Straighten and Maintain Damaged Hair

We all want soft, natural looking hair. For those of you who have been through the works - thermal reconditioning or other chemical processes, daily blow drying, flat ironing and/or frequent dyeing of your hair - here's the solution.

Steps

  1. Get the right tools.
    • High quality flat irons are crucial. Unfortunately, this is the one thing where pricier tends to be better. That doesn't necessarily mean that you need to spend $700 on a designer flat iron. Whatever you do decide to buy, make sure that it has thin ceramic plates. One inch gives you much better control and straightens better than larger 1-1/2 or 2 inch plated ones.
    • You'll also need a wide-tooth plastic comb - you can get one anywhere for about $2 - a round brush with both natural and nylon bristles, and a thin plastic comb with a long pointed handle for parting your hair. Buy large metal hair clips - the kind for styling. Look to a beauty supply store for these if the drugstore doesn't have any good ones. Thin hair ties are also very helpful. Try to get the kind without any metal in them, as those snag easily.
    • Use a good moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Infusium 23 is great. Matrix and Biolage are also excellent, but a little more expensive. Even if you are loyal to your favorite brand, Infusium 23's leave-in conditioner is an absolute essential for anyone who straightens their hair. It has a texture like water and leaves no residue if used properly.
  2. Shampoo twice to really get your hair clean. Never scrub, but gently massage your scalp. Pay special attention to your hairline - particularly around and behind your ears - because this is where your hair gets especially dirty. When you're satisfied, comb the shampoo through with your fingers to distribute it to the ends, but keep in mind that there's no need to vigorously wash the bottom half of the hair, especially if it's damaged. Be sure to rinse it all out, and be thorough but always gentle. Any trace of shampoo left in your hair will only contribute to dryness. Rinse for a full four minutes.
  3. Condition your hair several times to get it really soft. Don't use too much, just enough to coat it evenly. Please, please, please do not condition the roots of your hair. The bottom half is all you need to do unless you're into major greasiness. The first time, condition normally, comb it through with your fingers and rinse it out. The second time use a (store-bought) deep conditioner mixed with your regular conditioner and leave it in for a while - tie your hair up to keep it out of your face and get your shaving/body scrubbing/whatever out of the way, and rinse it out. The last time you condition rinse it out with cool water (or as cold as you can tolerate). This will really help seal in the moisture and add shine. Rinse as thoroughly as you can! Accumulated conditioner makes your hair feel dull, heavy and greasy, guaranteed.
  4. While your hair is still dripping wet, apply some Infusium 23 leave-in conditioner. Use only on the bottom half of your hair. Less is definitely more here. Use too much, and your hair will feel like there's a light spray in it. For the best results, put some in a spray bottle. A couple spritzes on each section is all you need. If not, pour a very little bit onto your hand and smooth it through your ends. Comb it through with a wide tooth comb.
  5. Use a very, very small amount of serum or cream just on the ends of your hair. Make sure that it's oil free and not too heavy, and again, keep it well away from your roots. Squeeze it through between the palms of your hands.
  6. Comb the front of your hair forward, and use the end of the thin comb to part it. The part will stay in place best if you make it while the hair is wet.
  7. Wrap your hair turban-style in a towel, and just let it 'soak' for about 25 minutes. You can experiment with the time to see what works best for you.
  8. Plug in your flat iron to let it heat up for a while. Tie most of your hair up into a ponytail right on top of your head, leaving just the bottom layer hanging down. Use the clips to get stray chunks of hair out of the way. Blow out the bottom layer of hair, really pulling it taut and away from the head. It doesn't need to be pin straight just yet, so don't stress out too much here. The idea is to make the flat ironing easy.
  9. When the bottom layer is completely dry, flat iron the hair. Go section-by-section as thoroughly as you can. Don't do huge pieces at a time. Pull it taut, and go firmly but gently. Going through your hair super fast will snag it and lead to split ends, but going through it too slowly will burn it. The great thing about small flat irons is that they're very versatile - you can go pin straight, flip the ends, or just give your hair some body where you need it. Even if you want to make your hair as straight as possible, using strokes with a slight inward curve looks the most natural. With enough practice, you'll find your own technique.
  10. When you've gotten the bottom layer perfected, ease out another layer and repeat steps 8 and 9 until you're all done. Keep in mind that the smaller the layer the more thoroughly you can straighten it and the better the results will be. Pay special attention to your bangs and the back of the head.
  11. To preserve your hairstyle and keep the retouching-time minimal in the morning, wrap your hair before you go to sleep. Comb all your hair forward and clip it up section-by-section with bobby pins. Make sure not to bend it in any way that goes against the style that you've so toiled for. You want to clip it to the side of your head in a circular pattern so that it looks kind of like a beehive. Pile it up, not to the side. When it's all up, secure it with a silk scarf to keep everything in, and you can sleep on it with no worries.
  12. Finished.

