Do’s and Don’ts When Straightening Your Hair

You want to have hair that looks straight, healthy and absolutely beautiful. Even though you have used a flat iron in the past, you may have noticed your ends look a bit dry and some strands are still a bit curly or wavy.

If you haven’t been able to achieve the perfectly straight look you truly want to have, you may not be following the right set of steps. Check out the tips below to easily get the sleek and straight look you want.

Never Straighten Wet Hair

Even if the flat iron says you can use it on wet hair, avoid doing it! It is going to take you much longer to actually get each strand to go straight. In fact, you will spend more time going over those strands with the flat iron, causing extra damage. And, do you really want to deal with more damage and split ends when you are trying to grow out your luscious locks?

On another note, wet-to-dry hair straighteners can be used on ‘slightly damp’ hair (not dripping wet), but try to minimize using it. Despite manufacturer claims that it doesn’t cause damage, your hair will still be more vulnerable compared to when you straighten dry hair.

If you are low on time, simply wrap your hair in a shirt or soft towel for about five minutes to remove excess water. You can then blow dry before you start straightening. You could also wash it before bed and then straighten in the morning to make sure it is completely dry and ready for the heat that will come from the flat iron.

Use a Heat Protection Spray

It is a well-known fact that heat can cause damage to the hair, but sometimes it is simply hard to avoid. After all, how else would you get the straight locks you want to have without using your flat iron in the morning or at night? Before you start straightening those strands, apply a heat protection spray. There are dozens of these sprays available to choose from, but you should consider using one that has argan oil in it because it is good for the hair.

Do Not Use the Hottest Setting

Most hair straighteners allow you to adjust the settings to change the temperature of the heat, but that does not mean you need to blast the heat to achieve the straight look you are going for. In fact, it is never a good idea to use the hottest setting possible. If you want to avoid damage during this treatment process, stick with a 300 degree F temperature. If you put it up any higher than that, you could cause a lot of damage to your beautiful locks.

Always Separate Hair into Sections

Use a comb to separate different sections of your hair. It is best to use four separate sections so you can work on one at a time. Consider clipping off the other sections until you are completely finished with the first one. If you do not do sections, some of your hair will start falling down while you are using your flat iron, causing you to go over certain strands more than you have to and miss some spots.

Do Not Hold the Flat Iron Down Too Long

It is easy to get distracted while straightening, especially if you are watching a television show or chatting with your friends. However, you need to make sure you do not get too distracted and accidentally leave the straightener clamped down on a few strands for too long. If you happen to make that mistake, it will leave an indentation. You will have to go over it multiple times just to straighten it back out.

Use a Comb as You Straighten

While you are holding the iron over each strand to straighten it, you should have a comb in your other hand to comb right through it. Not only does it help to get your hair free of any knots and tangles, but it will also help you get more volume so the style does not fall flat or look both bland and boring.

There is certainly a right way and a wrong way to straighten your hair. If your style has not been coming out the way you want it to, you may not have followed the proper steps. If you pay attention to the things you should and should not do, you can have the most amazing hair.