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Learning how to stretch your hair without heat is a great hack for length retention. Many naturalistas prefer not to use heat as frequently so heatless stretching is a great technique .
Check out the video with demos :
Table of Contents
THE 3 KEYS TO HEATLESS STRETCHING
1. Moisturize your hair before stretching
I prefer to apply my Fenugreek “water” and/or leave in conditioner before stretching my hair for 2 reasons :
- I use less product during styling which minimizes shrinkage.
- My hair may take a day or two to dry fully so I prefer to have my hair moisturized . This prevents tangling and breakage due to dryness.
2. Allow the hair to dry completely during stretching
Our hair needs to try completely to mould into the style we put it in. Whatever style you choose to stretch your hair with, make sure your hair dries completely before styling .
3. Keep your hair stretched thereafter
Heat gives a more lasting stretch because it alters the hair structure( sometimes irreversibly- heat damage) . Maintain heatless stretching by always keeping your hair stretched in some way all the time.
METHOD 1: BRAIDS
I have been using braids to stretch my hair . I install them on freshly washed hair that’s about 80% dry.
In the demo, I applied Fenugreek water and the Design Essentials Hydration Milk. I had around 10 braids installed .
They took 2-3 days to dry . Then , I installed chunky twists using Saru organics curling butter ( Use “MyKenyanPuff” at checkout for 10% off ) and Blue Magic Castor Oil Hair Grease.
Pros and Cons of Braids for Stretching
Pros
- You only need a few of them to stretch the hair.
- If neatly installed , they are a wearable style .
- Provide a decent stretch without heat .
Cons
- They take long to install (in comparison to twists)
- Have a long drying time.
- Takedown is also time consuming .
Overall rating for braids is 7/10.
They’re a great place to start and work well for most hair types and lengths .
Do you stretch your hair without heat ? If yes , how do you do it ?
Thank you so much for stopping by !
“Always remember that your hair is your crown and your body is a temple; embrace it , love it and take care of it .”
God bless you all !
