How to straighten hair with a curling iron: is it possible, how to do it correctly

Not a single man is able to understand a woman’s worries about her appearance: having straight strands, they try to turn them into perky curls, while naturally curly locks are straightened with all their might. For the last few years, smooth and perfectly straightened shiny hair has not gone out of fashion. In this article we will take a closer look at how to straighten your hair using a straightening iron.

Before we talk about how to properly straighten your hair with an iron, you need to know all the secrets of choosing a quality straightener.

Perfect smoothness of long hair

Hair straightening procedure

Once the iron has been chosen, little remains to be done; you just need to learn how to straighten your hair with it correctly. Let's start from the very beginning.

Before straightening your hair with an iron, you must wash and dry it, after applying special protective products that minimize the damage that hair can receive due to exposure to high temperatures.
You need to start straightening your hair with an iron from the back of the head, dividing the hair into small strands, and the smaller they are, the more effective the procedure will be. For convenience, the remaining hair can be pinned or tied into a bun. You need to start moving the iron from the very roots to the ends; if the result after straightening a separate strand does not suit you, then you can run the iron over it again, but in no case stay in one place for a long time, as this is very harmful to the hair.
Gradually pull rows of strands out of the hairpin or bun and straighten them with an iron in the same way as on the back of your head.
Style your hair and secure with hairspray or other styling product.

Another rule that must be followed, and which is usually not followed, especially by those who often use an iron to straighten their hair, is the inadmissibility of using this tool on dirty hair, since in this case the dirty hair will simply be sealed in a layer of styling products and dirt.

There is another little trick on how to straighten your hair with an iron with minimal harm to it. If after the procedure you want to maintain volume and your hair is not very curly, but only frizzy, then you can straighten only those strands of hair that lie on top. In this case, the lower strands will add volume, and the upper strands will add smoothness and shine to the hairstyle.

How to quickly straighten your hair with an iron

When using this method of quickly straightening your hair with an iron, you must understand that the result will not be as high-quality and lasting as when correctly straightening your hair according to the above scheme. However, there are life situations when it is very urgent to get your hair in order and you have to use any methods of quickly straightening your hair with an iron or other methods. So, how to quickly straighten your hair with an iron?

1) In order for the hair to be manageable and not have a burning smell attached to it, the hair must be clean. If you don't have time to wash and dry your hair, use dry shampoo.

2) Take hair protection (protective hair serum), spray your hair and comb it. Such protection is necessary so that further actions do not damage the hair.

3) Turn on the iron to the highest temperature your hair can handle. Gather your hair into several large curls (thus creating several layers of hair) and tie them.

4) Straighten the bottom layer just once first . This layer will be under the others and will not be so noticeable. Unravel the next layer and straighten it.

By straightening smaller strands at a higher temperature, you will quickly achieve the appearance that the topmost layer of hair will be the straightest.

So outwardly it will appear that all the hair is straightened, but in fact only the very top layer of hair will be straightened best.

How to quickly straighten your hair with an iron

How to choose a hair straightener

Many “lucky” owners of wavy and curly hair have probably already tried straightening their hair, and those who have never done this before definitely dream of perfectly smooth flowing curls. Transformation, even external, immediately changes our lives. What is the correct way, and most importantly - without harm to the hair - to straighten your hair with such a device as a straightening iron? But the fact that such a procedure can still cause harm is probably clear to everyone, because the operating principle of the iron is based on high temperature, and regular thermal treatment has never brought benefits to hair.

