How to live through the Silk Press Season without damaging your hair

It’s a thrilling time of year: fall brings with it the changing colors of the leaves, Starbucks returns to PSL lattes, and everything gets a little scary. It’s a change from hot, bright, sunny to brisk and cozy. Fall signals a different kind of shift for a certain community. It’s the official start of silk press season for many natural-haired women.

TikTok has seen 20 million times the #silkpressseason tag. This tag contains videos of women (mainly Black women), documenting their visits to the salon to have their hair straightened. It’s all about styling your hair for the season. However, for many naturalistas, a silk press is an important step in their hair-care regimen. Many go to them once or twice a year for a length check, and a trim.

Although it’s not clear when the decision was made that fall and winter were the best times to straighten your hair, the general logic is that it’s easier for curly hair to remain straightened after a silk pressing. A standard silk press can run between $150-$200, according to my NYC-based experience. The girls want the best for their money.

Let’s start by explaining: A silk press is the flat ironing or silking of natural hair. Due to the heat required to make natural hair straight, the problem is that this can cause hair damage. This can lead to hair damage if combined with dry, harsh weather.

How can you have silky fun without damaging your hair and making it more vulnerable to the harsh winter winds? We interviewed five hair experts to share their top tips for making coarse hair silky straight without harming your health.

How to prepare your hair for a silk press

The key to healthy silk pressing is before the flat iron touches your head. Leigh Hardges, a licensed stylist from Maxine Salon in Chicago who specializes in natural hair care, tells Allure that she prefers to use a hydrating masque over conditioner on shampoo days. Masks are thicker and more concentrated, so they help retain moisture. This will ensure that the heat used to style your hair doesn’t dry it out further. A majority of stylists will wash and condition your hair during a silk pressing appointment. However, if this is not an option, you can request one. Although it may be more expensive at some salons, your hair will appreciate it.

Sims recommends the 5 Butter Miracle Masque as it «deeply penetrates hair with super-hydrating moisture before thermal styling.» The Anomaly Bonding Treatment Mask won the Allure Best of Beauty Award for best hair mask for curly and kinky hair. It uses quinoa and vegetable protein to smooth frizz.

What to Expect at Salon

Hardges suggests that you ask for a shampoo, conditioner, treatment, blow dry, and style at every silk press appointment. After you have completed the hair preparation, the first tool you will need to use is a blow dryer. A good blowout must precede a good silk pressing. Sims says that you want to ensure the cuticle is straightened during blowout so you can flat iron with less heat. Redway is a hairstylist who style editorial shoots and works alongside celebrities like Tessa Thompson. She recommends that you use (or have your stylist use!) tools that allow for temperature control and provide attachments to aid in blow drying your hair to reduce heat. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, with its wide tooth-comb attachment, is Redway’s top choice.

Your stylist’s use of a flatiron can also play a significant role in straightening hair with minimal damage during the silk press. Your stylist will decide, but it is best to use a flat iron only once to straighten your hair. Hardges states that the ends of hair are the most damaged and oldest part of the hair strand. «I will go over the roots and mid shaft twice to three times. But I don’t pass the last two inches until the final pass.» Dr. Lenzy, a board-certified dermatologist and licensed cosmetologist, echoes this sentiment by explaining that hair grows from the roots of the hair. Therefore, the ends of the hair are more susceptible to breaking.

Heat protectant is probably the most important product in a silk pressing. Without it, your hair is more susceptible to heat damage. Dr. Lenzy explained that heat damage can cause breaks in the water (hydrogen) bonds within your hair follicles. This can cause visible damage, frizz, weakening of hair strands and, if you have curly hair, loss in curl pattern.

Ginger King, a cosmetic chemist, explained previously that the best heat protectors are made up of ingredients such as meadowfoam oil and VP/DMAPA acrylates copolymer. These two substances «form a shield» and prevent hair from losing water and moisture which can cause heat damage. Aloe vera gel and argan oil, two of the most common hair-care ingredients, can help seal the cuticle and protect from direct heat using hot tools.

According to King, the Mizani Heat Screen Heat Protectant spray contains a VP copolymer. This prevents heat damage. Redway loves the TRESemme Thermal Creations heat Tamer, which she uses frequently when styling heat on clients.

How to Care for Your Silk Press at Home

You’ll want to show off your silky hair online after you leave the salon. Silk presses can last up to a month, depending on the type of hair you have. This will give you plenty of time to do this. Reapplying heat after a silk press is something experts advise against. Holdsworth, hairstylist and. Founder of NTRL by Sabs. «If your hair is curly, it might be time to have a silk press. Avoiding damage is the goal. Dr. Lenzy shares the same advice, pointing out that applying heat to hair that hasn’t been washed in a while can cause damage.

Hardges suggests using a low-heat blow-drying styling brush to style any areas that are going backwards. She explains that a flat iron or curling could be used as a last-ditch effort. Use a heat protector and low heat setting.

Wrapping your silk press before you go to bed is the best way to make it last. Redway says to invest in sleep protection, such as silk pillowcases and hair wraps. These will protect your hair overnight. Dr. Lenzy says that cotton pillowcases can cause friction, which can lead to hair breakage. She recommends silk pillowcases regardless of the state of your hair.

The Slip Pillowcase reduces friction and bed head, which can make silk presses last longer and prevent breakage. The Evolve Satin Wide Edge Bonnet was named Best Hair Bonnet in Allure’s 2022 Best of Beauty Awards because it can smoothen edges while you sleep.

Tips to Style Your Silk Press

Silk presses can be difficult to maintain, depending on the hair type. It is important to style your silk press properly to ensure its longevity. You may not want to wear a ponytail if you love them. Hardges advises that «the best way to get rid of a crease» is to not create one. Hardges suggests using non-crease ponytail holders or barrettes for styles that call for a ponytail.

How long do you have to wait between silk presses?

Experts say there is no set time between silk presses. However, they recommend that you don’t do so every week as heat damage can make your hair more susceptible to breaking. If your hair is shedding a lot or has straightening that’s not consistent with your usual curl pattern after a silk pressing, this could be a sign of heat damage. Dr. Lenzy suggests that you consult your stylist before every appointment to ensure that your hair is ready for a silk-press. Dr. Lenzy says, «If someone experiences excessive shedding or breakage, I would recommend that they avoid a silk press.»