How Long Does it Take You to Straighten?

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

Gosh! It took me about 3 hours to straighten my hair. I wanted to start doing this monthly but not sure if I want to spend the 3 hours PLUS the time it took to wash, DC, and detangle.

So I'm wondering if maybe I could improve my technique or something to speed up the time....or if that time is pretty normal for long hair?

So, how long does it take you, how many passes do you do (and sections if you know) and how long is your hair?


Oh haha I just realized that part of the reason why it may take so long for me is because I air dry in braids

Oh well Im still interested in how long it takes you ladies

No rollersetters... ....unless rollersetting doesn't get your hair straight (type 4)

 

[sensi sweetie]

I blowdry, then do a rough instyler brush though which cuts down my flat ironing time in half and leaves me with a straight/fluffy look. Then I follow up with my ceramic iron to get it sleek

here is how it breaks down:

Blowdry- 10-15 minutes
Instyler- 7 minutes
Babyliss ceramic lat Iron- 30 minutes

W/o the instyler its flat Iron- 60 minutes and it kinda looks I love my instyler.

I have BSL length hair and while it is not thin its not as dense as some heads

ETA: OOPS! Didn't see the poll. 2-3hrs? Thats alotta hair

 

[R4L]

I voted based on actual time to flat iron, not dry time. Sometimes I air dry, sometimes I blow dry.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

Yeah R4L, that doesn't include drying time (air drying or blow drying), just flat ironing.

 

[Nonie]

Do you know I haven't got the foggiest idea! I enjoy doing my hair so much that I rarely see the time pass by. I do airdry in Curlformers so that's a few hours, but I'm not even thinking about that as being part of the process while I'm wearing them. I'm usually busy doing other things to remember that I was in the middle of a process. LOL And then once I start with the flatiron, I just focus at the task at hand and have never thought to time myself. I usually have nowhere to go or be so it's not like I'm trying to get it done by a certain time, so time hardly features in any appointments I have with my hair.

It wasn't until people started asking how long X takes or Y takes that I actually started timing stuff, but I find that a lot like hard work. What comes naturally to me is to forget time and just let things happen.

 

[NJoy]

I didn't vote because I don't even know and I'm scared to find out. Sounds like a threat to someone as hair lazy as I am. Sub'g because I am interesting in seeing everyone's responses.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

Do you know I haven't got the foggiest idea! I enjoy doing my hair so much that I rarely see the time pass by. I do airdry in Curlformers so that's a few hours, but I'm not even thinking about that as being part of the process while I'm wearing them. I'm usually busy doing other things to remember that I was in the middle of a process. LOL And then once I start with the flatiron, I just focus at the task at hand and have never thought to time myself. I usually have nowhere to go or be so it's not like I'm trying to get it done by a certain time, so time hardly features in any appointments I have with my hair.

It wasn't until people started asking how long X takes or Y takes that I actually started timing stuff, but I find that a lot like hard work. What comes naturally to me is to forget time and just let things happen.

While I do not enjoy doing my hair, time did fly by. I wouldn't mind doing it if I didn't have other things I could be doing. By the time I had done half my head, an hour and a half had passed by and it flew by because I was listening to music. But I don't think I can waste 3 hours doing this for now.

 

[Ijanei]

Well my hair is much shorter than most of you so I take about 1hr 1/2 which includes a break to the bathroom, a quick drink and taking a bite to eat just because it's in front of me but there ya' go

 

[ms.blue]

If non stop, I could flat iron my hair in about less then 2 hours. I take really small sections at time and do two passes.

 

[diadall]

I can do a quick job in 30 minutes but it won't look that great. I usually need 1 hour or so but I never just stand there. I flat iron a piece and then I may get on the computer or watch the news. I take my time.

I always find that when I really take my time it never comes out as good as when I rush just a little.

Contrary to many people my hair always looks best the first day. None of that second day best hair for me.

 

[~~HoneyComb~~]

My hair takes almost 1 1/2 hrs to flat-iron--that's flat ironing only, I airdry my hair overnight. I just straightened my DD's hair this weekend and it took 2 hrs.

