Straight in the Winter...Curly in the Summer...?????

Ok, sooo...

I live in Chicago, and if you all don't know, Chicago is no joke in the winter. I've been completely natural since June of 2010, and love my curls. However, I have struggled with keeping my curls looking presentable from day to day, so I would wake up about 20 minutes early just to pray that my hair would be doing something that I could handle...most of the time it wasn't. I would end up having to wet, co-wash, get out the gel, get out all kinds of produces (and I am a true PRODUCT JUNKIE) to see what I could do with my curls before I went to work. The wetting began to get on my nerves, and didn't seem smart when I got cold in the Chi. For-tails seemed to work pretty good, but still didn't solve the issue sometimes. My twist-outs only lasted a couple days even when I twisted at night or put a bonet on. Maybe because I'm at the funny in between length. I felt like I was doing more damage to my hair from having to manipulate it and wet it so much in the morning that I seriously began to think about getting a perm again. But, I worked too hard to get natural, that was not an option.

SO, I decided to try to straighten my hair. Surprisingly, it looked pretty good. I got a good trim and got it shaped the first time and it's been going well. I use a REALLY good heat serum and a Carol's Daughter product to straighten once a week (on medium heat), and then I either pin curl or roll it at night. Wake up in the morning and I'm out of the door...as opposed to standing in mirror like "now what?". I just read someone's couch session about is heat damage "worth it", and became a little concerned. My curls are just fine when I wash, and deep condition every week. But, I've also only been straightening for a few weeks now. I think as long as I keep my hair moisturized and deep conditioned I'll be ok. When the wheather lets up, I can start rocking more culy looks, and by that times I will have a little more lenght. OR, am I on my way to becoming a "straight natural?"

What do you all think? Anyone else having a similar experience?

BTW: Why am I getting the "sell out" looks from other naturals because my hair is straight? Have a committed a "natural crime"?

I know the Chi's winter is truly no joke. One of my BFF's lives there. Just be careful with the heat. It's known to do massive damage.

LOL, no side eye comin from this direction!

This is so timely. I don't have any qualms about straightening my hair, but I do try to alternate the heat/no heat routine as needed. I just finished washing my hair. I was planning to do a twist out, but I'm cold and getting over a cold, so I didn't want to wait for it to dry. Especially, knowing I would have to do it over again mid-week.

I decided to straighten it. Not super straight, I'm not going anywhere special this wknd. But, straight enough so that it's stretched and will last a week. I'll prob do the same thing next week if it's still chilly.

All that to say, I think the smartest style to wear is the one that requires you to manipulate the least. If you know how to straighten your hair correctly, you can avoid damage and unnecessary manipulation. Sounds like you have the bases covered...medium heat with a heat protectant. These are the exact instructions that I follow when I straighten... http://www.hairliberty.org/black-hair-care/diy/natural-hair/natural-hair-straighten.html

Yay for options!

living in toronto, i can relate to the cold weather situation. i find that protective styles are best. On the CN site, under styles, look for updos. A flat twist with a bun always works. Also, check out Ms. Vaughans youtube channel. She presents workable options so you don't have to wet your head in the am. You don't want to straighten out all your curl just for winter. Heat damage is no joke.

hmph give em the side eye back! What I love the most is the versatility of natural hair. Just be careful and use a heat protectant.

I agree with sweetdrk1...Give em the side eye back!

MaNesha.....you have to do what you feel is best for YOUR hair...people can't tell you not to str8n...

I think it will be fine.

And they can mind their own business. You can go dunk your hair in a huge container of perm if you wanted and it would not be their concern.

i totally understandd why you would do this. It's not good to go ut in cold weather with a wet head.

I have a natural friend who straightens her hair weekly. When she wants to go curly like once every 2 months or so she said she just deep conditions and a couple dys of doing that her curls come back. her curls look nice and i do not see any damage, and mind you she keeps her hair straight ALL the time. Just think about it if your curls are always stretched out and straight it might be a little harder than usual for it to go back curly, but that does not mean damage.

Dmage is when you put the heat too high and burn your curls away.

