7 Heat-Free Ways To Stretch Natural Hair

Gather up all of those spare hair ties you have lying around, because they're going to come in handy for giving your wash and go maximum length. Banding simply involves securing ponytail holders down gathered sections of your hair. The more bands used, the more elongated your wash and go hair will be. Keeping your ends open ensures curls remain intact at the bottom. Just be cautious that your curl pattern may begin to disappear if you stretch sections too much.

They may be one of the strangest hair contraptions you've ever seen, but the CWK Girls SSS Rubber Plates make stretching super simple. Starting on freshly washed hair, align sections with the pink plates and secure them in place using the clips. Attaching the plates to a soaking wet mane will take forever to dry, so damp hair is the way to go.

This YouTuber sits under a dryer before removing her plates, but this method can be completely heat-free. These tools are flexible enough to sleep in, so blow drying isn't absolutely necessary.

The famous pineapple isn't just for sleeping with natural hair to preserve your 'do. It's also great for lengthening your curls. Gathering all of your hair at the front of your head will help stretch out your roots, giving your curly fro a longer appearance. Feel free to keep the 'do in overnight or, try it for 15 minutes in the morning before shaking out your curls and heading out the door.

It's a much more tedious stretching method, but African threading is a go-to process for many naturalistas. It gives excellent results, so the effort is always worth it. Similar to banding, you wrap thread down and around sections of your hair. Just don't be surprised if your bundles look like praying mantis limbs once you're finished threading.

You may think the take down process will be a real pain in the ass. However, if you don't tie the ends, you'll be able to unravel the thread easily when you're ready. Comb out your unraveled sections, being careful not to snag your strands, and you'll be amazed with the final results.

Curlformers will take your mane from a kinky-coily fro to a curled masterpiece that gives the same pattern as a curling iron or wand. They're one of the best tools for achieving heat-free curls on natural hair, stretching strands in the process, making them a double duty beauty tool.

Using a hook and pulling through method to attach to hair, they lock into place easily. You'll definitely want to watch a tutorial on the process, but rest assured that using Curlformers is easy to master. They may not be the most comfortable rollers to sleep in, but trying them is beyond worth it.

The unicorn vibes are real with a jumbo braid protruding from your head for stretching. Similar to the pineapple method, this style stretches your roots. You may not see significant results as with banding or threading, but even just for 15 minutes or so in the morning, this option will give your 'do more oomph. Give it a try for an improved wash and go.

Starting on old, stretched hair from using Curlformers, natural hair guru Naptural85 shows how to get a blown out look using only a comb. Whether you had a recent roller set, flexi rodded 'do, or a twist out, this faux blowout can be done. All you need is previously stretched hair.

Finger detangling and thorough combing is all it takes. Just avoid using water or water-based stylers during the process. Any moisture will cause your strands to revert to their curly state instantly.

Shrinkage doesn't have to get in the way of your best styles, and neither does heat damage. Plenty of stretching techniques give your mane a makeover without putting your hair health at risk. Go forth and have fun trying them out on your beautiful coils.