10 Natural Ways To Straighten Your Hair

Attain smooth, sleek, and silky tresses with ingredients you can find in your kitchen!

Medically reviewed by Dr. Rekha Yadav, BHMS
Written by Arshiya Syeda, BA (Literature & Psychology), PG Diploma
Edited by Eshna Das, BA, MSc
Fact-checked by Monomita Chakraborty, MA (Journalism & Mass Communication), Certified Skin Care Coach  • 

Do you love sleek hairstyles but don’t want to plug in the straighter? Do you keep wondering how to straighten hair naturally? Well then, we’re here to help. Why destroy your hair with heat and styling tools when you can straighten it with some basic home hacks involving kitchen components?

Straight hair will always be fashionable. Many people desire the classic, smooth, and ultra-chic look of straight hair. Particularly when your hair is frizzy and unmanageable most of the time. However, over-styling your hair or choosing permanent straightening might damage your tresses(1).  Natural hair straightening techniques may take a little longer to show effects, but they will make your hair feel and look amazing. We have answered your question about how to straighten your hair at home by listing the following top 10 ways: keep scrolling.

protip_icon Did You Know?
People from ancient Egypt used to straighten their hair using flat iron plates even before the invention of hair styling devices.

How To Naturally Straighten Your Hair At Home 

  1. Coconut Milk And Lemon Juice For Hair Straightening
  2. Hot Oil Treatment For Hair Straightening
  3. Milk Spray For Hair Straightening
  4. Eggs And Olive Oil For Hair Straightening
  5. Milk And Honey For Hair Straightening
  6. Rice Flour And Egg Mask For Hair Straightening
  7. Banana And Papaya Mask For Hair Straightening
  8. Aloe Vera For Hair Straightening
  9. Banana, Curd And Olive Oil For Hair Straightening
  10. Apple Cider Vinegar For Hair Straightening

Note: These remedies will not give you pin-straight hair. However, they will help calm frizz and make your hair smooth and healthy, making it look straighter.

10 Natural Ways To Straighten Your Hair At Home

1. Coconut Milk And Lemon Juice For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with coconut milk and lemon juice
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

Prep Time

Overnight

Processing Time

30 minutes

Process

  1. Combine the coconut milk and the lemon juice and mix well.
  2. Refrigerate the mixture overnight.
  3. In the morning, apply the mixture to your hair, from the roots to the tips.
  4. Leave it on for about 30 minutes.
  5. Wash off with cool water and a mild sulfate free shampoo.

How Often?

Once a week.

Why This Works

Lemon juice helps straighten your hair. In combination with coconut milk, it conditions your hair while giving your scalp a vitamin C boost (2). Hair straightening with coconut milk will also leave your hair feeling silky and soft and you will notice that your hair is smoother right after the first treatment.

2. Hot Oil Treatment For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with a hot oil treatment
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 tbsp Castor Oil
  • 1 tbsp Coconut Oil

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

45 minutes

Process

  1. Combine the oils and heat the blend for a couple of seconds until it is slightly warm.
  2. Apply the oil to your scalp and hair.
  3. Once your hair is completely saturated with oil, massage your scalp for about 15 minutes.
  4. Leave the oil on for an additional 30 minutes.
  5. Wash your hair with cool water and mild sulfate free shampoo.

How Often?

Twice a week.

Why This Works

Castor oil conditions and repairs your hair like no other ingredient. It helps control frizz while leaving your hair feeling soft and hydrated. Using this ingredient helps smooth out your hair and add shine.

3. Milk Spray For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with a milk spray
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • ¼ cup Milk
  • Spray Bottle

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

30 minutes

Process

  1. Pour the milk into the spray bottle.
  2. Spritz your hair until it is saturated with milk.
  3. Leave the milk in your hair for about 30 minutes.
  4. Rinse with cool water.

How Often?

1-2 times a week.

Why This Works

The proteins in milk help fortify the shafts of your hair, controlling frizz and making your hair appear straight (3).

4. Eggs And Olive Oil For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with eggs and olive oil
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

1 hour

Process

  1. Whisk the ingredients together until they’re well combined.
  2. Apply the mixture to your hair.
  3. Leave the mixture on for about an hour.
  4. Wash your hair with cool water and mild sulfate-free shampoo.

How Often?

Once a week.

Why This Works

Using eggs for natural hair straightening works because eggs are packed with proteins that help nourish and smoothen your hair while olive oil is an excellent hair conditioner (4), (5). Combining these ingredients will give you soft, frizz-free hair.

