The goal is perfect smoothness: how to straighten hair with an iron

Any hairstyle can seem more put together and sophisticated with sleek, straight hair. A hair straightening iron is your go-to tool if you want perfectly smooth locks. However, getting that salon-quality finish requires more than just slamming your hair and crossing your fingers.

Gaining proficiency in certain techniques can be the difference between having frizz-prone hair and silky, smooth locks. Whether you’ve never used a flat iron before or want to brush up on your technique, this tutorial will show you how to achieve flawlessly straight hair at home.

There are a few essential steps that can help protect your hair while giving it the perfect, straightened look you desire, from prepping your hair to selecting the ideal heat setting. Let’s get into the specifics so you can flawlessly style your hair with assurance.

Preparing hair for straightening with an iron

The instructions that come with most heating styling appliances from the manufacturer go over how to operate the straightener, including how to turn it on, heat it up, and turn it off. Since a lot depends on the first step, it is ideal if the guidelines specify how strands should be prepared for styling. Specifically, pre-styling care will minimize the likelihood of thermal styling causing damage to hair. Additionally significant are the features of the thermal device itself, such as the plate coating, operating technology, and setting accuracy.

All you need to do to properly straighten your hair with an iron without damaging it is to adhere to these four easy rules.

Principle No. 1. Strands must be dry

For novices who are picking up a styler for the first time, the most common question is: should hair be wet or dry when using an iron at home? Here, there are two options: either totally dry or at least 80–95% dried with a hairdryer. Why is that the case?

Hair that is damp or wet is more susceptible to heat. A hot iron causes moisture to boil, which can cause the hair shaft to be destroyed.

Elena Komissarova

Moisture rapidly evaporates when heated, causing dehydration, holes to form in the hair shaft, and, in the worst scenario, the disintegration of protein fibers. It looks porous due to frequent, careless straightening (and, incidentally, curling with a curling iron too), which eventually causes brittleness along the length and cross-section of the ends.

Principle No. 2. Thermal protection is required

When instructing their audience on how to use a hair iron, any stylist or beauty blogger will undoubtedly bring up the topic of thermal protection. Numerous conditions must be met, beginning with the level of protection (ideally up to 200–230 °C) and concluding with some superpowers like anti-frizz and curl formation prevention. The knowledgeable staff at SalonSecret suggests selecting a heat protectant according to the properties of your hair. Which goods would be best for you?

• If there"s not enough shine — oil Mythic Oil from L’Oréal Professionnel.

• If your hair is curly, porous, prone to electrification and/or unruly — coconut fluid All-in-One from Biolage.

• If your hair is long and prone to split ends — thickening cream Pro Longer from L’Oréal Professionnel.

• If you need a quick transformative effect — spray Miracle Creator from Matrix.

• If your hair is very sensitive and damaged — serum SteamPod from L’Oréal Professionnel (with a steam styler!).

• If your hair is dyed — spray Vitamino Color 10 in 1 from L’Oréal Professionnel.

• If your hairstyle quickly loses its shape and your hair is prone to breakage — cream Blow Dry from L’Oréal Professionnel.

It is wise to always abide by the advice given by the heat protection’s manufacturer. Products for care or styling that have heat protection typically come with instructions on how much and how to apply them to damp or dry hair. Allow the product to absorb for a few minutes before using the straightener.

Principle #3. Hair should be untangled

This guideline applies to all styling techniques; otherwise, the hairdo will be sloppy without even trying to be stylish. Before straightening, you can use heat protection, use a hairdryer to dry your hair, and only then detangle it. From a stylist’s perspective, this approach may be the most effective because it lessens the strain on damp strands, which are more vulnerable to damage when being combed.

However, there are instances when combing is required prior to the drying phase. Every curl owner knows that if you at least use your hands to untangle the curls before they have a chance to dry completely, her curls will look good. How about in the restroom? Use a lot of smoothing conditioner after shampooing, and use a comb with wide spaces between the teeth to comb through the hair. In the end, using a styler to straighten your hair will be simpler. There is a chance that one of these conditioning products will work.

• Fast-acting: lamellar water High Amplify by Matrix takes only 8 seconds to detangle strands and add shine.

• Vegan: conditioner SmoothProof by Biolage with camellia extract does not contain animal-derived ingredients.

• Shining: rinse-off care Blondifier Gloss by L’Oréal Professionnel with acai berry polyphenols leaves hair with a shiny finish thanks to its detangling and smoothing formula.

Principle No. 4. A gentle straightener as an additional option

It is evident that our shopping budget plays a significant role in our decision to purchase a straightener. The advancements in engineering theory that benefit us girls alone are worth thinking about when you have the chance to carefully sort through a dozen models.

• Plates. Stylers with ceramic, tourmaline and Teflon coatings are more gentle with hair – due to the even distribution of heat.

• Steam technology. Testing a steam styler using the example of SteamPod 3.0 showed that in steam mode, hair gets 91% less damage in 15 stylings.

• Fine adjustment. The ability to adjust the heat to the degree is a significant plus, we"ll come back to this later.

With a straightening iron, achieving flawlessly smooth hair requires using the correct products and techniques to shield your hair strands from heat damage. This entails using the iron at the proper temperature for your hair type, starting with clean, dry hair, and applying a heat protectant. You can achieve a long-lasting, polished look by using the right technique, which includes working in small sections and distributing the iron evenly throughout your hair.

How to use a hair straightener correctly

Now for the main "dish"! How should a hair straightener be used, and at what temperature, to achieve a gorgeously straight hairstyle? We offer a detailed how-to from our professionals.

• Distribute heat protection over the entire length of hair dried with a hairdryer. It is acceptable to use heat protection before drying with a hairdryer, if this does not contradict the instructions from the manufacturer of your care product.

• Turn on the styler and adjust it. Optimum temperature for straightening hair with an iron: up to 110 °C – for damaged and thin hair; 180–200 °C – for normal hair; over 200 °C — for resistant thick hair.

• It is better to start from the lower part of the back of the head or the temple area. Pin the bulk of the strands upwards, take one strand, run a comb through it and clamp it with the styler plates with an indentation of 2 cm from the scalp.

• With a smooth movement, move the straightening iron to the ends of the hair, then release the plates, continuing the downward movement. You have only one attempt, maximum two. Stylists do not recommend holding the iron on one area for several seconds or straightening the same strand several times.

• Their formula, also based on stemoxydine, noticeably adds density and activates growth. The clips will help to separate those that are not straightened yet.

• Similarly and slowly, treat all hair, trying not to miss any strands. Turn off the iron Now you can spray your hair with a spray of flexible hold with protection against frizz.

The hair will become perfectly straight, smooth, and shiny for the duration of the day if everything went according to plan.

For the most patient, here’s another video tutorial on straightening hair with a straightening iron to achieve gorgeous, salon-quality styling through brushing. A small detail: if you take strands that are wider than when you straighten them, you should pull each one up at an almost 90° angle. If not, there won’t be any volume. If the bangs aren’t wanting to lay lushly, use a styler to smooth the ends after curling them with a round brush.

Using an iron to straighten your hair is an easy yet efficient way to get sleek, silky locks. You can achieve the best results without causing damage to your hair by using heat protection, following the proper techniques, and adjusting the temperature based on your hair type.

Recall that it’s critical to stay away from too much heat and to regularly use conditioners or serums to hydrate your hair. Even if you use styling tools frequently, regular care and attention will keep your hair looking healthy and shiny.

Gaining that polished appearance whenever you need it can be as simple and quick as learning how to style your hair perfectly straight.

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