Silk Press Vs Flat Iron, What's the Difference?

If you love changing your hairstyles with your natural hair or human hair wig, you may have heard of some hair styling terms like silk press and flat iron. Though both these terms are used interchangeably, they are not the same.

Developing a proper understanding of the key differences is crucial for making the right choice at the right time. In this ultimate guide, we will dig deeper into the basics of these terms and their key differences.

Now, let’s get started!

What’s Silk Press?

Silk Press refers to straightening hair without using a chemical relaxer. It relies on a flat iron and a blow dryer to smooth the hair, leaving a shiny finish.

You can think of this hairstyling technique as the traditional hair straightening process of press and curl. The only difference remains that you won’t need any sort of hair grease or hot comb.

If you want to achieve a professional-looking silk press at home, you must apply the right amount of heat to your hair strands. This will ensure that the end hair look is voluminous without any heat damage.

Though silk press is mostly used on thick or curly hair, it can also work well with hair types that tend to re-curl or become frizzy after flat iron straightening.

Pros of Silk Press

• It gives off a bouncier hair look with more dimension.
• Ensures long-lasting results – if cared for properly.
• It provides a glossier and smoother finish than its counterpart.

Cons of Silk Press

• Often time-consuming, as it involves the use of multiple products and tools.
• Uses a higher temperature than its counterpart, so it can cause more damage.
• Not suitable for all hair types.

What's a Flat Iron?

The flat iron is a hair tool that uses heated plates to press the hair straight. It's a commonly used method for attaining a sleek and smooth straight hairstyle. You can perform it at home without requiring any special skills.

All you need to do is apply some heat protectant, grab your flat iron, and press your hair against it to straighten your hair. You can also use a flat iron to achieve waves, curls, or other hairstyles, depending on your preferences. However, it won’t last longer, as does the counterpart. Moreover, it has other limitations and advantages, including:

Pros of Flat Iron

• Offers more versatility, as you can achieve more hairstyles with this tool.
• Uses less heat than a silk press, causing less heat damage.
• A faster and more convenient tool for daily usage.

Cons of Flat Iron

• Some low-quality versions cause hair damage.
• Results last for a few days only.
• The results are less shiny than the silk press.

Key Differences Between a Silk Press Vs Flat Iron

How do the Silk Press and Flat Iron Differ in Straightening Procedure?

By now, you have explored the basic differences between a silk press and a flat iron. Let's explore the procedures and analyze how they differ in this aspect.

Silk Press

Step 1: Begin with Washing and Conditioning

Ensure that your hair is completely washed and conditioned well before beginning the procedure. This will ensure less damage and long-lasting results.

If you are getting silk press from a salon, they will do it for you with proper hair care products. However, when doing it at home, you will need to source the most suitable products first.

Step 2: Detangle Your Hair

Grab a wide-tooth comb and detangle your hair properly. Begin from the ends and work your way towards the roots to ensure less hair damage. Then wrap your hair with a clean towel.

Step 3: Apply Heat Protectant

Silk press involves exposure to higher temperatures, so ensure to apply an ample amount of heat protectant. This will cause an essential protective barrier between hair and flat iron.

Step 4: Blow Drying

Now, grab a round brush and blow dryer, and then begin blow drying. This step will prep your hair for straightening as it stretches and elongates the strands – eliminating the need for direct heating via a flat iron. Moreover, you achieve better results with a smaller number of passes.

Step 5: Flat Ironing

The last step is to part your hair into small sections and separate each section with hair clips. When done, grab a flat iron and a sectioning comb and begin the silk press technique.

It involves taking a single section at a time and combing it properly with a sectioning comb. Now, slowly glide the flat iron on the entire hair length, starting at the roots, closer to the scalp. Repeat the same process with all the sections.

Flat Iron

Step 1: Wash and Condition

Some resources claim that the washing and cleansing process is not necessary for flat ironing. However, if you want to ensure less heat damage, prefer these steps. It’s because it requires more heat to straighten dirty hair with product buildup. Moreover, it gives off a frizzy and lifeless look – with those buildups burning on your hair.

Step 2: Dry Your Hair Properly

Once done with washing and conditioning, ensure that your hair is fully dry. If you iron wet hair, it will boil the water molecules on your hair strands, leaving hair frizzy, dull, and dried out.

Step 3: Apply Heat Protectant

The next step is to apply a heat protectant to create a protective barrier against the heat-styling tools. It will cause less damage to hair and make hair straightening easier on hair strands.

Step 4: Straighten Your Hair

Last but not least, grab a premium quality flat iron to straighten your hair. Begin by dividing your hair into small sections. Secure the upper half of your hair with a hair clip.

Now, take one strand from the lower section and iron it to remove any frizz or curls. Repeat the same process with all the lower sections and then move on to the upper half. Ensure to apply even pressure when sliding the flat iron throughout the entire hair length.

Why Understanding Key Differences is Necessary?

Here are some other reasons why developing a proper understanding of the key differences between silk press and flat iron is necessary. Let’s have a look at them!

Versatility:

With silk press, you can achieve a diverse range of looks. Whether it’s a sleek or straight hairstyle that you want or a simple one with voluminous and bouncy straight hair – everything can be acquired with silk presses.

On the other hand, flat iron enables achieving various hairstyles, from straight hair and curls to waves and more.

Hair Condition:

Silk presses are normally done once after a few months, and the results last with proper maintenance.

On the other hand, flat irons need to be used more often, causing more hair damage if you are a frequent user.

Customization:

Silk presses can be tweaked to suit a specific hair type and achieve desired outcomes. This can’t be achieved with at-home flat ironing.

Longevity:

Silk press lasts much longer than a flat iron procedure, which needs to be repeated every few days. So, if you want an escape from hairstyling every few days, you need to get silk press done.

Lifestyle:

If you want to stick to straight hair, going for a silk press will be an ideal move.

On the other hand, if you feel like switching between different hair looks, a flat iron has got you covered. One day, you can use it to achieve definite curls, and the other day, you can straighten your hair with it – depending on your preferences.

Wrapping It Up!

Silk press and flat iron are two terms that are commonly used interchangeably. However, there are several differences between them. St first, the silk press is a technique, whereas flat iron is a tool. Additionally, silk press lasts much longer than flat iron treatments. Then, we have procedural differences, as the silk press is more time-consuming and includes more steps.

Also, it’s hard to achieve at home. On the other hand, a flat iron can be easily used at home for quick hair straightening. When choosing between them, you need to consider several factors, like your lifestyle, preferences, hair type, how long you want to style straight hair, and more. With careful selection, you can ensure optimal hair health and less heat damage. Hope you found this article worth reading. Stay tuned for more interesting guides.