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Multi Racial Hair Care - Straigtening

Submitted by Miriam

Up till I was about 7, I had rather manageable hair. Of course at the age 7 is also when my mother decided to start letting me do my own hair, and I have been struggling since, until recently. Being that I'm part African American, German, and Native American, you can only imagine my troubles with my hair. I used to hate it, but now I love the versatility of my hair.Â

For the past 10 years, I would say I've been avoiding oil, but now I must say it's my best friend. If you notice, Indians, from India have all different kinds of texture types, how do they deal with it?Â

1. Once a week oil your hair moderately with Amla oil, olive oil, and coconut oil mixture. You can buy Amla and Coconut at any Indian Foods store. You have to mix them yourself, i just mix them in my hand. (Trust me, our texture hair, just NEEDS oil)Â

2. Maybe you don't want that oily look, too bad, at least one day out of a week you will have it, so do this oiling on a Saturday or Sunday.

3. leave it and go about your business

4. the next day, shampoo your hair. (but don't try to shampoo all the oil out, just a gentle shampoo)

5. Deep condition it with a egg and mayo mixture, or your favorite.Â

6. DETANGLE with Paul Mitchel Detangler, expensive, but in my 10 years, it is the BEST!

7. don't brush out in the shower like i've been doing, use the detangler and then use a wide tooth comb to come out, WHILE the conditioning detangler is still in your hair, while in shower. (*key is to comb the tangled mess out from tip to roots, WHILE the detangler is in your hair.)

8. rinse through

9. you should still feel a little bit of the oil, not too much but you should notice it.Â

10. gently squeeze out any water

11. wrap in towel

12. before completely dry add a little bit of amla and coconut oil completely through hair. Hair should be damp (if you squeeze it no water should come out).

13. part and braid in two sections, depending on how long your hair is.

14. EVERY NIGHT before you go to bed, braid your hair up. wrap in satin scarf.

15. The next day. take your hair down, it should be relatively wavy, if not curly, but not a tangled mess.Â

16. at this point, you can wear it wavy/curly.

FOR STRAIGHT HAIR
after step 12.

13. Blow dry as straight as possible down, PREFERABLY use a dryer with a comb, other wise you might need help unless you're used to it, to this day I HAVE to use a dryer with a comb attachment.Â

14. once dry, should look like Chaka Khan. Poofy, kinda crinkly and cotton candy like, but NOT a tangled mess.Â

15. separate hair in sections. there is still hope :-)

16. LIGHTLY replace hair with amla, or coconut oil, remember GENTLE LIGHTLY OIL unless you want to fry your hair over time. ***TIP: IF YOUR HAIR IS TOO OILY THEN IT WILL NOT GET AS STRAIGHT, YOU WILL ONLY BE FRYING YOUR HAIR WHEN YOU START FLAT IRONING IT.***The consistency of oil should be that of a light glisten, not shiny, but not dry. You'll figure it out.

17. If you want BONE STRAIGHT hair, before you flat iron, press your hair with a hot comb...i use a professional one because I've been doing it so long, but if you're young, maybe you can get a electric one, i've burned myself enough times that i got it down now.

18. Use a CERAMIC flat iron. allow 1 hour for this process. Run the flat iron through very small sections of hair.

19. TADA!!!, now, another TIP*** believe it or now, if you braid your hair up at this point, and sleep on it, your hair will actually get more straight over night, that is if it's not overly oiled, if there is too much oil it will revert back to curly, if there is not enough oil, your hair will break.Â

Remember moisturized hair, is just like moisturized skin, it allows flexibility. Also, if you're tired of straight hair, and it doesn't seem to be curling as much...wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo, don't condition. Conditioner is kinda like a VERY subtle relaxer.Â

COMB BEFORE You shampoo, while it is DRY. gently towel dry as not to tangle. gently oil to reduce breakage...braid Tightly...wrap, and sleep. The next morning you will have a wavy look. If you want it to be REALLY curly...after you towel dry, lightly oil. don't braid, don't twist, just comb with wide tooth comb. sleep with hair loose. You will wake up with the most beautiful locks. Of course you might have to use Paul Mitchel Detangler the next day...but this is the life of a multi racial girl...!!Â

Not as easy as pretty. Trust me on this one. If you have any more questions, email me: beggnala@hotmail.com

Visitors comments

Road to Baldness Comments By: Tasha on 2005-08-07

Being an African American female, I can relate to the near impossibility of achieving straight, manageable, AND bouncy hair. However, your tip involves WAY too much heat. The only heat needed for ethnic hair is a good (which unfortunately means expensive!) ceramic flat iron! Thorough conditioning is essential, but being a greasehead one day a week, in my opinion, is completely unnecessary!

Reply to Road to Baldness Comments By: Miriam on 2005-09-08

I guess unless you have a certain type of hair, it would be hard for you to have a opinion. Of course I'm sure this tip wouldn't be for everyone. But if you have hair like Palestinians, Pakistani's in general, and others, You might benefit from this tip. I don't know how to describe it really. It is hair which is naturally curly, usually grows faster than normal, thick, if water hits, it's not the end of the world type of hair. But for people with typical MULTI racial hair, this tip might work. and the oil would be essential. the indians have this type of hair and they have been using oil for centuries. I have been using it for years. To say it's ok to be without the oil, well, that would be one less step, but to say it's ok, i would be incorrect. I have several mixed people in my family, and this has worked for us. do not omit the oil. Try It! oh and yes...Ceramic Iron, deffinately a must, but like i said, if you want BONE STRAIGHT hair, hair so straight that no matter how thick it is, you want it to fly in the wind, you must blow dry, press, and then flat iron, too much heat? yes, but that is why you have to condition, and also, who wants bone straight hair everyday? who wants to do that everyday to have it? People, use some common sense.

About to try it! Comments By: Sasha on 2008-09-08

I've been so miserable with my hair lately that I've put it in a bun :( for like the last month!! I'm bi-racial; my moms from Holland and Dad from Bahamas and I even have a bi-racial daughter with almost the same hair as me!! I'm going to try this out tonight and I'll let you know what I thought of it!

I did it! Comments By: Sasha on 2008-09-12

Hey! I did it and honestly my hair has never felt better!! I did it on Monday and my hair is still silky and it's Friday.

I did a couple things differently though, I didn't have cocnut oil so I just used olive oil for everything! I only left the oil on my head for 1 few hours instead of the whole day and over-night as suggested due to time restraints. Instead of using egg and mayo mixture I used a half banana, half avocado, tsp. of olive oil and 1 egg yolk. I sraightened my hair after will again a bit of olive oil and it looked so beautiful!! I sprayed a bit of perfume on it after to mask any Olive oil smell!!! LOL

I think it's definitely worth a try and I myself will be doing it once a week now to keep my hair silky, shinny and healthy !!!

Thanks for the advice!

Im an olive oil loyal too! Comments By: anon on 2009-05-13

I do mix my everyday shampoo with one part of olive oil and one part of my favorite shampoo. I use Dove conditioner for damage hair to condition my hair.Let it dry naturally. Use babyliss with steam flat iron. VaVaVoom! hair perfectly shiny and straight.