5. Milk And Honey For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with milk and honey
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • ¼ cup Milk
  • 2 tbsp Honey

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

2 hours

Process

  1. Mix the milk and honey until they are well combined.
  2. Apply this mixture onto your hair until it is fully covered.
  3. Leave the mixture on for about 2 hours.
  4. Wash your hair with cool water and a mild sulfate-free shampoo.

How Often?

Once a week.

Why This Works

While the proteins in milk help nourish and fortify your hair, the honey acts as an emollient which helps seal moisture in, further controlling frizz (3), (6). Using milk and honey for natural hair straightening will help make your hair super smooth and shiny.

6. Rice Flour And Egg Mask For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with a rice flour and egg mask
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 Egg White
  • 5 tbsp Rice Flour
  • 1 cup Fuller’s Earth
  • ¼ cup Milk

Prep Time

5 minutes

Processing Time

1 hour

Process

  1. Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture. (You can add more milk in case the mixture is too thick, and more fuller’s earth if it is too thin.)
  2. Cover your hair with the mask.
  3. Leave the mask on for about an hour.
  4. Rinse with cool water and a mild sulfate-free shampoo.

How Often?

Once a week.

Why This Works

Rice flour is one of the best natural ingredients for hair straightening. All the ingredients in this pack work together to eliminate buildup and leave your hair feeling smooth and squeaky clean. Using rice flour for natural hair straightening also nourishes your hair, eliminates dirt, and repairs damage, giving it a healthy and straight look.

7. Banana And Papaya Mask For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with a banana and papaya mask
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 Ripe Banana
  • 1 big piece of Papaya

Prep Time

5 minutes

Processing Time

45 minutes

Process

  1. Make sure you have equal parts of papaya and banana.
  2. Mash the ingredients together until the mixture is free of lumps. (Optionally, you can blend them together to get a smooth paste.)
  3. Apply this mixture onto your hair.
  4. Leave it on for about 45 minutes or until the mask is dry.
  5. Wash off with cool water and a mild sulfate-free shampoo.

How Often?

Once a week.

Why This Works

Banana and papaya work together to improve the tensile strength of your hair while nourishing and conditioning it. This mask will give you soft and shiny hair that looks and feels healthy.

8. Aloe Vera For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with aloe vera
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • ¼ cup Coconut Oil/Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup Aloe Vera Gel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

40 minutes

Process

  1. Warm up a quarter cup of either coconut or olive oil.
  2. Combine the oil with aloe vera gel and mix well.
  3. Apply this mixture to your hair.
  4. Leave it on for about 40 minutes.
  5. Wash the mixture out with cool water and a mild sulfate-free shampoo.

How Often?

Once a week.

Why This Works

Using aloe vera for natural hair straightening is a good option as it is packed with enzymes that help keep your hair smooth and soft while promoting hair growth. The ingredient penetrates your hair shaft, hydrating it and smoothing out frizz and kinks.

9. Banana, Curd And Olive Oil For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with banana curd and olive oil
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 2 Ripe Bananas
  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp Curd

Prep Time

5 minutes

Processing Time

30 minutes

Process

  • Blend or mash the bananas until they’re completely free of lumps.
  • To the mashed bananas, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  • Apply this mixture onto your hair.
  • Leave it on for about half an hour.
  • Wash the mixture out of your hair with cool water and a mild sulfate-free shampoo.

How Often?

Once a week.

Why This Works

This straightening hair pack doubles as a deep conditioning treatment which helps improve the quality and texture of your hair. It will help get rid of most of your frizz while also making your hair straight and strong.

10. Apple Cider Vinegar For Hair Straightening

Straighten hair naturally with apple cider vinegar
Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 cup Water

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

2 minutes

Process

  1. Dilute the apple cider vinegar with water and set it aside in a jug.
  2. Wash your hair with a mild sulfate-free shampoo and condition.
  3. Pour the diluted apple cider vinegar through your washed and conditioned hair as a final rinse.
  4. Do not rinse your hair any further.

How Often?

Once a week.

Why This Works

Using apple cider vinegar for straight hair is great as it also helps get rid of excess oil, dirt, and buildup from your hair. It helps dislodge any dirt from your cuticles, smoothing them down. This gets rid of any frizz and leaves your hair looking straight with a healthy sheen.

protip_icon Trivia
Africans used to apply a concoction of egg, potato, and lye to straighten their hair. However, it used to cause scalp burns and irritation.

