Creating salon-quality natural hairstyles at home used to involve complicated processes that required time, patience, and even the occasional extra hand from family or a friend. That’s no longer the case—with the right products and tools, you can easily DIY salon-worthy styles (like a sleek silk press) from the comfort of your home.
A silk press, as the name suggests, is a smooth, straight style that boasts the same high-shine finish as the luxurious material from which it gets its name. But perfecting your silk press hairstyle involves a bit more than simply straightening your hair with a flat iron. If you’re wondering how to achieve a silk press hairstyle sans the salon visit, keep reading. Ahead, we’re breaking down the steps on how to get silk press hair at home and sharing tips on how to keep your strands sleek and frizz-free.
A silk press is a method of straightening natural hair without a chemical relaxer. Instead, this hairstyling technique uses a blow-dryer and flat iron to smooth hair out. A silk press for natural hair is similar to the traditional hair straightening process of a “press and curl”. A notable difference is that you won’t need a precarious hot comb or excessive hair grease that used to be the norm for that ‘90s hairstyle.
Obtaining a salon-grade silk press is all about applying the right amount of heat to your strands to give your mane more movement, a voluminous body, and a shiny finish—without risking unnecessary heat damage. While the technique is most commonly used by those with natural coily and textured hair, a silk press can also be suitable for those with thick hair or extremely curly hair that tends to frizz or re-curl when using a flat iron alone.
Flat ironing is another term used to describe straightening the hair, though it’s a bit different than a silk press. Flat ironing simply involves straightening the hair with a flat iron (or hair straightener) and is typically ideal for those with finer, straight or wavy strands. Those with coily, kinky, or curly hair, meanwhile, typically need an additional heating step to achieve a smooth, pin-straight silk press hairstyle.
Though a flat iron is integral to both straightening techniques, a silk press will call for other tools and dedicated silk press products—as well as proper prep and care steps—to achieve the desired end result.
We want you to nail the silk press hair process, so we’re going into detail about the proper silk press method below. Keep reading as we walk you through the steps on how to do a silk press like a pro.
It may seem like a good idea to forgo shampooing to help protect strands from the heat used for a silk press, but doing so can actually cause more harm than good. When heat is applied to dirty hair, oil, sweat, and product buildup can coat your strands and leave the hair feeling dry and brittle. Instead, begin with a clean foundation and then add hydrating products to help keep your hair feeling moisturized.
You can kick things off with the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Moisture Push Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Moisture Seal Conditioner. This duo with castor oil and hyaluronic acid gently cleanses and provides up to 72 hours of hydration with no weigh-down, and it’s ideal for those with textured hair.
Next, you’ll want to nourish your hair with plenty of moisture to help your style hold. Reach for the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Non-Stop Dreamy Curls Leave-in Conditioner, which provides long-lasting moisture without a crunchy or greasy feel. After exiting the shower, part your hair into several sections and begin working the leave-in throughout each from root to tip. Use a wide-tooth comb to detangle each section as you go to ensure your mane is free of knots and tangles. Once complete, you can move on to the next step in your silk press routine.
Per the American Association of Dermatology (AAD), one of the best ways to curb heat damage is to limit your use of hot tools to once a week or less—and when you do heat style your hair, always use a heat protectant. Since this silk press hairstyle requires the use of heat styling tools, you’ll want to be sure to protect your strands with an effective heat protectant to help limit damage. We recommend the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Weightless Blow Dry Primer, which helps to calm frizz, seal in shine, and help protect your strands from heat damage up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Work the nourishing formula throughout your mane from the roots to the ends, ensuring each strand is protected, before moving on to the next step.
Depending on how much hair you have, you’ll want to create multiple sections before reaching for your hot tools. Dividing your hair into dedicated sections allows for efficient heat transfer and prevents moisture buildup and humidity at the roots (which is the kiss of death for a sleek silk press).