Iron with metal plates
. These are the most popular irons among non-professionals. They are in great demand, but this has nothing to do with their quality. Quite the opposite - metal plates have a very negative effect on hair compared to other plate materials. So what is the reason for their numerous sales? The lowest prices, such an iron will cost a maximum of a thousand rubles. Therefore, if you come across several models in a store, you can immediately reject the option with metal plates. The seller may appeal with arguments such as “it gets very hot and it takes little time to straighten, it won’t have time to harm the hair,” but this is not so. The seller only needs to sell, but you need quality;
Iron with ceramic plates
. There are also a lot of models with ceramic plates, and the cost reaches three thousand rubles, depending on the brand and configuration. They are also produced by such well-known brands as Panasonic, Rowenta, Philips, Bosch. They produce a wide variety of flat irons with additional corrugated attachments for curls and wavy hair, with plates made from a combination of marble and ceramics, with an ionic surface and other improvements that significantly reduce the negative impact of temperature on hair, minimizing it. Ceramic surfaces are more gentle on hair. Moreover, in models with an ionizer, the plates are filled with charged particles, which practically “moisturize” the hair, making it possible to maintain an excellent appearance and prevent it from drying out;
Iron with tourmaline plates
. If there is a perfect iron, this is it. Manufacturers have found a way to straighten hair without damaging it - they have created a straightening iron whose plates are made of ceramic and coated with a unique material - tourmaline chips. Its action is based on the chemical properties of this material - when heated, the two sides of the smallest crystals are charged with opposite charges, which contributes to a positive effect on hair when straightening.

How to straighten your hair yourself at home?

The question may arise both for beginners and for girls who already have experience in using an iron. Let's understand all the main stages of the hair straightening process.

The main task when straightening is to achieve the best result with the least harm to hair health. To preserve it, you need to follow certain measures and rules that will save your curls from the negative effects of temperatures.

The very first and most important step is choosing an iron. If it is really important to you to keep your hair healthy, choose only a device with either a glossy ceramic coating, which makes the strands much easier to slide, or with tourmaline coating.

Attention! Don't skimp on the device. Buy a flat iron that has a temperature regulator.

The following information will help you choose the right temperature for your hair:

150-200°C are used for normal hair;
90-140°C for dry hair with fine texture;
220 °C medium temperature for straightening coarse hair with curly texture;
100°C is for colored or permed hair.

With this information, you can make the right choice yourself.

All the details of the straightening procedure

Straighten only dry hair; with wet or damp hair, a very unpleasant incident can happen - in addition to the fact that it will hiss threateningly, while heating up, wet hair can severely burn the scalp, so be careful. So you can be left without hair at all!
Where to start straightening? Pin your hair up from the back, and, separating small strands, straighten your hair, starting from the base of your neck, and then move up. Try to separate small strands from the total mass of hair; the thinner they are, the better they will straighten.
You should not hold the iron in one place for more than two seconds; straightening movements should be smooth, and ideally the strand is straightened in one straightening “pass” of the iron.
After straightening, fix the result with varnish or modeling wax.
Straightened hair over the entire surface of the head significantly reduces the overall volume of the hairstyle, which is why, if you do not want to have “fluffy” hair, you should straighten it. But if you want to maintain the volume of your hair, then you can straighten only those strands that are on top.
If possible, use the iron once every three to four days; this rule primarily applies to owners of irons with ceramic plates.
Regularly carefully examine the condition of your hair (the best indicator is the ends). If you notice split ends or dull ends, you need to visit a hairdresser and get your hair in order.

