Watermelon... why are you straightening your [ system ?] hair.... heat is not kind to system hair..occasional heat-exposure such as a hairdryer on a low setting and held at a distance from the hair, you`ll get away with, but you say you do it ` often` .. I assume you`re using something like flat-irons.... I reckon that`s a large part of your problem. If you want/need straight hair, just order it straight at the start [maybe you got a stock and cut partials from it in which case it already has a bodywave in it] Heat will really dry out the hair. It`s ok too to wet the hair while washing your growing hair, just avoid shampooing it as it can lift the colour.
A little Brylcreem goes a long way... the most I`d use on a full topper would be about half a teaspoon,so 2 small bits like you`re wearing will need only a tiny amount, and again, frequent applications ends up building-up and leading to a lifeless look.
I`m always ` pushing` ``Enhance`` leave-in conditioner..it`s excellent, and cheap..... also has sunscreen in it. Dryness is the main issue with system hair....intense heat will exacerbate things.... simply wetting the hair before styling, and using ` Enhance` a few times a week will pay you back big-time.
You can get it directly from the makers here : http://www.ppi.cc/conditioners_hair_replace.htm It`s the third one down. If you do a Google search for ``PPI Enhance`` you`ll find other companies which sell it.