For Black women, the cold weather symbolizes the onset of silk press season. There’s no fear of humidity turning hair from silky straight to a frizzy mess. However, the challenge for naturalistas comes when trying to preserve their hair overnight.
Whether you do it yourself or see a hairstylist, maintaining the perfect silk press takes work. To preserve your stick straight style for about two weeks, hairstylist Annagjid Taylor suggests wrapping it properly before bed at night. Going to bed without protecting your style will negatively impact the longevity of your silk press.
“A silk press that is not covered by a scarf or bonnet at night can last up to one week on average,” said Darrius Peace, a natural hair expert and stylist. “However, for those who sweat heavily in their heads, the longevity decreases.”
How do you Properly Wrap a Silk Press Before Bed?
To wrap a silk press, Taylor suggested having silk or satin scarf, a rat tail comb, a paddle brush and bobby pins. However, depending on your hair, there are a few more tools you’ll need. According to Peace, you may need a mesh wrap, duck billed clips, hair serum, shine spray and a cotton scarf.
Before you wrap your hair, work in a small amount of lightweight hair serum and shine spray to prevent breakage and add luster. Taylor suggests to begin with your rat tail comb.
You can use either the comb or a paddle brush to detangle your hair, as you wrap the hair around your head. As you work your way around, switch to a bristle brush to smooth out any fly-aways and place pins anywhere you want more security. Duck billed clips are better for longer or more dense hair. Put your pinned hair in a mesh wrap for ventilation. Then secure it with a satin scarf. If your hair tends to retain more oil, a cotton scarf may be better to use instead.
- Best Bobby Pins: Goody XL Curved Black Bobby Pins 18 Count
- Best Bristle Brush: Denman Cushion Hair Brush with Soft Nylon Quill Boar Bristles
- Best Cotton Scarf: HankieWorld Extra Large Bandanas
- Best Duck Billed Clips: AIMIKE Non-Slip No-Trace Duck Billed Hair Clips with Silicone Band
- Best Lightweight Hair Oil Serum: Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum
- Best Lightweight Shine Spray: ORS Olive Oil Nourishing Sheen Spray
- Best Mesh Head Wrap with Velcro: Donna Velcro Mesh Wrap Headband
- Best Paddle Brush: Denman Power Paddle Hair Brush
- Best Rat Tail Comb: Goodofferplace Hair Rat Tail Combs
- Best Satin Scarf: Vimate 35″ Square Silk Like Satin Head Scarf
Best Bobby Pins
Goody’s XL Curved Black Bobby Pins
Goody’s XL Curved Black Bobby Pins are large enough to hold long and thick hair in place under a mesh wrap. The curve of these pins prevents any unwanted creasing on your sleek style.
Best Bristle Brush
Denman’s Cushion Hair Brush
Denman’s Cushion Hair Brush has soft nylon quill boar bristles that smooth any flyways. Its unique blend of nylon and boar bristles detangles and adds shine.
Best Cotton Scarf
HankieWorld’s Extra Large Bandanas
HankieWorld’s Extra Large Bandanas is a 12 pack of 100 percent cotton scarves. These oversized bandanas are 27 long and wide to cover all of your hair with ease. Shop five different colors.
Best Duck Billed Clips
AIMIKE’s Non-Slip No-Trace Duck Billed Hair Clips with Silicone Band
AIMIKE’s duck billed hair clips are large enough to get a secure grip on your hair. These anti-crease clips feature a silicone band on the inside to prevent any slipping or sliding as you toss and turn. Shop the black clips or an all-white set.
Best Lightweight Hair Oil Serum
Garnier’s Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum
Garnier’s Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum uses an oil-rich formula to prevent any humidity from ruining your silk press for up to 72 hours. For the best results, apply small amounts to your hair at a time. Work it through your hair gently to evenly distribute the product.
Best Lightweight Shine Spray
ORS’ Olive Oil Nourishing Sheen Spray
The ORS’ Olive Oil Nourishing Sheen Spray is a lightweight coconut oil-infused product that dials up the shine to your silk press. Use it before bed or in the morning to refresh your style.
Best Mesh Head Wrap with Velcro
Donna’s Velcro Mesh Wrap Headband
Donna’s Velcro Mesh Wrap Headband is large enough to secure your whole head under your scarf. It has a Velcro closure that is attached to the mesh, so that it secures to itself. Shop your favorite of the seven color choices.
Best Paddle Brush
Denman’s Power Paddle Hair Brush
Denman’s Power Paddle Hair Brush detangles hair without ripping it out. This paddle brush pairs staggered nylon bristles with a cushioned base to make brushing through your hair a breeze.
Best Rat Tail Comb
Goodofferplace’s Hair Rat Tail Combs
Goodofferplace’s Hair Rat Tail Combs feature the signature silhouette of a half-comb half-metal pick design. However, there are a couple of details that set this four pack of combs apart. The base of the comb portion has an anti-slip design for a secure grip. The teeth are flexible, so that nothing will snap as you focus on parting your hair for a wrap.
Best Satin Scarf
Vimate’s 35″ Square Silk Like Satin Head Scarf
Vimate’s 35″ Square Silk Like Satin Head Scarf is a lightweight multipurpose product that keeps your wrapped silk press in place. With over 40 designs to choose from, there’s a design for every occasion.
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