That’s not all! There are some more natural methods to help you achieve straight hair at home. Keep scrolling to discover them.

Other Tips To Get Straight Hair Without Using Heat

1. Air-Dry Smoothly
Gently towel-dry and wrap a T-shirt around your hair, and then unwrap to air-dry and make it straighter.

2. Use A Wide-Toothed Comb
Use a gentle wide-toothed comb on damp hair for straighter drying.

3. Use A Straightening Product
Non-heat formulations like serums, creams, and sprays can also help straighten hair.

4. Scarf-Wrap Hair Overnight
Use a silk or satin scarf to wrap your hair overnight to achieve straightened hair in the morning.

5. Braid Your Hair
Section and braid damp hair to unravel a smoother, straighter post-dry look.

6. Try The Twisting Method
Twist the damp hair sections and fasten them at the ends. Untwist when dry for sleek hair.

7. Try The Tension Method
Secure the damp hair sections close to the scalp with pins to encourage straighter drying.

Infographic: 5 Best Natural Hair Straightening Methods At Home

Hair straightening has leveled up since the 1900s. Women with curly and wavy hair love to flaunt their straightened tresses to stand out in the crowd. If you are wondering how to straighten hair at home, there are numerous methods to do it, and using natural hair masks is always the best. DIY straightening masks smoothen hair without damaging it.

Check out the infographic below to know which ingredients to use to make homemade hair straightening masks.

5 best natural hair straightening methods at home (infographic)

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Download Infographic in PDF version

Most of us who have wavy or curly hair keep figuring out how to acquire smooth straight hair. Straight hair is versatile, controllable, and lends itself to various hairstyles. So why wouldn’t we want it? The difficulty is that we can not achieve this without putting our hair through harsh chemical treatments, going to the salon for a blow-dry, or straightening it with a straightener every day. Moreover, most of these treatments are only temporary and can harm your hair in the long run. That is why straightening your hair naturally at home is the best alternative! With these home remedies, you can bid farewell to frizzy hair and welcome to smoother, straighter, and healthier hair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my hair becoming more straight?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that a combination of genetics and hormones may play a role in your hair becoming more straight.

Is it better to straighten hair wet or dry?

You should straighten your hair after your hair is dry to avoid any damage to your hair.

Which oil makes hair straight?

You can use coconut oil or olive oil in combination with aloe vera or eggs to help give your hair a healthier and straightened appearance. We have already mentioned how to use olive oil for natural hair straightening in the article above.

Is it OK to put oil in your hair before straightening?

No. Avoid using any oil before straightening and ensure that you completely dry your hair before doing so.

Which vitamin makes hair straight?

There is no evidence to suggest that a particular vitamin is responsible for influencing your hair type. The closest vitamin involved in hair texture is vitamin B7 (biotin), which is responsible for the production of keratin (and may boost hair growth) (7).

Does rice water straighten hair?

Possibly. While there is a lack of scientific evidence, anecdotal reports suggest that using rice water for natural hair straightening may boost hair growth and support the growth of strong, straight hair.

Is butter good for hair straightening?

No. Use of hair butter is not recommended if straightening your hair is your goal. Butter may act as a sealant and could weigh your hair down.

Key Takeaways

  • Use natural methods to straighten your hair without exposing your tresses to heat and styling tools.
  • Some of the natural ways to straighten your hair at home include hot oil treatment, milk spray, and ingredients like eggs, olive oil, milk, honey, and aloe vera.
  • These natural ways may not give you pin-straight hair but tame frizz and give your hair a smooth and healthy look.
how to straighten hair naturally

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team


Discover the Japanese secret to long lasting hair straightening! Natural and effective keratin treatments will give you smooth, sleek hair. Learn how to get the perfect look with this amazing technique in the video below.

References

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

  1. Effects of chemical straighteners on the hair shaft and scalp: a review
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35058079/
  2. Vitamin C
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17173758/
  3. Protective effect of conditioner agents on hair treated with oxidative hair dye
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29316174/
  4. Egg whole raw fresh
    https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171287/nutrients
  5. Topical Application of Oleuropein Induces Anagen Hair Growth in Telogen Mouse Skin
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462586/
  6. Medicinal and cosmetic uses of Bees Honey – A review
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3611628/
  7. A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5582478/
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