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As chilly fall weather approaches, there is one thing on many natural hair girlies’ minds: silk press season. To beat the summer heat, June through August is all about protective styles and curly hair wash days. But once the weather cools down to a temperature that doesn’t make you sweat from head to toe, many choose to dust off their flat irons and curling wands. The only problem is that once you have your hair straightened, whether you did it yourself or you went to a salon, how do make your silk press last? Every year my biggest issue is always getting my money’s worth out of salon visit, so I turned to top hairstylists for their silk press tips on keeping the look fresh without having to apply heat.
According to celebrity hairstylist and self-proclaimed “Hair Minister” Tym Wallace, your silk press should last you about two weeks, and that should be the maximum. If you keep it for much longer, you’re putting your hair and scalp health at risk. Plus, he adds that you should not be getting a silk press every week because excessive exposure to heat will damage your strands. When it comes to making sure you can get to that two week mark, though, Wallace asserts there is a maintenance routine that should be closely followed.
Not sure where to start? Wallace and celebrity hairstylist and founder of Kim Kimble Hair Collection Kim Kimble have provided TZR with a comprehensive guide on how to make your silk press last this fall. Below, you’ll find tips on how to wrap your hair at night, how to preserve your look during the day, and an answer to the big question mark surrounding how to go to the gym.
How Do You Protect Your Silk Press While Sleeping?
You’ve just left the salon, your bone-straight silk press is perfectly sleek and smooth, but now it’s time to go bed. How do you make sure you sure your hair looks just as good when you wake up? According to Wallace, it’s all about properly wrapping your hair at night to make sure it’s not being moved around too much or getting ruffled by your covers. He also adds that making sure your hair is secured at night maintains the straightness so you don’t have to keep touching it up with hot tools. Before wrapping your hair, Wallace recommends applying the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, which will help fight humidity and boost shine.
When it comes to actually achieving the perfect wrap, every natural hair girlie knows that doing so is an art form, so don’t feel bad if you haven’t mastered it just yet. Kimble says you should start by brushing the hair around the shape of your head like you’re “making your head a giant roller.” To keep it in place, use flat wrap clips or creaseless ones to hold the strands. Keep everything together using a scarf or silk wrap cap. For more protection, Kimble says that sleeping on a silk pillow case will protect any pieces that fall from your wrap.
As an extra layer, you can also wear a bonnet. Wallace recommends the Evolve Satin Wide-Edge Bonnet. The wide band offers more protection for your edges from frizz and from becoming bent while you sleep.
If your style has a bit more curl or wave to it, Wallace notes that you can also put your strands up in a chignon, curlers, flexi-rods, or Bantu knots to keep up the body, and prevent the hair falling completely flat.
The last key factor, Kimble asserts, is that you should be making sure that your room is at a cool temperature. This will prevent you from sweating in your sleep, which stops your roots from curling up. Follow these steps every night, and you’ll wake up with hair that looks the same as it did when you stepped out of the salon.
How Should You Maintain Your Silk Press During The Day?
Fresh from waking up, no matter how long it’s been since your styling appointment, you’ll want to be careful about removing your hair wrap. As you unravel it, Wallace says that you should be lightly brushing the hair in a downward motion, so that you’re shaping your strands around your face. His recommendation is a Denman brush, a regular paddle brush, or a wide tooth comb.
Finding that your hair is reverting back to your curl pattern may happen throughout the two weeks. So, if you need to reapply heat to get the full term of your silk press, Wallace says that heat protectant is a must. His favorite is the Mizani Heat Screen Heat Protectant Spray.
In addition, frizz or some pesky flyaways are bound to pop up, so Kimble recommends using just a little bit of serum plus a wax stick to smooth everything down. Wallace’s suggestion is the Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength Shaping and Smoothing Hair Balm.
As you go about your day, it’s a general rule of thumb is to stay away from any humidity or other warm environments that will make you sweat. “This is the quickest way to undo a silk press as the roots begin to get puffy. You’ll want to just try your best to stay in cool, dry areas,” says Kimble. Wallace adds that hot showers should also be avoided because the steam or sweat caused from the high temperature will cause a return to your natural texture.
If you find that you just cannot avoid muggy air, Kimble recommends the Color Wow Dream Coat Extra Strength as a great product to help fight against the stuffiness. “The extra strength version was created with textured hair in mind to deliver glassy, sleek hair so this will really help your silk press last longer, especially if you live in humid climates.”
Once several days have passed, you’ll also notice that your hair may be clinging onto oil and grease, creating a stringy appearance. Kimble says that it’s impossible to avoid this because with straight textures the oil travels down the hair shaft, but spraying a little bit of dry shampoo can help absorb some of that grease for a cleaner appearance. “Overall try to avoid putting any extra oils in your hair,” suggests Kimble.
How Can You Preserve Your Silk Press During A Workout?
The workout scenario is the situation that every girl with a silk press encounters and dreads. Do you stop working out for two weeks to maintain your style? Or do you risk messing up your hair while still getting your sweat in? According to Wallace, there is a way for the second option to work. “It’s a battle,” he says. The holy grail product he recommends to his clients is the GymWrap Save Your Do Sweat band from Nicole Ari Parker to protect their edges from forehead moisture. After you’ve secured the headband, he says that you should pull the hair into a ponytail or two buns using a mix of hair ties and bobby pins. “The buns and ponytails avoid migration of moisture from scalp to strand,” Wallace says.
Generally, if you sweat a lot, Wallace says that you should stray away from doing high-intensity cardio workouts while your hair is in a silk press style.
He also adds that towards the end of a silk press, there is no shame in styling your hair in a bun or ponytail to get a little bit more wear out of the straight style before you decide to wash. “[Try] adding some accessories [to spice it up],” Wallace says.
Shop Products To Maintain Your Silk Press
Super Skinny Serum
Paul Mitchell
This nourishing hair serum creates soft and silky hair that is frizz-free.
Curly Hair Brush
Denman
The Denman Curly Hair Brush is the styling tool for natural hair. The speciality bristles easily detangle curly hair textures while perfectly defining coils.
Wide Tooth Comb
Pattern
This Pattern Wide Tooth Comb will not only detangle your curls or help fluff out your Afro, but it is the perfect tool to help gently brush through your silk press.
Heat Screen Hair Heat Protectant Spray
Mizani
Offering UV protection and increased shine, the Mizani Heat Screen Hair Protectant Spray shields your curls from heat damage and prevents frizz without weighing down your strands.
Goddess Strength Shaping and Smoothing Hair Balm
Carol’s Daughter
Struggling with frizz and flyaways? The Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength Shaping and Smoothing Hair Balm can keep your hair smooth and in place for up to 24 hours.
Extra Strength Dream Coat
Color Wow
This moisturizing serum improves the look of dry hair while eliminating frizz for three to four washes.
Perk Up Talc-Free Dry Shampoo
Amika
Use the Amika Perk Up Talc-Free Dry Shampoo to absorb excess oil and add volume to straight styles.
Unfazed Gymwrap 2.0
GymWrap by Nicole Ari Parker
Save your edges and secure your silk press with this sweat-wicking headband.
Satin Wide Edge Bonnet
Evolve Products
No matter your hair texture, a satin bonnet will protect your strands from rough cotton pillow cases to minimize frizz.