The sleek, straight look is always in style, and some lucky gals are just born with it. But you don’t have to be. Most hair types can achieve the straight look with the use of a flat iron and a few good products. (If your hair is very tightly curled, straightening can still be achieved, but you may need to turn to a relaxing product like Brazilian Blowout.)
Choosing a Flat Iron
Flat irons come in a variety of widths, and if your hair is shorter, you will find it easier to use a narrower width. If you have long hair and a lot of it, a wider flat iron will help speed up the process of straightening your hair.
Titanium flat irons are what the professionals use, and work really well on thicker, coarser hair that is difficult to straighten, because the titanium plates heat hair from the inside out. They heat up quickly and get quite hot, so be extra careful when using this type of flat iron.
Ceramic flat irons are a good choice for those with fine or delicate hair, as titanium irons may be a bit too intense. They take longer to heat up but are less likely to damage hair and can be best for non-professionals and beginners.
Inexpensive metal (like aluminum) flat irons should be avoided. The temperature is inconsistent across the metal plates, leading to increased chances of damage from “hot spots” They also do not smooth your hair like the better-quality irons. Over time, using these types of flat irons will lead your hair to become brittle and prone to breakage.
Straightening Your Hair with a Flat Iron
Start with a Straightening Shampoo and Conditioner. These products won’t generally straighten your hair completely, but they will help eliminate frizz and give you a good head start.
Allow your hair to dry completely. NEVER use heat styling tools on wet hair. Not only is it ineffective, but you can cause enormous damage and breakage to your hair. Just don’t do it. You can use a blow dryer on low heat to help speed up the drying process if you don’t have time to allow it to air dry.
Apply a heat protectant spray. Even on dry hair, heat tools can be damaging to hair. You can limit this damage by first applying a heat protectant spray like L’ANZA’s Healing Style Thermal Defense Spray. Not only will it protect your hair from heat, but it also smooths hair and eliminates frizz and flyaways.
Preheat flat iron to a low temperature. Another way to damage hair is by setting your flat iron on a heat that is too high. Turn up gradually until you find the lowest temperature that will effectively straighten your hair.
Separate hair into sections. Don’t try to grab huge portions of hair to straighten all at once. Pin or clip back hair at the crown, straightening small sections from root to tip. Do slow passes, but always keep the flat iron moving so it doesn’t have a chance to burn your hair.
Finish with an anti-frizz serum. Work a small amount of smoothing serum through your hair to eliminate flyaways and add shine.
Be sure to check out all the flat irons and hair smoothing products available on our website. We guarantee that all beauty lines offered are 100% authentic, never from a third-party, and are items that our beauty team uses on our own hair and skin. Plus, Pandora Beauty offers some of the best prices available on all your favorite salon-quality products at our online discount beauty supply store.
