Think back to those times when you’ve just stepped out of the hair salon with a new hairstyle that adds a spring to your step and you’ll agree that hairstylists sure know how to unlock our confidence! But, your confidence doesn’t always have to rest in the hands of a hairstylist nor depend on your bank balance, especially in this misbehaving economy. Below, we outline the key steps to achieving a silk press at home for afro-textured or curly hair.
Meet The Expert: Reggie Ntuli is a professional hairstylist and hair expert.
What Is A Silk Press?
A silk press offers an alternative to wearing your hair naturally without the yesteryear method of straightening it with chemicals. “In the case of a silk press, we use a blowdryer, followed by a straightener to smooth out the hair. This results in a sleek, flowy and voluminous look – depending on your hair texture, of course,” says Reggie Ntuli, a professional hairstylist and hair expert.
Is a Silk Press the Same as Flat Ironing?
Let’s clear out the confusion quick: flat ironing refers to straightening your hair using a straightener or flat iron. A silk press on the other hand is a technique that employs both a blow-dryer and a flat iron. The latter requires lots of patience – and so will maintaining it. Got it?
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How Long Does a Silk Press Last?
Phew! Depending on your hair texture, activity level (fit bunnies beware!) and how much moisture the silk press is exposed to, the hairstyle can last up to one or two weeks. Regular exposure to moisture is your silk press’ worst nightmare. Environmental factors such as humidity can lead to frizz and make the silk press puff up into an afro.
“Ultimately, it all boils down to your maintenance routine. Opt for baths instead of showers – and be sure to let the steam out before you jump in. Use a heat protectant should you decide to resuscitate the silk press after the initial treatment. And lastly, wrap your hair in a silk scarf to avoid friction,” says Ntuli.
How To Do A Silk Press At Home
1. Start By Washing Your Hair
Use a shampoo that caters to your hair type and needs. For a thick-hair effect, opt for a voluminous shampoo. For frizz control, opt for shampoos with frizz-free ingredients such as jojoba or argan oils.
Most importantly, use a shampoo and deep conditioner that will protects your strands from the heavy heat it’s about to endure and that will ensure minimal damage long after your silk press has been done.
2. Use A Heat Protectant
Hold up! Before touching that blowdryer, apply a lightweight, easily-absorbable heat protectant (preferably something serum- or cream-based) that will seep into and be absorbed into the hair rather than sitting on top of it.
3. Section Your Hair
Using clips or scrunchies, part your hair into easy-to-manage sections to make the blow-drying process less overwhelming.
4. Blow Dry Your Hair
Thanks to the TikTok favourite Blow Dry Brush by Revlon, you can have a salon-worthy blowout in no time. Its bristle design helps to get super close to the roots and get your strands as straight as possible so that you won’t need to apply too much heat with your flat iron. Once you’re done, add another drop of your frizz-free serum to secure moisture and protection from humidity because, let’s face it, frizz is a beast of its own.
5. Straighten Your Hair
After blow drying, again separate your hair into sections. This will make the straightening process far more manageable and allow you to straighten every strand. To be extra kind to your hair, you can add another layer of heat protectant. Something like a spray-on heat protectant works well as it won’t get your hair too damp.
Grab your straightener and working in small sections, slowly press from your roots to your ends. Depending on your hair texture, it may take more than one pass to achieve your desired silky-straight look. Repeat until you’ve done all of your hair.
6. Seal Your Style
All you need now is a touch of hair spray to lock it all in. You can wrap your hair or add a roller set for bombshell curls that can be left overnight or done in advance for an evening outing. Voila, your silk press is complete!
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Products To Use For A Stunning Silk Press At Home
We’ve rounded up our favourite products to make achieving a silk press at home as easy as possible.
Shea Mositure Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Shampoo
Shampoos are step one when it comes to a good silk press. You want to aim for one that says its frizz-free, hydrating or strengthening. The Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Raw Shampoo by Shea Moisture helps repair heat damage and feeds your hair with all the proteins it needs.
OGX Brazilian Keraton Smoothing Conditioner
This game-changing three-minute treatment focuses on restoring protein peptide chains and disulphide bonds from the inside out and maintaining moisture balance in the hair fibres. It reduces breakage and improves hair elasticity, making it more flexible and resilient. Suitable for all hair types from 1A to 4C, it is most effective when used immediately after a colour or bleach service in the salon.
Mycro Keratin Magic Cream
This bond repair masque is formulated with hyaluronic acid that locks in moisture for bouncy hair. Use it before blow-drying. “Even when I’m doing a wash-and-go, my hair is always SO SOFT. It’s such a win,” says one WH editor.
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Laifen Swift Hair Dryer
The Laifen hair dryer lives up to the hype – it’s powerful, dries hair quickly and works well for various hair types. The performance is excellent, and it’s worth every penny. If you’re considering it, our editors highly recommend giving it a try!
Want to know more? Read our full review right here.
Moyoko Infrared Styling Wide Iron
If you’ve had the same flat iron since middle school, you may be due for an upgrade. The Moyoko flat iron’s flexible, wider plates allows you to get maximum coverage. Plus, the infrared light decreases hair damage by 60%, heats hair internally, retaining moisture and boosting shine.
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L’Oreal Elvive Frizz Killer Serum
For a soft silk press, less is more regarding products. Using a lightweight serum like L’Oreal Elvive Frizz Killer Serum helps hydrate your hair without weighing it down, or causing a greasy feeling, and controls frizz with its moroccan organ oil formula.