I totally feel you on this post. I was at that point before I put my sengalese twists in. I was either getting a perm (uhhh yeah right) or I was going to straighten it for the winter (Jersey). I put in my sengalese twists and forgot about my hair well for the most part. I needed a break. Now I am missing my hair. Anyhoo it got me thinking to myself that I don't really have a curl pattern ANYWAY unless I use some kind of aiding product and also twist or braid my hair up, SOOOOO would it really hurt to straighten my hair because I dont really have my own curl pattern???

But I am still concerned about heat damage especially with all the hardwork I have done to get my hair where it is now. I woudl hate to have to cut just because I have heat damage....My hair is so thick I dont even know if heat could damage it...LOL

MaNesha wrote:Ok, sooo...

I live in Chicago, and if you all don't know, Chicago is no joke in the winter. I've been completely natural since June of 2010, and love my curls. However, I have struggled with keeping my curls looking presentable from day to day, so I would wake up about 20 minutes early just to pray that my hair would be doing something that I could handle...most of the time it wasn't. I would end up having to wet, co-wash, get out the gel, get out all kinds of produces (and I am a true PRODUCT JUNKIE) to see what I could do with my curls before I went to work. The wetting began to get on my nerves, and didn't seem smart when I got cold in the Chi. For-tails seemed to work pretty good, but still didn't solve the issue sometimes. My twist-outs only lasted a couple days even when I twisted at night or put a bonet on. Maybe because I'm at the funny in between length. I felt like I was doing more damage to my hair from having to manipulate it and wet it so much in the morning that I seriously began to think about getting a perm again. But, I worked too hard to get natural, that was not an option.

SO, I decided to try to straighten my hair. Surprisingly, it looked pretty good. I got a good trim and got it shaped the first time and it's been going well. I use a REALLY good heat serum and a Carol's Daughter product to straighten once a week (on medium heat), and then I either pin curl or roll it at night. Wake up in the morning and I'm out of the door...as opposed to standing in mirror like "now what?". I just read someone's couch session about is heat damage "worth it", and became a little concerned. My curls are just fine when I wash, and deep condition every week. But, I've also only been straightening for a few weeks now. I think as long as I keep my hair moisturized and deep conditioned I'll be ok. When the wheather lets up, I can start rocking more culy looks, and by that times I will have a little more lenght. OR, am I on my way to becoming a "straight natural?"

What do you all think? Anyone else having a similar experience?

BTW: Why am I getting the "sell out" looks from other naturals because my hair is straight? Have a committed a "natural crime"?

I feel the same way at this point. Here in NYC we've been having deep freezes and snow is continuous and I'm tired of my usual twists and buns and I'm afraid of my hair drying out if I leave it loose. It's either too windy or too cold to really sport the big hair. I also could really use a trim so I'm actually getting my hair straighten/shaped/trimmed tomorrow. Wave your hands at the side eyes!

I'm glad I saw this, I feel the same way. I got my hair straightened and trimmed for the first time right before Christmas, and for the week and a half it was straight, I missed my curls but enjoyed not really having to worry about my hair. Since then I have straightened it myself 3 more times and LOVE it. lol. What I do is straighten it for a week then do a serious deep condition and my curls are back, fuller than ever!
I just deep conditioned all day and washed it and, I am now laying in bed thinking about what I am going to do with my hair before having to leave the house tomorrow morning as it is freezing here in Delaware. I will probably do twists at some point tomorrow and leave those in for a week, and then straighten again. I love the straight look but enjoy it more once its been a few days and it getts fluffy and full (my son says my hair looks like a lion's mane!) but i LOVE it!!! I say as long as you are taking care of your hair and keep an eye out for damage, YOU do YOU!

I'M WITH YA!

Like everyone else says, THESE ARE THE JOYS OF NATURAL HAIR....FROM STRAIGHT TO CURLY WITH NO PROBLEM!

I straighten my hair. with a flat iron. All throughout the winter. and I dont care. I do not have the time every morning to deal with hair. I have two small children. They come first, not my hair.
Its that HOT HOT COMB smokin, smelling like sizzling grease type of straightening that you have to watch out for.