00:00I am a naturalista to the core.
00:03I've done the big chop, I do a lot of protective styles, but every now and again I like to
00:08get my hair straightened.
00:09I love to switch my hair up, it gives me a newfound confidence and I feel like I can
00:14become just a different girl each time I do a different style.
00:21Hi, I'm Tori Banks, I'm a soap press specialist in Beverly Hills and I own Salon Bar in Atlanta,
00:28Georgia.
00:28I'm Norm for my soap press technique and I can make the most stubborn hair silky straight.
00:35The soap press hair became popular in the natural hair community when girls wanted to be natural
00:41but they wanted like that super straight hair similar to their relaxed hair.
00:45A soap press is more of a lifestyle, it's not anything that's done particularly for a certain
00:50occasion unless you're a girl that wears your hair more of a natural state.
00:55For a lot of women they only get their hair silk pressed, they come to their salon and
01:01get it washed and treated and this is how they wear their hair 100% of the time.
01:05Hi, welcome to Melina Rose Salon.
01:08Today I'll be giving Nicole one of my signature silk press services.
01:12When I had my hair straightened a year ago, my color was up to my roots.
01:16So you got your color done that appointment and got it straightened that day?
01:20It was cute but I felt like it was a little dry of course because of the color.
01:24So I'm excited just to see like my new growth and how the health of my hair has transformed.
01:28Even though your hair is going to be like silky straight, it's still going to be nice and curly.
01:34She'll bounce back.
01:35She's going to be more revived because our treatment is going to give your hair all the
01:39proteins to build that structure back up, look bouncy and refreshed.
01:43Love that.
01:44Alright, let's get started.
01:45I really started to get serious about my hair in college.
01:49That's when I really took my natural hair journey seriously.
01:52Before then I was doing a lot of straightening, a lot of heat damage.
01:55I just decided to do a big chop and just chop all of my hair off.
01:59I just like to mix it up and always have a fun look.
02:02So first I will consult with Nicole on the analysis of her scalp and the health of her hair.
02:10Then I will clarify Nicole's hair.
02:13Typically it takes about three times to make the client's scalp squeaky clean.
02:19After her hair has been clarified, I apply her treatment.
02:23My big chop went amazing honestly.
02:26When I first did it, my family thought I was crazy because in the black community you don't
02:30chop all your hair off.
02:31But I did it and I got a lot of healthy new growth and all the hair that's on my
02:37head
02:37currently is grown from post my big chop.
02:42After her treatment is thoroughly saturated, I detangle it using a detangle brush designed for wet hair.
02:50Now I will be putting Nicole under the steamer.
02:53The steamer will open up her cuticles allowing the treatment to penetrate deep into her hair.
02:59I will bring her to the bowl and thoroughly rinse out her treatment ensuring that nothing is left.
03:07Now I am going to apply Nicole's leave-in spray.
03:10It will act as a detangler and will deliver more moisture for her hair.
03:15We are going to section off the hair.
03:17This will help me manage my sections to ensure that I get a nice, smooth blow dryer.
03:25So my technique for blow drying is assuring that I am directing the hair down the cuticle.
03:31This will allow the hair to be super silky, activating the products that I applied into her hair,
03:38giving me a nice foundation for the flat ironing process.
03:42I will blow dry each section with tension to ensure maximum smoothness.
03:48I will flat iron her hair using a smooth one-pass down her hair shaft.
03:56This smooth, slow pass allows her cuticle to not be disturbed, allowing each strand to lay down.
04:05The silk press is definitely not a protective style.
04:09The hair is out.
04:11The hair needs to be prepped at night to ensure that the hair is beautiful during the day.
04:21Now time for Nicole to see the finished look.
04:26So what do you think?
04:28I absolutely love it.
04:29Like, my hair is actually straight.
04:31Do you see the silk?
04:32I do.
04:33This is perfect.
04:34This is everything that I wanted.
04:35You gave me a little body.
04:37A little flirty.
04:39A little flirty curl.
04:41Let's talk about what we are going to do at home.
04:43The easiest thing you can do is flip your head upside down and then do like one big pin curl,
04:48pretty much creating like a roll twist and then using the scrunchie to tie it together.
04:54That'll keep the twirl and it'll also keep the volume because you're bringing the hair off your scalp.
04:59Awesome.
04:59Well, thank you so much.
05:00It was so good having you.
05:01It was so nice meeting you.
05:03Nice meeting you.
05:03I have to go.
05:08Wow.
05:08Who?
05:11It's so extra.
05:12Who is that?
05:13This is so bomb.
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