Tips

  • Keep your flat iron clean. If you've been using it on dirty hair (which you should never do, as it literally fries your hair with the oils and smells horrifying), it can accumulate a greasy buildup on the sides. Every once in a while, just go over it thoroughly with a damp cloth.
  • Obviously, straighten your hair in front of a mirror. Strategically placing a mirror behind you as well will let you see the style from the back, which is very helpful.
  • Go as long as you can without washing your hair. Every other day is generally enough, but if you really can go up to four days, who's going to know? Just be careful - unwashed hair tends to smell offensive.
  • If you're going to use a shine mist, use as little as possible. Try spraying a small amount onto your hands and smoothing them over your ends.
  • Wash and style your hair at night, and wrap it just before you go to bed. This really 'sets' your hair, so that in the morning you can go over it really quick with the flat iron and it looks even more polished and smooth.
  • If fly-aways and static are killing what would otherwise be a great look, spray some Static Guard (you can find it at any drugstore) onto your comb or hairbrush, wait till it's relatively dry and comb through. You'll be amazed.
  • If your hair is just a bit greasy, hide it with a teeny bit of baby powder on the roots. Scrub it in like you would with a shampoo and comb through to distribute evenly.
  • Although split ends are unattractive, it does not mean you need to sacrifice your length. Try protein packs, coconut oil or coconut milk masks for your hair, with some honey and oil.
  • About once a week, use a deep conditioner. You can pretty much use anything you want for this: sesame oil works wonders, but anything creamy or oily - mayonnaise, bananas, mashed potatoes - works. Leave it in for as long as you want before getting into the shower, but be really really thorough when washing it out.
  • One length and completely straight is so out. Experiment with different cuts and add some body here, a few curls there. No matter how hideous or how damaged it gets, just know that you can always chop it all off and it will grow back.
  • If you've ignored my sound advice and decided to sleep without wrapping your hair first, at least clip your bangs or whatever hair is in your face out of the way. Humans have a tendency to sweat and get oily while they sleep, which greatly contributes to greasy bedhead - not cute. Consider sleeping with a fan blowing on your face to keep things dry.
  • Consider chemically straightening your hair to calm it down (and make flat ironing easier). Ogilvie and One'n Only are good at-home straighteners to try, and they aren't too harsh.

Warnings

  • Always unplug your flat iron when you're done with it. Not only is it bad for the iron, you also risk burning down your place of residence.
  • Just know that with the right cut, you can let your hair dry naturally. Hair-straightening-addictions will honestly take over your life. There is a time and a place, and reason, to spend two hours on your hair, and it isn't for the laundromat.
  • Don't put your flat iron on a wooden or painted surface either because the heat will damage or discolor it. Use a folded up towel, pillow, old hat - whatever.
  • Heavy sprays and gels are your absolute last resort. Hard, crispy hair is downright unattractive, especially on straightened hair. Steer clear. With the right styling technique, you won't need them at all.
  • Humidity is your worst enemy! During the summer, keep your hair up. Be well prepared for rainy days with hooded sweatshirts, hats and a sturdy umbrella. Remember that the better the flat iron, the better your hair will stand against humidity.
  • Use a flat iron with discretion.

Things You'll Need

  • High quality flat iron
  • High quality shampoo and conditioner
  • Blow dryer
  • Round brush
  • Wide and small tooth combs
  • Professional-use metal clips
  • Thin hair elastics
  • Infusium 23 leave-in conditioner
  • Light hair creme or serum
  • Bobby pins
  • Silk scarf
  • Chemical straightener (OPTIONAL)
  • Baby powder (OPTIONAL but comes in very handy)

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