Taming My Wavy Locks With Aveda Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight #AvedaNaturallyStraight

***Disclosure: I received complimentary product from SheSpeaks/Aveda. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

I have a love/hate relationship...With my hair. You see, while I have been told my whole life how "perfect" my hair is, I completely disagree. Sure, there's a ton of it and it does grow very quickly. Yes, I have the loose waves often  seen on magazine covers without doing anything at all.  

While these are the great things about my hair, there are plenty of annoyances, too. For one, it's thick. Very, very thick. During the summer, this is complete and utter torture. Who wants their head to sweat like crazy, leaving them looking like a drowned rat? So I spend most of the time with my hair up in a messy bun or ponytail, just to avoid becoming a sweaty mess.

Also, my hair is very wavy. Thick, wavy hair is pretty hard to manage. Due to the weight of my hair, trying to curl it is a joke. It falls flat in no time. Straightening works well, but is incredibly time consuming, and if there's the slightest bit of humidity, my hair tends to curl. It really is a pain in the you-know-where. 

So when I discovered Aveda Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight products, I was more than a little bit skeptical that they would help tame my locks. After all, nothing ever really seems to work, and those Brazilian Keratin treatments are a scary, chemical mess that I want no part of. Lucky for me, Aveda's products are made from plant-based ingredients, and don't include those icky chemicals that I try my best to avoid.

Okay, so the Aveda Smooth Infusion line includes the following products:

• Smooth Infusion™ Shampoo (US $21, 8.5 oz. /250 ml): Gently cleanses, smoothes and reduces frizz.
• Smooth Infusion™ Conditioner (US $21, 6.7 oz./200 ml): Daily conditioner smoothes and reduces frizz. 
• Smooth Infusion™ Style-Prep Smoother (US $24, 3.4 oz./100 ml): Defends against humidity for up to 12 hours and lays the foundation for long lasting smooth styles. 
• Smooth Infusion™ Glossing Straightener (US $23, 4.2 oz., 125 ml): Straightens hair while imparting lustrous shine and protecting the hair’s cuticle from heat damage.

When used together, this line-up promises sleek, straight locks for up to three washes. That's right. The straight look will last even after washing your hair. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? 

Well, I put these products to the test. Here is a before of my hair. As you can see, it's obnoxiously wavy. (These aren't the greatest photos, since I had my teen help me out.) 

I have used the Aveda Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight for 5 consecutive days. (After shampooing and conditioning, of course.) I apply this creme to towel-dried hair, and follow up with a blowdryer and a round brush. After the first couple of uses, I did notice that my waves were loosening. After 5 uses, my hair ended up very, very straight. 

Here's my straight hair, thanks to Aveda Naturally Straight! This look was achieved with only a blowdryer and a brush. I didn't even need to break out the flat iron! This is wonderful, since I don't like using heat on my hair unless it's absolutely necessary. When I blow-dry, I tend to use the cool setting. (Which happens to be great for shine, ladies!) 

Overall, I am definitely very impressed by the Aveda Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight line of products. They leave my hair soft, shiny, and much straighter than I had expected. Oh, and there's no funky residue left behind and the hair doesn't feel cakey or weighted-down at all. I love the fact that these products rely on plant-based ingredients, too. 

So if you have hair that's not the most cooperative like mine, I would definitely recommend checking out this great line of products from Aveda. I think you'll be as pleasantly surprised as I was! 

Aveda Naturally Straight retails for $26.00/5 oz., 150 ml and is available at Aveda stores and salons and online at aveda.com. To find a location near you, visit aveda.com. 

Do you like rocking a straight style, or do you embrace your curls? I'd love to swap styling hints and tricks!