Curly hair, be it on your crown or you face, can be quite unmanageable. It could be challenging to style so the common fix for men and women is to use a flat iron to get the job done. This works pretty great, but the outcome isn’t pleasant after a few weeks. The hair strands will dry, and if you use too much heat, it will look fried and frizzy. The same goes for men’s beards. It will start to dry and be brittle. In this case, knowing how to straighten curly hair without heat is crucial.
Wavy locks are stylish and rich in volume. But for some reasons, some people want to change their looks or make their hair appear straighter than usual. Achieving this transformation is usually tied to using excessive chemicals and staggering heat settings that damage the hair follicles. As much as heat-free methods may not work for all, trying it will do less harm.
Let’s start with the basics…
Wash it first
Most men don’t put much attention on how they wash their hair and beard. Though they use a shampoo, they also rely on whatever drips down to rinse their beard. It’s important to get the right shampoo and conditioner for both of these hair types. After washing, apply a leave-in conditioner or a smoothing cream to remove the tangles. Be careful in choosing a smoothing cream and make sure that it matches your hair and skin.
Dry it the right way
Here’s the thing about men: they jiggle their hair wildly using a towel. It’s not how to straighten curly hair without heat. This method of drying the hair leaves damages on the hair follicles and induces more hair fall. It’s advisable to use a very absorbent towel, especially if you have long hair and a thick beard. This absorbs water without the need for profuse rubbing.
As much as possible, ditch the hair dryer. The heat from this is just a lesser evil version of flat irons. Also, if your curly hair is short, it would be difficult to grasp it using a brush. The end result is more tangles and frizz. Comb your hair from root to tip until it dries. Be gentle and fix snags by running your fingers through it. With this, you’re naturally directing your hair in a downward direction while stimulating the production of natural scalp sebum.
Apply pomade
Once your locks are dry, apply the pomade of your choice. You can opt for one with a strong hold so the curly strands won’t go astray the whole day. Anyway, the one with a medium hold and loads of moisturizing ingredients are the best bet for this purpose. A water-based option will be excellent too so you can wear it off after showering. Make sure that you run the pomade through your hair and not just on the exterior layer. You can also opt for a wax if it makes your hair more manageable.
Don’t ever consider using a hairspray. It will give a strong hold, but it will also make your locks stiff. This isn’t a nice choice, especially for the beard.
If this doesn’t work and your hair is still frizzy as ever, check out these two additional methods on how to straighten curly hair without heat.
METHOD 1:
Things you need
1/3 cup of milk
Spray bottle
Castor oil
Absorbent towel
Procedure
Transfer the milk in a spray bottle and apply it to your hair. Make sure that you apply the milk at least 20 minutes before you take a shower. Once your hair is covered, use a wide-tooth comb, preferably a wooden one, to remove the tangles. Be as patient and gentle as possible when dealing with knots and kinks.
After 20 minutes, take a shower and rinse the milk with regular shampoo. Using a conditioner is optional. Remove the dripping water off your hair using an absorbent towel but don’t jiggle too hard. Afterward, put a decent amount of castor on your palms and massage it on your hair (the amount shouldn’t make your hair too greasy).
On this part, you can use a hair dryer to remove the moisture from your hair. Set it in the least possible heat and dry your hair while combing. Make sure that you deal with the tangles. Once dry, give it one last comb and you’re done.
If you don’t have adverse reactions with castor oil, I think this method can work on the beard. For another way on how to straighten curly hair without heat, check this last method:
METHOD 2:
Things you need
Coconut milk cream
Lime juice
Procedure
Take note that this mixture will require at least half a day before you can actually use it. So prepare ahead and be patient.
Mix ½ cup of lime juice in one can of coconut milk cream. Put this on the fridge for a few hours until the mixture is a bit stiffer (but not frozen). Once you have the right consistency, put a small amount on your palms and massage it on your hair. Cover your whole scalp and then wrap it with a towel for one hour before taking a shower. Just think of it as a salon treatment.
After an hour, rinse your hair with shampoo and apply conditioner. It will straighten your hair but you have to perform this at least three times a week for better results.
This is more demanding than the first two methods, but it could be the natural solution you’re looking for. It doesn’t use heat so your hair is safe. I’m not sure if this will work well with the beard so proceed with caution.
These ways on how to straighten curly hair without heat may not work for everyone. It’s also a matter of hair type, diet, and lifestyle. But the consolation here is it uses natural ingredients that pose less harm than intense heat. Choose your method and whatever the result is, we’ll be glad to know below!