In the past, the go-to method for straightening your natural hair was a press and curl. It involved your mother or grandmother using a hot stove, oil, and a hot comb brushed through kinky hair to make it straight. Thankfully a silk press is an upgraded version of this technique, as it allows you to smooth and stretch your afro hair with less heat and pain.
Additionally, unlike a relaxer, keratin treatment, or basic blowout, which can damage your curl pattern, a silk press will add volume and shine to your natural hair. While many would opt to go to the salon for a silk press treatment, you can also DIY this process by doing it at home. However, opting for this silk press routine at home could damage your afro hair if you are new to this process and need help understanding which tools and products you need to use.
And while many afro-haired women will go for a silk press in autumn, the heat damage from this routine combined with this harsh, cooler air could still wreak severe damage to your natural hair. So, to make this process a must for the autumn season, we have rounded up the top four benefits of using a silk press during this time and how you can develop a damage-free routine.
Allows You To Achieve A Straight Look For Longer
A silk press gives you an easy way to change your look, as it is less time-consuming than permanently straightening your natural hair. In addition, as the temperature drops in autumn, the air retains less vapour, meaning less humidity. This means that your afro hair is more likely to stay straight for longer after a silk press, as the autumn air will not be humid enough to return your curls to their natural state. You are also less likely to sweat when the temperature is lower in autumn.
If you are a frequent gym goer, please be aware that the excess sweat could prevent your silk press from lasting longer. Moreover, you can preserve your silk press style for longer at night by using a silk or satin scarf or bonnet to keep your straight hair smooth, soft, and tangle-free. A silk or satin routine at night can also protect your edges reduce frizz, and prevent frequent trims.
Encourages You To Keep Your Natural Curl Pattern With The Help Of Moisturising Products
To make the most of the less humid conditions in autumn, many of us will be tempted to use chemicals and relaxers to keep our hair in a straight, manageable look. Fortunately, a silk press prioritises using natural, moisturising hair products for smoothening afro curls. To begin this process, you must go for a sulphate-free shampoo like ours with manuka honey to moisturise and cleanse your natural hair without stripping it of its natural oils. As you need very clean hair before adopting a silk press style, we recommend shampooing twice. Next, use our Moisture-Rich Conditioner With Manuka Honey & Avocado to stimulate a deep-conditioning process. You can do this by letting this mixture on your afro hair sit on your hair for around 30 minutes with the use of a shower cap. Once this time is up, rinse it off using cool water.
Ensures You Are More Mindful About Your Use Of Heat
As the silk press process is more concerned with washing and deep conditioning your afro curls with the right moisturising products, you will need minimal heat to get a sleek look. So before blow-drying your hair, use a small spray of our Everyday Curl Refresh With Coconut & Jamaican Black Castor Oils as a natural heat protectant. Both these oils have a high smoke or a burning point, so they can tolerate high heat, making your strands less vulnerable to damage.
Both these oils are also rich in fatty acids, which can moisturise and seal the hydration in your natural hair. Then when choosing a blow dryer to dry your hair and flat iron to straighten them opt for tools with various heat settings so you can control how much heat you put on them. You can also put your afro hair into sections to make sure all of it is evenly dried and straightened.
Compels You To Develop Healthier Afro Hair Habits Before Winter
As a silk press style pushes you to keep to a moisturising wash-and-go routine and minimises heat damage, it is an ideal style for autumn. This is because it will add to the prevention of drier hair that is more prone to breakage during the colder months. In addition, if used for up to three weeks at a time, a silk press allows you to enjoy a natural, straighter style during autumn rather than relaxing your afro hair. A silk press can also be a low-manipulation hairstyle as it does not involve too much handling of your natural hair. It is also a great alternative to protective hairstyles like an updo or a ponytail.
A silk press is an ideal hairstyle to adopt during the autumn as it thrives in non-humid conditions, minimises heat damage, is an alternative to protective styles, and encourages the use of naturally hydrating products. Just remember to leave a break of at least three weeks between each silk press session to avoid excessive heat usage, breakage, or shedding.