How to Straighten Hair Naturally

Co-authored by Christine George

Last Updated: July 21, 2024 References

Many people love the look and feel of soft, straight hair. Unfortunately, many of the tools and products used to straighten hair, such as straightening irons, chemical straighteners, and many other hair products can irritate, or even damage, the hair and scalp.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.} Luckily, there are many options to straighten your hair naturally, using many products you already have at home. While you will probably not achieve pin-straight hair using only natural processes, these techniques will help moisturize, relax, and straighten your hair without the damaging side-effects of chemicals or heat.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Straightening Your Hair with Hair Bands

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Use a gentle shampoo and heavy-duty conditioner to lock moisture into your hair. Avoid shampoos with surfactants or sulfates, as these can damage your hair.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}
Do not rub the hair too hard as this can cause breakage and frizz. Simply squeeze sections of the hair with a microfiber towel to remove excess water. A microfiber towel works best to absorb water and reduce frizz.^{[3]
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These combs typically have wider teeth so they will detangle your hair without snagging. Follow with a finer-toothed comb to smooth the hair further.
The pigtails should start near the nape of your neck; higher pigtails will cause more kinking in the hair as it dries. Secure with elastic hair bands.
Every 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm), wrap an elastic hair band around each pigtail. Don’t wrap too tightly or you will create bumps in the hair as it dries. You should end up with what look like “striped” pigtails.
6
Wrap a silk scarf around your head. Secure with a few bobby pins. The silk will help keep your hair from tangling as it dries, reduce beneficial moisture loss, and will also help reduce frizz.
- You can sleep comfortably in this style, or do it first thing in the morning if you don’t have anywhere to be for a few hours.
Comb through with a wide-toothed comb. Avoid using a bristle brush, at it might encourage frizzing.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Straightening Your Hair with an Overnight Wrap

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1
Wash and condition your hair. The heavier, or more moisturizing, the conditioner you use, the more it will weigh down your curls and help your hair hang longer and straighter.
- Do not towel-dry your hair. The friction from rubbing your hair against the towel will create frizz and encourage curling. Keep your hair soaking wet for the following steps.
2
Rub a leave-in conditioner between your palms and apply evenly to your wet hair. This will add extra weight to bear down on the curls and prevent frizz. If you prefer to avoid commercial conditioners, consider applying a natural oil.
- Thicker hair would benefit from a thicker oil, such as argan or olive oil. Thinner or finer hair would do better with a lighter oil, such as grape seed oil, or coconut oil.
- Remember to start with a pea-sized or dime-sized amount of oil depending on the length and thickness of your hair. You can always add more product if needed.
If your hair is particularly thick, you may need to divide your hair into 6parts.
Brush this section so it is free of any tangles, making sure that the leave-in oils are evenly distributed.
Keeping 1 hand on your brush, use the other to gently insert bobby pins every 2 inches (5.1 cm) to secure the section of hair to your scalp.
Depending on the length of your hair, the section may wrap all the way across the side, bottom, and opposite side of your scalp. Use as many bobby pins as necessary to keep the section secure.
Secure the hair to the scalp with bobby pins placed every 2 inches (5.1 cm).
If your hair begins to dry, apply more water with a spray bottle, or by splashing water on your hair with your hands.
9
Leave the bobby pins in overnight and go to sleep. If you find it uncomfortable to sleep with the bobby pins, try wrapping a towel lightly around your head to pad your scalp.
- If you develop a headache, you may have placed the bobby pins in too tightly against the scalp. You may want to experiment with different brands to find ones which are the most comfortable against your head.
Unless your hair is extremely thick, it will be mostly dried. Don’t pull too vigorously or you may damage your hair.
11
Use a wide tooth comb to comb through your hair, removing any small tangles. Avoid using a brush, as it will increase volume and frizz.
- If your hair is particularly dry or thick, you may wish to apply a second layer of a leave-in conditioner or oil to your hair, rubbing the product between your palms and smoothing evenly over your hair, from the roots to the tips.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Straightening Your Hair with Hair Rollers

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Avoid shampoos with surfactants or sulfates; if you can, use a product designed for dry and damaged hair. While applying shampoo and conditioner, avoid rubbing your hair together as this can cause breakage and frizz.

