February 22, 2022 at 10:15AM
I am obsessed with my natural hair texture. I love how voluminous it can look and how versatile it is to style but what I don’t always love is how tedious it can be to care for. When my hair was relaxed, years before I grew it out it was way less healthy but ultimately it was super easy to style. No matter how lazy I was feeling or what the weather was doing I didn’t have to worry or think about it twice. And I miss that. Not enough to start relaxing again but enough to start to try out temporary straightening treatments to alleviate the need to style my hair at home. Which is when I started booking in for a silk press.
Simply put, a silk press is a salon services where natural Afro-textured hair is straightened thoroughly, giving a straight, smooth finish. The service isn’t new by any means, but a simple reinvention of the traditional press. Where an old school press would be done with a hot comb and oil, today’s silk press is created with a hairdryer, good straightener and humidity-blocking serums. “The key thing that sets it apart from other straightening services is that it doesn’t use any chemicals,” says hairstylist Lorraine Dublin, co-owner of My Hair Bar Salon. It’s my favourite service in salon because it means I barely have to touch my hair for over a week. Absolute bliss.
In salon, the service will start with a regular wash and blow-dry before your stylist moves onto the press part. If you have dry or weak hair your stylist might suggest a moisturising or strengthening treatment while you’re at the backwash, a good idea pre-heat styling. Then, they’ll take your hair in small sections and straighten, often using a fine-tooth comb to hold the hair taunt for the sleekest finish. To seal your style, a shine spray or light oil will be applied. Usually, your stylist will use the straighteners at around 200-degree heat which can be worrying for maintaining a healthy curl pattern. “Yes, silk presses can cause heat damage if you’re using the wrong hair products and tools,” warns Lorraine who advises booking in with a professional over doing it at home. “At home, you risk using the wrong heat settings on the straightener and doing it too often which can change the pattern of your curls for good.”
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Author Keeks Reid | Whowhatwear
Selected by CWC