Hair Straightening Kits

Asian girl with straightened hair
Photo: Stockfour/Shutterstock
Q: I'm Asian and have normal hair that's partially wavy. I straighten my hair daily with a flat iron, but it's leaving my hair severely damaged, and I really don't want to cause any more harm. I'd love to have my hair permanently straightened, but I'm on a tight budget and can't afford professional salon treatments right now.
 
I'm wondering if at-home straightening kits might work for me. I've heard you mention Ogilvie and Easy Straight before. Are there other brands that offer similar results? Also, if I want my hair to be super straight, do I need to use aluminum foil and wrap it around sections of my hair during the straightening process?
 
A: Your concern about daily heat damage is completely valid. Using a flat iron every day can really take a toll on your hair's health, leading to dryness, breakage, and split ends. At-home chemical straightening kits can be a budget-friendly alternative to salon treatments, though they do require careful application and realistic expectations about the results.
 
Ogilvie and Easy Straight are indeed two of the most established brands in the at-home straightening market. Both have been around for decades and have built solid reputations for delivering decent results when used properly. However, there are several other options worth considering. L'Oréal Paris offers the Sleek It Iron Straight Kit, which is designed specifically for resistant hair types. Dark and Lovely has their Beautiful Beginnings No-Lye Relaxer, which can work well for various hair textures. Africa's Best also makes several relaxer kits that might suit your needs.
 
Regarding the aluminum foil question, I have to say that's not a standard practice I'm familiar with in chemical straightening processes. Foil wrapping is typically used in hair coloring and highlighting services to isolate sections and control heat distribution, but it's not a conventional step in relaxer applications. Chemical straighteners work by breaking down the hair's natural bonds and reforming them in a straighter pattern, and this process doesn't typically require foil wrapping.
 
That said, if a specific product's instructions call for using foil, you should absolutely follow those directions exactly. Manufacturers test their formulations extensively, and their instructions are designed to work with their specific chemical composition. Deviating from the recommended process could lead to uneven results or even hair damage.
 
Before diving into any chemical straightening treatment, there are several important factors to consider. First, assess your hair's current condition. If your hair is already significantly damaged from daily heat styling, a chemical treatment might push it over the edge. You might want to spend a few weeks giving your hair some intensive conditioning treatments before attempting a relaxer.
 
Also, keep in mind that "super straight" results from at-home kits can be challenging to achieve, especially if you have resistant or coarse hair. Professional stylists have access to stronger formulations and years of experience in application techniques. At-home kits are generally milder and may give you smoother, more manageable hair rather than pin-straight results.
 
My recommendation would be to start with either the Ogilvie or Easy Straight kit, as these have the longest track record of safe, effective results when used correctly. Read through the entire instruction manual before you begin, and consider doing a strand test on a small, hidden section of hair first. This will give you an idea of how your hair will respond to the treatment.
 
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See also:
 
How badly will straightening my hair damage it?
 
Home hair straightening kits and resistant hair
 
Is it safe to use a home straightening kit on lightened hair?