Jen Atkin, Celebrity Hairstylist

Choose your hair products thoughtfully. "Most people buy their shampoo and conditioner from the same product line (Volume, Repair, Clean, etc.) and don’t realize that you usually need a different shampoo and conditioner variety for each. Fixing this common mistake can be the key to achieving your hair goals."
Apply a leave-in conditioner or natural oil to wet hair, distributing evenly from root to tip. Comb through your hair with a wide-toothed comb.
3
Work in 2 in (5.1 cm) sections. Use a tail comb to separate sections of hair. Place a large roller on the section of hair near the ends and wrap the ends up and over the roller. Roll the hair toward the scalp.
- Use the largest rollers you can find. Velcro and mesh rollers often come in very large sizes. Although, if you plan to sleep in the rollers overnight, you may prefer to use soft foam rollers.
Use bobby pins or plastic clips to secure the roller. The weight of the roller hanging slightly from your head will help to straighten the hair at the base of your scalp, which will prevent too much body at your crown.
5
Let your hair air dry. You can blow dry your hair if you’re in a hurry, but use the low setting to help prevent damage. Air drying the hair will allow the tension of rolling to gradually pull the hair straighter.
- If you blow dry your hair, make sure every section is fully dry. Missing a section could lead to unwanted frizz.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Christine George
  Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
  
  Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}
- If you plan to sleep in the rollers overnight, wrap your head in a smooth scarf, ideally silk. This will help prevent friction between your hair and the pillow, which will lead to frizz and may dislodge the curlers.
- Do not go to bed with your hair covered by a shower cap. Shower caps are made of plastic and are designed to prevent moisture going in or out. This will prevent your hair from drying overnight.
Do not pull the rollers out of your hair, as this may cause damage; gently unroll them and allow them to drop from your hair.
Avoid using a bristled brush, as it may cause your hair to frizz or fluff up. A detangling comb is a great option for this step.
You may need a little more or less depending on the length and thickness of your hair. Smooth the coconut oil across your hair. This will help seal the hair cuticle and keep it smooth and shiny.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Straightening Your Hair with a Coconut Milk Mask

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Coconut milk is high in fat, fiber, and nutrients like vitamin E that make it excellent for moisturizing hair. Combined with the super-moisturizing power of extra virgin olive oil and the acid of lemon juice, this mask will help relax hair.^{[5]
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Research source} People with artificially colored hair should avoid using lemon juice on their hair, as it will cause color to fade more quickly.
In a separate bowl, mix 3 tablespoons (44.4 ml) cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice until a smooth slurry forms.
Over medium heat, whisk the mixture constantly until it thickens. Once it reaches the consistency of a bottled conditioner, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
You can use a pastry brush or a paintbrush to make application easier, or just use your fingers to work the mask evenly throughout your hair. Make sure your hair is coated thoroughly with the mask for best results.
If you don’t have a shower cap handy, you can also wrap your hair with plastic wrap. Wrapping your hair will help it retain heat, which will assist in relaxing curls.
If you have a hairdryer, use it on the low setting until hair is warm. Alternately, you can warm a damp towel in the microwave and wrap the warm towel around your hair.
Avoid shampoos that have heavy surfactants or sulfates, as they will roughen your hair’s cuticles and undo the moisturizing and smoothing action of the mask. Follow with a deep conditioner.
8
Comb straight. Use progressively finer combs to completely detangle and gently stretch your hair.
- Coconut milk is different from coconut water (which is thinner) and cream of coconut (which is sweetened and thickened). Make sure to purchase the right stuff!
- This mask will relax and loosen curls, but if you have very curly hair it may not entirely straighten your hair. However, the extra moisture provided by the mask will also help protect your hair if you use heat appliances.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Straightening Your Hair with a Banana Mask

