The Silk Press: 7 Tips To Perfect The Process

7 Silk Press Videos & Tips To Nail The Technique

There is something so mesmerizing about watching curly hair transition from textured to silky straight. Texture pro John George III’s (@johnwgeorge) entire IG is full of addicting transformation videos featuring his silk press technique on textured hair. Curious about the process and how he achieves such flawless results? See it for yourself and grab the deets below!

Products Used

Haircare

Hydrate® Shampoo

Pureology

Conditioners

Color Lover Moisture Rich Shampoo and Conditioner

Framesi Professional

Conditioners

Moisture Recovery Shampoo And Conditioner

Joico

Haircare

Color Lover Moisture Rich Masque

Framesi Professional

Haircare

Caviar Anti-Aging Restructuring Bond Repair Leave-In Heat Protection Spray

Alterna Haircare

Flat Irons

The New Classic Infrared Flat Iron

Croc Professional

To watch @johnwgeorge’s Best-Selling Silk Press Class, CLICK HERE!

1. What Is A Silk Press?

The silk press technique is basically a blowout—shampoo, blow-dry and flat-iron—but for curly or textured hair. The flat ironing process after blowdrying leaves the hair feeling as soft as silk, hence the name. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by John George III (@johnwgeorge) on Mar 8, 2019 at 9:02am PST

2. Start In The Back

After blow-drying the hair, John prefers to start flat-ironing in the back and work his way to the front. “Working from the top down is counter intuitive. All freshly pressed hair should lay together, instead of being clipped out of the way of blown-out hair.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by John George III (@johnwgeorge) on Sep 7, 2017 at 10:06am PDT

3. Work In Small Sections

When flat-ironing textured hair, work in small sections based on hair density to ensure the entire section is straightened evenly from the roots to the ends. Taking larger sections of hair can cause unevenness in the straightening process, and even interfere with even heat distribution when flat-ironing.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by John George III (@johnwgeorge) on Feb 20, 2019 at 8:36am PST

4. Hydration Is Key

Want to know the secret to getting silky smooth results after each pass of the flatiron? Moisture, moisture and more moisture. John uses a few different hydration shampoos including Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Framesi Color Lover Moisture Rich Shampoo. For conditioner, he recommends Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner and Framesi Color Lover Moisture Rich Masque. Alterna Haircare Caviar Anti-Aging Restructuring Bond Repair Leave-In Heat Protection Spray works great for protecting the hair against unwanted heat damage.

“I’m a big back bar cocktail stylist. The shine and smoothness come almost completely from what you do at the shampoo bowl. My CROC The New Classic Infrared Flat Iron also helps to seal the deal—pun intended. Not all flat irons are created equally. Your tool can foster inconsistent results.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by John George III (@johnwgeorge) on Mar 1, 2019 at 9:39am PST

5. Avoiding Heat Damage?

Nothing is worse for a curly girl than hair that is limp and brittle from heat damage. “Heat can be damaging to the hair, especially when in the hands of the inexperienced. As a texture specialist, I am able to identify texture type, curl pattern and porosity level to establish what the hair needs, whether it be a lack of protein or an inadequate amount of moisture. Heat damage can be controlled with experience and a healthy knowledge of products and hair.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by John George III (@johnwgeorge) on Feb 23, 2018 at 4:39am PST

6. Unprocessed Vs. Chemically Processed Hair

While the process is the same, relaxed or color-processed hair has its own set of challenges. “Relaxed hair and color treated hair are both a chemical restructuring of the bonds within the hair. Both need varying degrees of moisture and protein to keep some level of balance with the fragile state the hair is in. Non-chemically treated hair has its own set of challenges that are only compounded when a chemical is added to the equation.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by John George III (@johnwgeorge) on Jan 12, 2018 at 4:56am PST

7. How Long Does It Last?

Your curly client’s silk press will last as long as they diligently avoid direct moisture, wrap their hair at night (brushing the hair in a circular motion to maintain straightness and tying up with a silk scarf) and use a natural oil for dryness when needed. Have your clients come in bi-weekly or monthly to help maintain their straight tresses or quarterly for your clients who don’t want to compromise their curl pattern to keep up with their trims.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by John George III (@johnwgeorge) on Aug 16, 2018 at 8:21am PDT