Hair straighteners have been around for a long time now. And they’re more popular than ever for good reason. If you haven’t used one for a while, or haven’t seen how much they’ve developed in the last couple of decades, you might be missing out. However, using them isn’t always easy. In this article, we’re going to look at a load of useful tips for getting the most out of your hair straighteners and getting the results you really want. Remember, safety is important with these hot implements, so make sure you use them carefully and use a good amount of common sense.
If you don’t know how to use hair straighteners yet, then you’re in the right place. Not everyone does, but in this article we’re going to tell you. So what are the tips you need to know for using hair straighteners today?
1. Get your hair ready for heat
Remember, hair straighteners work by applying heat to your hair. Normally quite a lot of it. So you need to get your hair ready for that heat. Start with washing it, and use a softening conditioner to get the right finish. You can get special formulas that are designed specifically for straight hair and to be used before you use straighteners. Have a shop around to try and find some. Look for “straight” conditioners and shampoos, they don’t have to be too expensive and you should be able to find them easily enough.
2. Dry gently
You can’t straighten your hair when it’s wet, so it needs drying first. Try to pat your hair dry carefully to help stop frizzing up too much. Squeeze parts of your hair one at a time rather than ruffling through like you might be used to.
After you’ve dried with a towel to get the most water off your hair, you can then blow dry on a low heat. You need your hair to be really dry when using hair straighteners, so this step is important. Straightening irons will work better on super dry hair, and drying will also prevent. Dry your hair downwards with the flow of air from the top. This will help your hair dry in a straight manner and will minimise frizz.
Use the lowest setting on your hair dryer. It’s better to dry for longer on a lower setting than trying to rush things. Rushing could produce more frizz.
3. Use thermal protection treatment
While your hair is still damp after getting out of the shower (or washing it), apply either some thermal protection serum or another kind of heat treatment. This will help protect your hair when it’s heated. Heating hair can be damaging, so this step really helps. Applying when wet is a good idea because it’s easier to spread around without forming into lumps and clumps, but if you know what you’re doing you can apply this when dry. Use a wide comb after applying to evenly spread the serum or treatment.
You can use specific products that are also designed to keep your hair straighter after it has been straightened. Coconut oil is a good one for this.
4. Get your straighteners ready
Plug in your straighteners and switch them on. Remember, these will be getting hot, so leave them somewhere safe that won’t burn. Never leave straighteners plugged in while unattended. Always use common sense and keep them out of reach of children when using or leaving to heat.
Your straighteners will need a while to heat up. This amount of time will vary depending on the irons you have.
If you have thin hair, you’ll need a lower heat setting. You can choose how hot you want the straighteners to get on most models. Don’t apply too much heat to thin hair as it could damage it. If you have frizzier or curlier hair you can also go hotter.
It might be a good idea to let the irons heat up to the lowest setting before you try upping the amount. Your irons could take a while to heat up, so don’t rush things. Make sure they’re kept in a safe area at all times and only use them when they’re at the right temperature.
5. Separate your hair
Use pins to create different sections in your hair. Create areas two inches thick so they can work with the straightener and pass through easily. Make sure you separate areas so you can work on one section at a time without getting tangled up or with different parts getting in the way.
6. Start straightening
Start with the straighteners as close to the top of your hair and as near to the roots as possible. Don’t burn yourself by getting too close, so start about an inch away from your scalp. You might need to use a flat iron to start a bit closer than that if you’ve got really curly hair.
Work through your hair towards the ends slowly and steadily. Clamp the irons on your hair with the hair in between the heated sides. Do not clamp the irons together too firmly. Don’t hold them in place on the same piece of hair for too long either. Doing both these things can cause ridges to form.
7. Straighten carefully and steadily
Work down each section of hair one at a time. Go steadily, not too fast, not too slow. Try and create fluid sweeping motion rather than a jolty one. Straighten past the ends of your hair. Damage and folds can be created by holding the iron in the same place, or on the same bit of hair for too long. So don’t do that. Go over each section a few times, two or three can work well. Learn what temperatures work well with your hair. Don’t go too hot though.
8. Set
After you’ve finished, keep the straightened with spray. Make sure you stop your hair getting wet after straightening.
0 comments