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Bananas are full of hair-friendly nutrients like folate and vitamin B6, and their high sugar content helps keep moisture locked in hair. Olive oil helps seal hair cuticles, while milk has proteins and sugars that also help strengthen and moisturize hair. This color-safe mask will deep-condition and help relax your hair.^{[6]
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Research source}
You can use a fork or potato masher to mash the bananas. For a smoother mix, use a blender or food processor. Mash until there are no remaining chunks of banana.
Mix thoroughly. The mask should be about the same consistency as bottled conditioner.
This mask is a little runny, so it is probably best to work over the sink or even in the shower to avoid mess. Make sure to smooth the mask all the way down to the tips of your hair.
You can also wrap your hair in plastic wrap or even a grocery bag. Allow mask to sit for 1 hour.
Thoroughly rinse your hair! This mask is quite sticky, so make sure your hair is entirely rinsed out. Follow with conditioner.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I choose the right shampoo?

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
Christine George is a Master Hairstylist, Colorist, and Owner of Luxe Parlour, a premier boutique salon based in the Los Angeles, California area. Christine has over 23 years of hair styling and coloring experience. She specializes in customized haircuts, premium color services, balayage expertise, classic highlights, and color correction. She received her cosmetology degree from the Newberry School of Beauty.

Christine George

Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Answer

Read the label to make sure the shampoo doesn't have surfactants or sulfates. These ingredients can damage your hair, so it's best to avoid them.

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Question

How do I make my hair smooth after blow drying?

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
Christine George is a Master Hairstylist, Colorist, and Owner of Luxe Parlour, a premier boutique salon based in the Los Angeles, California area. Christine has over 23 years of hair styling and coloring experience. She specializes in customized haircuts, premium color services, balayage expertise, classic highlights, and color correction. She received her cosmetology degree from the Newberry School of Beauty.

Christine George

Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Answer

Section off your hair when you use a blow dryer so you can dry your hair evenly. Otherwise, you may end up with frizz.

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Question

What type of pillow should I use to avoid waking up with frizzy hair?

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
Christine George is a Master Hairstylist, Colorist, and Owner of Luxe Parlour, a premier boutique salon based in the Los Angeles, California area. Christine has over 23 years of hair styling and coloring experience. She specializes in customized haircuts, premium color services, balayage expertise, classic highlights, and color correction. She received her cosmetology degree from the Newberry School of Beauty.

Christine George

Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Answer

Use a pillow that doesn't have any friction. I don't use a cotton pillow when I sleep. I have a satin pillow if I want to maintain my hairstyle for a couple of days and not have it go frizzy. This is great for curly hair too

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Tips

If you have naturally very curly hair, it is extremely difficult to completely straighten it without the use of heat, electric straighteners, or chemical straighteners. Naturally straightening your hair is a wonderful alternative, as it focuses on increasing moisture levels of the hair and scalp, but is rarely as effective as using a blowdryer, straightening iron, or a professional straightening service.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}

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Few people have naturally pin-straight hair. The easiest way to give the impression of beautiful, healthy hair, regardless of curls, is to avoid frizz and maintain your hair in good condition. Weekly deep conditioners and hot oil treatments are a wonderful way to maintain healthy, shiny locks.

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The heavier your hair is, the easier it is to straighten. Longer styles mean more weight to weigh down your hair and keep it straighter.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Try using bobby pins. Smooth down your hair and pin it in place while it's still wet. When it's dry, remove them.
Be careful with chemical straighteners. This can lead to breakage and make your hair shorter.

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Warnings

Hair is delicate. Although much safer and gentler than heat or chemical straighteners, the repeated use of bobby pins and curlers, particularly if you pin and curl your hair very tightly against the scalp, can cause skin irritation and potential hair loss.

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