Must have products when straightening my hair

About once a month I straighten my hair, and it can last me about 2 weeks if I take good care of it. And during those 2 weeks I apply minimal heat to it to protect my hair from any additional/excess heat. I often get asked what products I use, and I figured I’d just dump all my hair products in one blog post so you all can come back to it and click on the links/purchase as needed.

Here is a quick time lapse of me doing my hair. This was recorded back in December before I chopped my hair off, but I still use the same products and same method when parting and straightening.

Time Lapse of Hair Straightening Process

I start from the bottom, always. And I part my hair in half, going horizontal. Once I finish the bottom half, I then part my hair vertically and blow dry/flay iron in less than 1 inch sections until my hair is complete. Total time is about an hour and 15 minutes.

Washing my hair: 

I use 3 different brands for shampoo and conditioner, all of them are great!! 

1. Not Your Mothers: This is the one I’ve been using foe the last 3 wash days and I love it! It leaves my hair so smooth, and its great for repairing and protecting your hair! If you put heat to your hair frequently, or even like me-just once a month, I recommend something to help repair + protect. $ This is the cheaper of the 3, but its still great! 
2. Pretty Strands: Absolutely LOVE this brand, it’s black owned too, so extra points from me! But this particular shampoo and conditioner us great for hydrating your hair. We also use this with Laila and her curls are ALWAYS on point. I like to use this brand more when i’m not going to straighten my hair. But it still works great. $$ This is still pricey, but the middle priced of the 3 brands I use. 
3. Aveda: This is another one we use frequently and have in rotation with all of our other shampoos and conditioners. We used this one with Laila exclusively since she was a baby! $$$ It’s priciest but so good!

I ALWAYS use a style serum when washing my hair if I know im going to straighten my hair. 

1. Garnier Sleek Shot: I swear by this. You mix equal parts this, and equal parts shampoo! And it always leaves my hair feeling so smooth, and protects against humidity! you’ll be able to style your hair in half the time, faster, easier blow dry styling, so you can skip the flat iron- I still use the flat iron because I have coarser hair!

And while I was conditioner in my hair, I detangle my hair. And all the hair tools I use will be listed below. 

Styling my hair: 

Before I do ANYTHING, I use a heat protector which is crucial when protecting your hair when styling. Here are 2 brands that i love.

1. Not Your Mothers Beat The heat thermal styling spray: I just love the NYM brand, and this thermal spray doesn’t leave my hair oily, but it locks in moisture that the blow dryer/flat iron steals.
2. Lange Hair Heat Protectant Spray: This one is the one I use the most, but it’s the pricier of the 2.

Styling tools: 

1. Revlon One-Step hair Dryer Brush: If you suck at using a brush and a blow dryer at the same time, then this is for you!! You can brush your hair and blow dry it with one tool! And this leaves me hair feeling so soft and bouncy.
2. Flat Iron (currently out of stock): After I blow dry an individual section, I then go over with the flat iron to really get my roots since the revlon brush doesn’t get it that good. Since my current flat iron is out of stock, HERE is another one that’s good.
3. Wide Tooth Comb: There are so many other cheap combs, but y’all know I love pink and rose gold so I had to have this one. Plus it’s super durable. But this is what I use when parting and detangling my hair WHILE using the flat iron and blow dryer brush.
4. Alligator clips: Also, another rose gold set that I just had to have, but I use this for sectioning my hair and holding it up and out of the way.
5.  Detangling Brush: I SWEAR by this one!! I will never ever use any other type of detangling brush. I’ve had this exact one for over 9 years and it’s still in mint condition.
6. Spiral Hair Ties: I absolutely love these when my hair is straight! It doesn’t leave an indent, and its my go-to over overnight waves. I just wrap my hair in a bun, use the spiral hair tie, slap a wide head band on, and go to sleep-the next morning my hair has loose waves without any indents!