Everyone knows that girls with straight hair dream of curls while gals with curly manes can’t wait to get them straightened out. Unless your hair is naturally straight, you’ve probably tried every method to get your hair smooth, silky, and straight as a pin. But most of the more common methods require a lot of heat, which can do a lot of damage to your hair.
You’ve probably heard of countless options for heatless curls, but you may not know that there are plenty of options out there for heatless straightening.
How to Straighten Hair Without Heat
There are many ways you can straighten your hair without heat, but it’s important to note that everyone’s hair is different. A method that works for one person may not work for another, so don’t be discouraged if the first method you try doesn’t work.
Not every method will give you pin-straight hair, and some may provide a more lived-in look with a hint of a natural bend. Again, you may need to try a few methods to figure out your best option.
Here are six methods you can try.
Blow Dry With Cool Air

This method does use a blow dryer, but it uses the cool air setting to help limit hair damage.
Let your hair air dry about three-quarters of the way, then section it off into more manageable chunks. Hold the blow dryer about six inches from your hair and use the cool setting while you move continuously from root to tip.
According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, cool air has been proven to cause even less hair damage than just letting your hair air dry.
Hair Wrapping

This method requires a little more practice and patience, but the results can be worth it.
Start with damp hair and section it off like you would for blow-drying. You can add a smoothing serum or leave-in conditioner if you’d like. Then take each section individually and begin to wrap them around your head.
Begin at the sides of your head, pull each section tightly to straighten out the hair, and then pin the ends. The top piece is the trickiest part – comb it back and press it down onto the crown of your head, and wrap any excess hair around in the same circular pattern you used for the other sections.
Plastic Rollers

This method will give you a blowout look rather than a pin-straight look.
Rollers may seem counterintuitive for straightening your hair, but they can be very effective. The key to this method is to use jumbo rollers much larger than the ones you would typically use to curl your hair. The longer your hair is, the larger the rollers need to be for this method.
Start with damp hair, and section it off like you would for blow-drying. Start with the bottom layer and split it into 3-inch sections.
Starting at the back of your head, take one section and place a jumbo roller under the hair and roll it toward your head. When the roll is complete, clip it in place and move on to the next section.
Repeat these steps until all hair is rolled. Leave the rollers in until your hair is completely dry. You can let your hair air dry or use a blowdryer; however, the heat from your blowdryer can cause damage to your hair.
Natural Oils
You can use some common household oils to help straighten your hair naturally, including olive oil and mineral oil. According to OurEverydayLife, olive oil absorbs into the hair easily. It helps strengthen your strands, while mineral oil provides more of a protective coating that needs to be washed off more regularly.
Continuous Brushing

Continuous brushing is the simplest way to straighten your hair without heat. However, it takes a lot of patience, You might want to use the hair dryer on the cool setting or a fan to make this method a little quicker.
- Wash your hair using hair smoothing products.
- Gently pat dry with a towel.
- Take a wide-toothed comb and brush your hair.
- Keep combing until it’s dry.
- Use a frizz control serum since such a method creates plenty of static electricity.
- You can use a fan or a cool hair dryer setting while combing.
Hair Mask

Hair masks can help enhance the overall appearance of your hair by smoothing and de-frizzing, which is helpful when you want to achieve a straight, blown-out look. Masks are easy to make at home, and Healthline recommends using ingredients like raw eggs, manuka honey, or avocado for deep conditioning.
Using hair masks is the most natural heat-free way to make your hair straight. Besides straightening your locks, such masks nourish your hair and keep it healthy.
There are many natural ingredients you can use to straighten your hair without heat. Just a few include:
- Coconut and lemon juice – mix two tablespoons of lemon juice into a cup of coconut milk and refrigerate for 30 minutes, then apply it to your hair like a mask. Wrap a hot towel around your masked hair for five minutes before washing the mask out.
- Bananas – mash an overripe banana with some honey, yogurt, and olive oil to make a mask, then apply it to your hair and leave it for 30 minutes before rinsing.
- Milk and honey – mix a tablespoon of honey into milk, spray it on your hair, and leave it for two minutes before rinsing.
- Olive oil and eggs – mix two eggs with olive oil and leave the mask on your hair for 20 minutes before rinsing.
- Aloe vera – mix half a cup of aloe vera with half a cup of warm olive oil, then apply the mixture to your hair like a mask. Cover with a shower cap and leave it for two hours before washing.
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Tips for Straightening Hair Without Heat
If you’re considering using any heatless methods to straighten your hair, just make sure you do your research. It’s important to consider what type of hair you have, what’s worked (or not worked) for you in the past, how much time you’re looking to spend on the process, and how much money you’re willing to spend.
Everyone’s hair is different, so you may find that what works for your friend, your mom, or your sister won’t necessarily work for you, and vice-versa. So make sure to research what is recommended for your hair type specifically.
Knowing your hair type involves properly classifying your hair’s curl pattern, porosity, density, and texture. There are many online tests that can help you determine your hair type, or you can ask your hairstylist.
Best Products for Straightening Hair Without Heat
Straightening hair products are another great heatless option. From cremes to mousses to serums and more, there are various products on the market designed to smooth those locks and prevent your natural texture.
Hair products that claim to help straighten the hair are more likely to work on wavy hair than curly hair, but here are a few options you can try:
- R+Co Waterfall
- Matrix Total Results Mega Sleek Iron Smoother
- Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray Anti-Frizz Treatment
- Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3
- R+Co Mood Swing Straightening Spray
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about straightening hair without heat.
You can certainly try! But if you’re starting with naturally curly hair, there’s a chance that heatless curling methods may leave you with some sort of wave to your hair.
No, conditioner adds moisture to your hair, but it won’t straighten it.
Yes! Some hair experts explained that it’s a multi-step process, but it’s doable. Shampoo can strip away your hair’s natural oils so, if you struggle with frizz, experts recommend skipping shampoo and only using a conditioner. Try finding a cleansing conditioner.
Get a wide-tooth comb and use that on your wet hair in the shower, then don’t brush it after you get out. Swap out your terry cloth hair towel for a microfiber one and try to avoid roughly scrubbing your hair.
Let the towel soak up what it can while it’s wrapped on your head instead.
Use a deep conditioning treatment on your hair once a week, and use a leave-in product and oil for your ends weekly.
As long as you’re not using heat or harsh chemicals, you can naturally straighten your hair every day.
Coconut milk, bananas, olive oil, eggs, and aloe vera are just a few natural ingredients that can help straighten your hair without heat.
It can. Coconut milk is great for moisturizing and strengthening your hair, taming frizz, and reducing hair loss. These things can help give your hair a straighter, smoother appearance.
Note that coconut milk can make your hair appear oily, so it may not be the best option for anyone with an oily scalp.
Heat and chemicals can speed up and simplify straightening your hair, but many people believe that the damage to their hair isn’t worth it. From blowdrying with cold air to hair wrapping to jumbo rollers, there are many great options out there for you to try.
Relaxers can be harsh on the hair, so it’s important that you not use heat tools on relaxed hair. Instead, consider using the hair wrapping or jumbo curler methods. These methods both do a great job of keeping the hair straight while also protecting it against further damage.
All these methods can help you forget about curls at least for a day. When you know how to straighten hair without heat, you can sport a variety of hairstyles accessible to curly and straight-haired women.
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