 

[Allandra]

When I straighten my own hair, I shampoo, condition, dry via ponytail roller set, then flat iron.

shampoo and condition: 45 - 60 minutes; I do this in sections.

dry via ponytail roller set under the Pibbs: 45 - 60 minutes

flat iron: 60 - 75 minutes

So, my total time is 2.5 hours to 3.25 hours. I don't mind spending time on my hair. I look at it as a pampering session.

 

[LadyMacgyver]

It takes me about 2-3 hrs and then it looks like I haven't done a thing to it at times.. I am actually still trying to master how to get it to look good since transitioning..

 

[JFK]

I think being natural or relaxed makes a big difference for me. I'm SL/natural and it takes about 3 hours! CRAAAAZY!

However, it's because I blowdry in sections before flatironing to get straighter hair and try not to do large sections.

When I was relaxed, I never spent that long flatironing my hair.

 

[chasturner84]

I hardly ever flat iron because it doesn't stay straight for longer than 2 days before my roots get puffy. When I do, it only takes me about an hour to straighten my hair with one pass and 1" sections. I'm APL.

 

[Goombay_Summer]

I'm natural and MBL and it takes me approximately 2 hrs but I use extremely small sections and do exactly 2 passes.

 

[curlycrocheter]

I voted based on flat-ironing time only. If that's the case it's about 1-1 1/2 hours. But I use a higher heat setting than most because....well, because it works for me. If I go straight through, no distractions (which never happens) I think I've topped out at about 60 minutes.

I'm roughly MBL-stretched, and I'm natural. Now if we take the whole process into consideration. We're talking over 4 hours. I always DC right before I flat iron, so that's:
Cowash/Detangle-20
DC/rinse-anywhere from 1-3 hours
Blowdry in sections-this takes the longest (about 1 1/2 hours) because it takes me forever to blowdry my hair. I can never do my left side the same way as my right side, so it takes me way longer.
Flat iron-1-1 1/2 hours

 

[bibirockz]

My hair is around SL and it took about an hour and a half to straighten everything the last time I did it. So annoying!

 

[dyamonds10]

It takes 2.5-3hrs to flat iron. I use small sections and only 1 pass.

 

[Lita]

I air dry (Natural Hair)..So by day 3 I flat iron in sections...3-4hrs..
My flat iron temp on 300..One swipe for the front/sides & the middle 2 swipes..






Happy Hair Growing!

 

[jerseygurl]

I'm about to flat iron my 11 month post hair, I'll be sure to post how long it took. My hair is between APL and BSL.

 

[Janet']

Just to flat iron: About an hour
Blowdrying beforehand takes: 45 minutes

 

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

I can't remember the exact time, but I think it is 1-2 hours. And that's SL transitioning hair. I dread to think how long it will take to straighten APL-BSL natural hair

BTW, I do small sections, and 1 or 2 passes, on quite high heat as well.

 

[aunaturel.]

Too long.

 

[NikkiQ]

I haven't flat ironed my hair since I started transitioning,but prior to the decision to go natural it took between 30-45min to flat iron my SL hair...and that was weekly. I know. Shame on me

 

[Ms. Martina]

I'm transitioning now, and 6 months post so it takes longer than before. I have my times below. This DOESN'T include the amount of time it takes to wash, condition, and dry my hair. This only includes flat ironing speed/time.


Pre-transition:
30min to 1 hr depending on how long I stretched.(I normally stretched 3 to 4 mths)

Now... 6 months post:
It takes at least an hour and a half. Although my Sedu flat iron is letting me get through in one pass, so I'm getting quicker! Before getting my Sedu iron, my transitioning hair was soooo annoying. It took me like 3 hrs just to flat iron one night. No more of that mess now though

 

[Barbara]

2-1/2 to 3 hours

 

[Akemi]

Blow drying first- 35-40 minutes
Flat Iron- 45 minutes, 1-2 passes. The sections are about 1/4 inch.

My hair is about an inch from APL and natural.

 

[notlookingback06]

Allandra, I noticed that your siggy pic was taken by someone named Reniece; is that the same Reniece in Rockville, MD that owns the salon named Reniece & Co. within Salon Plaza? By the way, your hair looks really nice in that pic.

 

[jerseygurl]

Took me an hour and half