What Is A Silk Press?

Are you still struggling with how to straighten curly hair? When it comes to hair straightening methods for curly and natural hair types, the choices can be somewhat limited. The strong chemicals in hair relaxers can leave your hair feeling dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. On the other hand, they also permanently change the structure of your hair, eliminating the possibility that you'll soon revert to your natural curling pattern. If you're looking for a temporary, chemical-free way to straighten your hair, let's talk about silk press. This salon treatment is an ideal way to allow curls and natural hair to get all the benefits of straightening. What could be better than that?

I. What is a silk press？

A silk press is a way of straightening natural curls sans a chemical relaxer. It makes natural hair look relaxed and does not use harsh chemicals. It's all about technology, temperature and product. It is ideal for those with thick or heavy hair. It has been around for years, but has recently become more popular for those who want to change their style without using permanent treatments. The silk press leaves natural hair smooth, straight and full of movement. 

II. How to make silk press?

1. Start with clean hair

We know it goes without saying, but make sure to start with freshly washed hair. You can choose the proper products to deeply moisturize and moisturize hair and keep it frizzy. 

2. Use leave-in conditioner

Next, you'll want to hydrate your hair to make your style last. Use the leave-in conditioner to soften your curls and provide smooth grooming. Simply distribute it evenly across your hair and untie your hair section by section. Once that's done, you can move on to the next step.

3. Apply a heat protection agent

Since this style requires a heat setting tool, you'll want to protect your hair with a heat protection agent, which helps calm frizz, seal shine, and protect your hair from heat damage. 

4. Part your hair

Divide your hair into two even sections and secure the top half with bobby pins. Next, divide the bottom layer of hair into two more sections and clamp one of them. 

5. Blow dry your hair

Attach a centralized nozzle to your hair dryer and use a brush to dry your hair, making sure to work your way from root to tip. Repeat this process with each section of hair until the hair is completely dry. 

6. Prep your hair for your flat iron

Just as you would prepare for blow-drying your hair, you need to do the same for your flat iron, but with a slight tweak. First of all, divide your hair into two parts. Split the bottom section in half and secure one side with a bobby pin. Now, this is where things take a turn.

Instead of leaving your hair as it is, create a section about an inch in size to ensure that the heat of the flat iron will be evenly distributed throughout your hair. Clip the rest of your hair out. 

7. Press your hair

Start as close to the roots as possible and work your way up to the ends to make each ironing count. Repeat this with an inch of hair, until you have silky soft hair. Remember that ironing too many times on the same section of hair can cause damage, so take your time to achieve desired results and adjust your flat iron temperature to your hair texture and thickness.

8. Seal the hairstyle

Once your hair has been ironed to perfection, all you need is a spray of hairspray to lock it all in. Apply the gel evenly to your hair, and you're done.

IV. How to maintain silk ress?

Don't let all your hard work go to waste and your hair shrink before you can show it off. Check out these tips on how to maintain your silk press to help your style go further.

1. Protect your hair at night

One of the easiest ways to keep a silk press intact is to pin your hair in at night to keep it elastic. Cover your hair with a silk or satin scarf and you're all set.

2. Stay away from heat

While it may be tempting to apply more heat to your hair, avoid the temptation. Too much heat can counteract moisture levels in your hair, leaving your hair stiff.

3. Avoid water

When you use a wire press, watch out for water, steam, and sweat. All of these will cause your smooth hair to return to its natural texture before you're ready.

All hot styling can do some damage to your hair. However, in terms of curls and natural straightening methods, the silk press process is the least likely to cause damage. This is because silk press is done only occasionally, it avoids harsh chemicals and uses nourishing and heat protection products throughout the process to hydrate your hair and protect it from heat damage as much as possible.