The majority of the time I style my hair when it’s completely stretched and completely dry. However I do also enjoy styling my hair when it’s straight. Both textures allow for distinct looks that allow me to achieve unique eye catching styles. Today I want to take a look at the major differences between my stretched and straight styles and give you all some insight on what my preference is and why. 

Stretched Hair

First things first, the preparation for my stretched hair takes a bit of time but isn’t necessarily a lot of work. You can find the detailed process in how I stretch my hair heat free here. The photo below is of completely dry completely stretched hair prior to my most recent hair cut.



Stretched hair allows for flexible styling with shapes and dimension. I almost always wear updo’s so although it doesn’t necessarily seem like I’m benefiting from the length I get with stretched hair, I really am in the shapes I’m able to create.





Straight Hair

The straightening process for my hair is quite lengthy and requires a lot of work. I don’t have a video on the process but I’m sure you can imagine what goes into straightening natural hair. Below is a photo of flat ironed hair after my most recent hair cut.



Styling my straight hair can be a lot of fun when I’m playing with flat twists. The styles always appear incredibly intricate and tend to get a lot of attention. I very rarely however wear my hair down when it’s straight. 





Either way, stretched or straight, I always have the ability to try out new creative styles with my hair. Having that opportunity within the versatility of my natural hair is a huge overall b benefit to natural hair.

As for preference, 9 times out of 10 I would take my stretched hair over straight hair. For me personally, it takes too much time to get my hair straight and too much maintenance to keep it that way (especially in the warmer months). Additionally, after 2 or 3 flat twist styles I’m totally bored with my straight hair. At the end of the day I can do so much more with texture!