan or hair dryer on cool to dry
Just because you don't want to use heat, doesn't mean you have to throw away your hair dryer. You know that snowflake-adorned button you've never used? Yeah, that's the one. Use it. And if you still don't want to use a hair dryer, I really like using a fan on my hair. It's super easy, plus you can multi-task (read: Check Instagram and Facebook sitting in front of the fan).
5. Still frizzy? Dabble anti-frizz serum
This is probably the most effective and important step. After cooling your hair, you want to smooth out your hair follicles with anti-serum or frizz control products. The Josie Maran Argan Oil Serum works really great and is filled with Vitamin E and antioxidants. I really try to keep this routine organic and natural because by this step, your hair has already undergone many different treatments. So using these products not only makes my hair feel at ease, but my mind too.
Extra Option: Use straightening spray to really lock in your strands. I have a lot of baby hairs. So I really like to leave a finishing spray in my hair after this process. The spray helps keep those baby hairs in place and your hair silky smooth for most of the day. The OGX Every Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shimmering Keratin Oil has been a staple for me.
OGX Every Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shimmering Keratin Oil, $16, Amazon
So, there you have it, hopefully you can use this routine and keep the heat away once in a while. And even if it takes time to find products that work the best for you, it'll be well worth it!
Images: Giphy (5)
