Milk Mask
Whole or coconut milk straighten and nourish your hair. Pour the milk into a spray bottle and spritz it from the roots to the ends of your hair. Gently tug the ends of your hair straight for 20 minutes. Shampoo and condition as normal. You can use any type of milk (except almond milk), but whole or coconut milk works the best. Apply a milk mask once a week. Milk contains fats and whey that can strengthen your hair, stimulate hair growth, and straighten frizzy strands. This mask works best for wavy hair and may not provide the same benefits for curly hair. Stir 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey into the milk for extra shiny hair.
Coconut Milk and Lemon Mask
Coconut milk and lemon juice can promote shiny, straight hair. Add ⁄2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice into a jar and seal it tightly. Put the jar in your fridge and let it separate overnight. Work the white liquid on top into your hair, then apply the clear liquid from the bottom. Wrap your hair with a towel or silk wrap for 1 hour before washing with shampoo and conditioner. Repeat this treatment once a week. Hair absorbs vitamin C from the lemon juice and fats from the coconut milk so curls look straighter and more weighed down.
Aloe Vera Mask
Aloe vera can restore, soften, and straighten your hair. Slice open 3 aloe leaves and scrape out the pulp. Apply it directly to the middle and ends of your hair and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. If your hair is thick, mix the pulp with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water. Wash the aloe out with shampoo and conditioner. Apply this mask 2 to 3 times a week. Fresh aloe leaves work best, but you can use store-bought gel instead. To add fragrance, mix in a few drops of rosewater.
Banana Papaya Mask
Apply a paste of equal parts banana and papaya to straighten your hair. Mash an equal amount of banana and papaya together in a bowl to create a smooth paste. Apply the paste to your hair and let it sit for 45 minutes. Wash it out with cool water and shampoo. The natural oils and potassium in bananas support hair elasticity, while the vitamin A in papayas can strengthen your hair and prevent breakage.
Egg and Olive Oil Mask
Eggs and olive oil can straighten your hair and give it some shine. Beat 2 eggs and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil. Dampen your hair and work in the egg with your fingers from the roots to the ends. Leave in the mixture for about an hour, then rinse with shampoo and cold water—hot water could cook the eggs. Apply this egg treatment once a month. For dry or brittle hair, use egg whites and yolks. If your hair feels oily, only apply the whites.
Cornstarch Mask
Cornstarch paste can detangle your hair so frizz and waves disappear. Mix 2 cups (470 ml) of water and 2 tablespoons (7 g) of cornstarch in a pot. Bring it to a simmer and stir until it thickens into a paste. Continuously mix the paste to prevent it from sticking to the pot. After the mask cools, apply it to your hair in sections from the roots to the ends. Let your hair dry for 20 to 30 minutes before washing with shampoo and conditioner. For best results, apply this mask once a day.
Hot Oil Treatment
Hot oil treatments can naturally nourish and straighten your hair. Scoop 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of a plant-based oil (like coconut oil or olive oil) into a heat-safe bowl. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of hot water for 5 minutes. Test the oil on your wrist to make sure it isn’t too hot. Apply it from your scalp to the ends of your hair. Cover your hair with a plastic shower cap, leave it in for 15 to 30 minutes, and wash with shampoo. For best results, repeat this treatment every other week. Other plant-based oils include grapeseed, almond, hemp seed, castor, or avocado oil.
Almond Oil
Add almond oil to your conditioner to give you sleek straight hair. Mix 3 to 4 drops of almond oil into the amount of conditioner you normally use at one time. Condition your hair as normal, then wash it out. Repeat this treatment twice a week. The vitamins in almond oil can moisturize your curls and may make your hair stronger and straighter.
Rice Water Wash
Rice water can help soften and straighten your hair over time. Soak ⁄2 cup (120 ml) of dry, uncooked white rice in 2 cups (470 ml) of water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the rice and pour the water all over your hair from root to tip. Massage it into your scalp. Leave the water in for 20 to 30 minutes, then shampoo and condition as usual. Repeat this treatment 1 to 2 times per week. Rice is loaded with amino acids (the building blocks of proteins, including keratin) that may help strengthen and straighten your hair.
Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
Apple cider vinegar can make your hair shiny and straight. Pour ¼ cup (2 oz) of apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle and fill the rest with water. Spray your hair with the mixture from your scalp to the ends. Put on a plastic shower cap and let it sit for 5 minutes. Wash it out with shampoo and conditioner. The acid in apple cider vinegar can help strip away excess oil and dandruff, making your hair softer, silkier, shinier, and straighter. Avoid using apple cider vinegar straight. Always dilute it with water and do a skin patch test before applying it to larger areas.
Hair Straightening Shampoo
Straightening shampoos can help weigh your hair down. Look for straightening shampoos with ingredients like guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride and quaternium 80 to help condition and smooth your hair. These shampoos contain silicones, polymers, and other conditioning agents that can weigh down your hair and reduce curling or frizzing. Straightening shampoos won’t straighten your hair, but they can provide protection from heat styling tools and make your hair shiner and less frizzy. Use smoothing sprays or hair serums made for straight or sleek hair to help tame your locks.
Hair Wrapping
Pin your damp hair to your head to straighten it while you sleep. After showering, comb out a section of hair and pull it flat around the back of your head. Secure the section with bobby pins. Repeat this process until you wrap all your hair. Let it dry completely before removing the pins. Wrap a silk scarf or satin bonnet to protect your hair from frizzing while you sleep. Wrapping your hair keeps your locks straight while they dry so they can’t develop curls or tangles overnight. To keep kinks and curls away more effectively, apply a setting lotion before you sleep.
Hair Rollers
Roll your damp hair in 3 in (7.6 cm) plastic or magnetic rollers. Comb out a section of your hair the same width as the roller. Place the roller at the bottom of the section and apply tension as you roll it up. Clip the rollers with bobby pins and repeat this process until all your hair is rolled up. Let your hair dry completely before taking the rollers out. Sleep with the rollers in overnight to give your hair a smooth, straight, voluminous look. Rollers are traditionally used to curl hair, however, 3 in (7.6 cm) rollers are large enough to have the opposite effect and keep curly hair from coiling naturally.
Scrunchies
Tie multiple scrunchies along your hair to straighten it while it dries. Gather your damp hair into 1 or 2 low tight ponytails with silk scrunchies. Place scrunchies close together along both ponytails, leaving no space between them. Wait for your hair to dry completely before removing the scrunchies. Placing scrunchies along your ponytails can keep them straight, preventing your hair from curling up while it dries. Try to tie the scrunchies loose enough so they don’t kink your hair, but tight enough so they won’t slide out.
Salon Treatments
Salon treatments get rid of curls but also pose health risks. While straightening treatments aren’t completely permanent, they can be effective for a few months. Japanese straight perms are permanent treatments that only require touch-ups every 6 months as new hair grows in. The process involves a chemical treatment to break the bonds in your hair and another plus heat application to restructure the bonds as straight hair. These treatments usually use ammonium thioglycolate, which could damage your hair or cause allergic reactions. Keratin treatments or “Brazilian blowouts” are semi-permanent techniques that won’t give you pin-straight hair, but can help reduce curls and frizz for 3 to 5 months. These treatments involve brushing your hair with a cream made with formaldehyde, which can irritate your skin. It’s also been linked to various cancers.
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