I need hair tips. Details inside...

Flat ironing is not permanent, and any moisture will make the straightness go away, and getting your hair wet is a surefire way to lose your hour’s worth of work. Since I also have really thick hair that takes forever to straighten, I usually keep it flat for a few days by not washing it at all. I tie my hair in a high bun, do my best not to wet it in the shower, and use a straightening iron to fix up the little wisps after the shower.

Thick hair is great in the way that it’s actually healthier for it not to be washed every day, so you’re in luck. The natural oils in your hair actually make it look much nicer after a day or so without washing. As long as you’re not using crazy amounts of product in your hair every day, you should be fine without washing it every day. I’ve also found this video which has some tips on keeping your hair looking nice and non-oily in between washes.

Good luck!

@ParaParaYukiko Thanks so much!

I’m not sure how your hair is before you flat iron it, but if it’s curly or wavy Herbal Essences Dangerously Straight might help you. Your hair comes out of the shower straight already so you’ll only need to straighten particular spots.

Use a showercap in the shower and sleep with it in a bun or a scarf so it doesn’t get messy at night. I wash my hair once a week, but then again I’m mixed (half black) so my hair might not have the same oils as yours. Either way there are sooo many people who wash their hair only once or twice a week.

What you need to do is pay ~$300 and get the Japanese flat iron treatment thingy done. It is a heat treatment that straightens out your hair semi-permanently, meaning that it lasts for several weeks or more. My afro room-mate had this done, and the results were amazing. I’m sure it is damaging to your hair, but she had no regrets. Apparently brushing super curly hair is a total time-consuming drag. Google has some photos of before and after.

Once you do this, Shu Uemura Art of Hair shampoo line (probably the one that smooths? You could ask a stylist for exactly which one) does a fantastic job of keeping hair straight. I’m not sure how often it is recommended to shampoo after you have the above treatment done, probably not often.

Uh-oh—look at this entry (found via @lilikoi‘s search link): this gal has freezy hair! I think she must never have heard of the frizzer.

I have the same hair type as you. Whenever I straighten it and I want to keep it in for a few days, I just use Psssssst Dry Shampoo. Follow the instructions on the can and it’ll work wonders and keep your roots from greasing up :D
You can find it in just about any drugstore.

@Chongalicious thanks!

@jjmah No problem! I found that tip in Seventeen Magazine! Ignore the corny stories and you can really find some gold in there :)

@Chongalicious: Great tip! I’ll try that!

Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Fortifying shampoo. It is clear, and free of wax and other ingredients that can build up. It has moisturizing properties without weighing the hair down. I have 3b/c hair and I straighten it about every two weeks. When I do straighten it, as long as it isn’t raining, it stays in, and stays clean until the next time I wash it.