Start by creating four or more even sections and securing each part with a hair clip or satin scrunchie—something that won’t be painful to remove or leave a visible indent on your tresses.
You can use a hair dryer of your choosing for a silk press, just make sure it has a concentrator nozzle. This blow dryer attachment will look like a narrow flat piece with an opening at the end that funnels heat to a specific area. Dry your hair section by section using the blow dryer and attachment combo. Use a dedicated hair dryer brush to guide the hair and comb it as you go, make sure to work from the roots to the ends.
After applying heat, blast your strands with air using your dryer’s cold setting. If your dryer doesn’t have a cold setting, allow time between blow-drying and flat ironing to let hair cool. This step in the technique will help seal the cuticle of the hair shaft and lock in your blowout, preventing unwanted frizziness in the process. (Remember, hot air helps manipulate hair while cold air helps stabilize it for a silk press). Repeat the drying/cooling process on each section of your hair until your mane is fully dry.
When you're done, your natural curls or waves should be relaxed, if not smoothed out altogether. Don’t worry if there’s any lingering puffiness—that’ll be targeted in the next step.
Just as you prepared your hair for blow-drying, you’ll need to do the same before you flat iron during the silk press process. Divide your hair into multiple small section to help streamline your silk press. This allows for a more manageable process and helps ensure the heat from your flat iron distributes evenly throughout your hair.
As an additional prep step, you can add another layer of heat protectant. Try a spray-on heat protectant to avoid getting your hair overly damp. We recommend the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Heat Slayer Leave In, which helps protect against heat damage up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
After prepping your strands, slowly flat iron a one-inch section of hair from the root to the ends to achieve the silky-straight look you’re after. Depending on your hair texture, you may need to do more than one pass on each section. To help limit damage, apply heat slowly and evenly for desired silk press hair results and adjust your flat iron temperature to suit your hair texture and thickness.
Once the first section of hair is completely straight, move on to the next section. Repeat the process until you’ve completed your silk press.
Once your hair is ironed to your best silk press effect, all you need is a touch of hairspray to lock it all in. Grab the L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold, Light Hairspray Unscented and mist the spray evenly over your hair and you’re done.
How long your silk press lasts depends on how well your silk press products prepped your hair before you straightened it and, of course, how you maintain it. When done properly, your silk press can last as long as your next wash day. Check out these tips on how to maintain your silk press hairstyles to help your look go the distance.
One of the easiest ways to keep your silk press hairstyles intact is to pin-curl your hair at night to maintain a bouncy mane. To do this, grab a one inch section of hair and roll it over itself from the ends upward until you reach your roots. Secure the loop with a bobby pin and repeat until you have a mane full of pin curls.
You can also wrap your hair. Part your hair as you normally wear it, then use a paddle brush to brush your hair clockwise around your head, securing any loose pieces with a bobby pin if needed. Done correctly, it should look similar to a beehive..
Whichever method you choose, you’ll want to cover your hair with a silk or satin scarf before going to bed. This can help limit friction that can lead to frizz and tangles and disrupt your silk press.
While it may be tempting to apply more heat to your hair after doing your silk press to keep it sleek and shiny, avoid the temptation. Using too much heat—or using heat too frequently—can leave you with dry, brittle strands and make you more vulnerable to breakage.
When you have a silk press, you’ll want to avoid subjecting your hair to water of any kind—including steam, humidity, or sweat. Moisture cause your smooth strands to revert back to their natural texture before you’re ready. Always check the weather before you leave to prepare for any rain that could ruin all your hard work.
Avoid applying additional products to your silk press hairstyle if possible. The goal is to keep your hair shiny and bouncy, and excess product can give your hair a weighed-down look and feel. If your ends look or feel especially dry, you can use a lightweight hair oil to help maintain that sleek look—just use a light hand and keep it to the ends only.
Next Up: 5 Low-Tension Natural Hairstyles To Try This Fall
Photo Credit: IG/@silkpress.princess
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