Get it Straight!

Call me crazy, but I once spent $600 on a hair straightening treatment. I will pause for a moment to let you pick your jaw up off the floor. My wallet still screams just thinking about it.

Why would I pay $600 on my hair you ask? Well, long story short. I cannot do my hair myself. I don't have the physical strength to lift my arms up enough to style my own hair, so my lovely locks are at the mercy of my wonderful hubby, who thankfully does a FABULOUS job on my hair. Bless his heart because I am EXTREMELY anal about my hair. If it doesn't look good or if I'm not pleased I'll make him continue to work on it before we leave the bathroom. I blame that on the fact that I can't "fix" my hair throughout the day, so it has to look good from the get go. Ya, I'm nuts I know, but I take a lot of pride in my hair! It is probably the feature I am most complimented on.

Getting back to my actual hair. You have to understand, my hair is VERY thick and wavy. With the humidity we have in sunny FL this means BIG BIG HAIR. I like to joke that my hair would liken to Roseanne Roseannadanna. . .Remember her?

Trying to tame the hair beast was always a chore. My hair regimen looked something like this: wash, condition, dry for 20 minutes, use a straightening spray, flat iron. At the end of all that the volume of my hair was still very thick. My hair alone was taking over an hour to do. When you are not the person doing your own hair, that can be a lot to ask of someone.

I looked for simple care hair styles. For a while I went with a perm to curl my hair.

Having curls was easy to manage; wash, condition, mouse, scrunch, go. As cute as the curls might have been I thought they made me look too young and unprofessional. I became tired of them very quickly and wanted to try my hair straight.

In years past I had relaxers that claimed to keep your hair stick straight without having to iron it. HA HA, not with my hair. Ironing was always a must no matter the treatment. I swear my hair has a mind of its own.

Then in 2008 I decided that I would bite the bullet and pay $600 for the Japanese straightening treatment. My hair stylist assured me I would see the desired results I was looking for. She also promised this treatment would last 9 - 12 months, I wouldn't have to iron my hair and if I didn't want to, I wouldn't even have to dry my hair. HELLO, I was sold.

The 6 hr process was worth it. I had extremely straight hair with none of the fuss that it promised.

I have since found another hair stylist that charges only $250 for the same process. I'm all about saving whenever possible. Plus with my hair straight and no need for ironing (I still dry it because my hair is so thick it would take all day to air dry.) I can pretty much do my hair myself, which is HUGE for me since I have never been able to do it myself my entire life; and hello I'm 33!

Throughout my hair trails and tribulations I have tried a number of straightening products and tools and have spent a fortune on products to make hair care easier. I have become quite the expert on getting your stubborn hair to stay sleek and shiny. Here are some of the best tools and products that I find stand up to their promise.

{The Chi Flat Iron is by far the best ceramic flat iron you can buy. I have the original Chi. Years ago I spent over $100 dollars for this straightening God send, but today you can get it here for $52. Even before the Japanese straightening treatment this little baby did wonders on my hair.}

{This Vidal Sassoon Hot Air Styler tool is supposed to dry and curl your locks with the unique 1.5" barrel, which is equipped with air vents, flexible ball-tipped bristles and a cool-touch tip. Using this tool in a downward motion I found it is fantastic for straightening hair too. The barrel locks and unlocks for brushing ease, and rotates freely while drying to prevent tangles. Other features include variable temp settings, tangle-proof swiveling power cord and a safety plug with test/reset functions. After about ten years I had to get a new one, and let me tell you when it stopped working I freaked. This tool is a must have for me! You can get yours here.}

{Sleek.look blends ceramide, shea butter and apricot oil to help REPAIR damage, CONDITION hair and CONTROL frizz with long-lasting humidity protection for shine and all-day smoothness. Instantly transforms unruly, curly, wavy or frizzy hair into sensuously-sleek styles that stay smooth from shampoo to shampoo. You can get a duo pack here for $34.67} 

{Weightless spray with heat protection blocks out frizz as you straighten. Proprietary blend of polymers with keratin protein wraps each strand, sealing in straight styles for up to 3 days. Keeps hair glossy, smooth and swinging with body. At $10.75 per bottle that easily lasts you a few months it is well worth it. You can purchase yours here.}