Keep Your Hair Straightened
You've no problem straightening your hair; getting that part down was easy. You look in the mirror, see that your hair passes the test, and walk out the door. But when the night is over, you walk back in and all of a sudden instead of you it's a frizz monster in the mirror looking back at you. What happened?
Contents
Steps
The Basics
- Grow your hair long. It's science -- the heavier your hair is, the more it will straighten out under its own weight. So if you want naturally straighter hair (not straight, straighter), grow it out. Shorter hair has more of a tendency to curl up.
- That being said, don't avoid the salon and ignore your regular haircuts. Still go in every 2 or 3 months, but only get the ends trimmed. This will actually stimulate growth (cutting off the dead ends) and help your hair grow faster.
- Invest in a good blow dryer. The only reason those salons that only do blow-drying (seriously?) exist is because very few of us own a good blow dryer. It may seem silly, but "ionic" may not just be a marketing ploy. If you see it on the box, buy it. It may prevent further hair damage.
- "Ionic" supposedly means that instead of the water molecule evaporating (like it normally does under the heat), the ionic blow dryers simply break it down, leaving the moisture in your hair. They also do the drying quicker, saving you time. If you blow dry often, they're worth the extra cost.
- Nail down your blow-drying technique. You may think there's one way to blow dry your hair: point the blow dryer at your mop and go. But there's actually more to it to that and it's important that you do it correctly. There are two things you should get down pat:
- Use the nozzle on the end -- it's there to protect your hair from the direct heat. And section your hair to keep it straighter, getting faster results.
- A large round brush will help smooth out your hair from cuticle to end. It also magically will make it seem shinier as it smooths out your strands.
As You Straighten
- Wash your hair and blow-dry. Use your shampoo, conditioner, and straightening serum and follow your normal routine of lathering up. Bust out that nice hair dryer you just bought, the round brush, and get to work, starting from the nape of your neck.
- You can now choose to either blow dry your hair or to straighten it with a flat iron, or both. If blow drying, take a wide brush and straighten your hair as your hair stylist would do. Watch out not to turn the blow dryer on maximum heat and not to keep it too close to your hair.
- Brush your hair out with a comb. This step may not be necessary if your hair responds well to blow-dryers and brushing. But if you have rather curly hair and tangles are common, give it an extra comb-through.
- Always be gentle on your scalp. When you're brushing or combing, take extra care in not pulling or tugging on your follicles.
- Straighten your hair a small section at a time. You may think you're saving time in the long run, but when you take large sections, you just wind up going over them again. Keep your sections to about 1" (2.5 cm) wide to get a more uniform, straightened-for-longer look. And you won't be exposing the strands to heat over and over -- just the one time.
- If you have fine hair, keep the hair straightener on low; but thick and coarse hair can tolerate the medium and high settings. If you're curious, grab a tissue and test the flat iron on it. If it scorches, it's obviously too hot for you. And though it should go without saying, always, always, always use a heat protectant on your hair to defend your strands against the heat.
- Apply product. You've invested in a good hair dryer and a good flat iron, so it's high time to invest in some good products. Get a hair spray you know you like and some anti-frizz spray or gel that contains silicone.
- That's right, silicone. It's found in many haircare products. It minimizes frizz because it's water-resistant, and so it prevents humidity from entering the hair shaft and swelling it. Using a shampoo, conditioner, and styling serum all containing silicone will not only control frizz but also help with detangling and shine.
- Finished.
Tips
- Cover your hair before you go to bed, or you'll be right back where you started. Use a scarf or a sleep cap.
- Straighten small pieces of hair. Taking large chunks will just get you poorer results.
Warnings
- Flat ironing and blow drying can lead to hair damage. Try to give your hair a day off at least once a week.
- Keep hairspray away from fire.
Things You'll Need
- Straightener
- Hair products
- Comb
- Hairdryer
- Brush
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- Make Your Hair Straighter Without a Straightener
- Straighten Your Hair Without Chemicals
