Water is friend and foe

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] So I make it my duty to trim every 6 months. I've been doing these trims at home on wet, twisted hair. Big mistake. I find that my hair is completely uneven. lol I could not find anyone in my area that was pro at cutting naturally curly hair so that's why I did it myself. I have to trim next month and I plan on getting it straightened/flat-ironed for it to be trimmed evenly at a salon. I do not use direct heat and haven't done so in two years, so I am a bit nervous seeing as how there is a chance I will not revert back depending on my texture, hair health and pre-cautions taken. However, if I'm getting my hair flat ironed I would keep it as a style for possibly a week, I'm not going to waste money. On top of that, I haven't seen my hair's length stretched in long while.

Everyone knows water is a natural head's best friend. It's the top moisture product. However, it is an enemy to straight hair. It will cause the hair to shrink, become frizzy, fluffy and no longer straight. ALL of my products contain water! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] I don't see how I'm going to make the flat ironed hair last, which is why I am asking you ladies. What should be used on flat-ironed hair?

You can use a heat protectant such as Ion that is found at Sally's. They generally do not contain water.

BTW: My hairdresser does not have to flat iron my hair to trim it evenly. She blow dries it on a low setting, trims it, then wets it so that it will revert for setting/styling.

HTH

I've never had my hair straightened for trims. I don't ever wear it straightened, so there is no need for me to have an even cut.

If you are going to flat iron, chi silk infusion is excellent at keeping your hair straight. To moisturize you can try just using a little bit of coconut or olive oil when you wrap your hair at night.

My stylist blow dries her curlies's heads in order to give them trims instead of flat ironing

Thank you ladies!! I hope I can get mine blowdryed instead, a lot less heat. My hair is very thick so i really hope it's possible to get an even cut on low blowdry setting. Oil just seals moisture but it's not a moisture product, but when I was a laxhead that was all i knew to put on straight hair.

I have used grapeseed oil on my new growth and relaxed hair as a heat protectant. It protects heat up to 350F. I straightened my hair once for an interview...

You could use that and wrap it at night...

Silk Elements has a great heat protectant.

Also, to help from heat damage it might be a good idea to do a shampoo and deep conditioning treatment before the styling, and then follow up with a protein treatment when you're ready to wet your hair after the trim. I used the Jason's Biotin Conditioner (it has a cone) as a co-wash every other day for about a week after I blowdryed and flat ironed my hair for graduation. Things turned out fine, besides a little breakage near my widow's peak.

My hair stays fresh a few days, but over time, it just starts frizzing/reverting. When this happens I do bantu knot outs, braid outs, etc. It has a textured look and it seems like you did a brand new style but in actuality, my hair flat ironed hair is just frizzy. lol.

I also use a little bit of gel to slick edges with pony tails..but yea...when your hair starts getting frizzy and you want to keep the flat iron a few extra days, just do some kind of textured hair style.

P.S I vote for chi silk infusion before the flat iron...makes my hair feel great while straight.