Hair straightening steps

So, at the beginning, we note that you need to straighten clean hair treated with a special heat-protective agent, which can be presented in the form of a serum, spray, balm, etc. Therefore, before you begin, you need to wash your hair and apply the product to damp hair according to the instructions. Most thermal hair protection products can be bought in a specialized store, where the seller knows everything about the product and can suggest and advise anything specifically. As an example, we can present products from well-known brands of excellent quality - smoothing thermal protection Iron Smoother from the company Matrix, strong hold spray from the Wella Flat brand - Iron Spray with provitamin B5 and with protective filters, thermal styling with UV filters Lanza Thermal Defense Heat Styler, serum from the Osis brand Flatliner - Flattening Iron Serum by Schwarzkopf Professional and Lisse hair Smoothing Balm by Revlon Professional.
The following is not so much advice as a strong recommendation - straighten only dried hair! Wet and damp hair is more susceptible to high temperatures; moreover, the steam that will be released during ironing can severely burn the scalp. Therefore, it is better to wait a little and dry your hair thoroughly, and then start styling.
When starting to straighten, start moving from the bottom up, that is, pin up the hair from the back at the top and, separating small strands from the bottom, begin straightening. Try to take small strands - this way they will straighten better. Do not hold the iron in one place for more than two seconds, this is quite enough, ideally you should straighten it slowly and smoothly, running the iron over the strand, and once should be enough. After all the hair has been straightened, fix the hairstyle with hairspray or wax.
A little trick - if you want to maintain the volume of your hair, then straighten only the top strands, because straightening visually reduces the external volume of the hair. Avoid using a straightener more than twice a week and monitor your hair for dryness and split ends. And remember, a change in appearance brings changes in life.

How to straighten your hair with an iron?

As noted above, now there is plenty to choose from, the only question is what exactly you need to choose and not get confused among such a variety of different models that differ from each other, both in price and in functional features.

In straightening, as in any other procedure, there are some rules that must be followed whenever possible. These recommendations will help you straighten your hair efficiently, consolidate the results longer, and most importantly, leave your hair beautiful and healthy.

How to straighten your hair?

You should always straighten from the roots and move towards the ends.

You need to move the iron from the roots to the ends smoothly, without lifting your hand, as they say. But this does not mean that you need to hold the iron in one place. You need to pull the strand as tightly as possible with the iron and start straightening it. Never keep the iron in one place, because this may not lead to the best results - there is a possibility of simply burning a strand or leaving your hair dry and brittle forever.

If, after the first time of straightening, you are not entirely satisfied with the result, then, therefore, you need to do a similar procedure again. It is better to do this several times than to simply keep the iron in the same place for a long time.

How to straighten hair video

This video will help those with long, not very curly hair. We dry slightly damp hair with a hairdryer, while combing it, and thus straighten it a little. By the way, we apply a special spray to the hair roots to add volume. When the hair is dried, it is almost straight, but we can’t stop at just straight hair, we need smooth and silky curls. So we apply a heat protection spray - an essential part when using a straightening iron, otherwise your hair will be subject to severe damage - and take out the straightening iron. We make a parting, remove the top layer of hair with a crab or other hairpin, straighten the bottom layer with an iron, then gradually release it along the layer, straightening it accordingly. When all the hair is straightened, we make a small backcomb at the roots on both sides and comb again. Your hairstyle is simply gorgeous!

How to choose a heat protectant

Thermal protectant is designed to protect hair when exposed to high temperatures; it provides protection from hair dryers and straightening irons. The stores have a large selection of sprays, serums, creams, conditioners and other products of varying consistency for this task.

When choosing thermal protection, you should take into account the degree of damage to the curls

For all types - mousse and foam are suitable.
For thin hair, a spray is recommended, which can also be applied to wet curls.
For severely damaged, thick and weak hair, it is better to use cream or lotion.

Before using the iron, it is necessary to apply thermal protection only to dry curls, since application to wet curls can harm them . Before purchasing, make sure that the product is o.

Straightening hair with an iron: step-by-step instructions

You can quickly straighten your hair with an iron both at home and in the salon:

The beginning of styling is directly related to preparing the hair for straightening and applying a protective agent.
After applying the protective agent, start working with the device from the back of the head, separating a small strand. Secure the remaining ones with a clamp.
Run the straightener from roots to ends several times until the curl is straight.
Separate the second part from the total mass of hair. Do all the same manipulations without stopping at any section.
Straighten all your curls in a similar manner.
Next, arrange the hairstyle on your face at your discretion, straighten everything up or along the parting, etc.

There is no need to use a straightening iron after keratin straightening . But it all depends on the degree of curliness of the hair. Even after the procedure, elastic curls will still have to be restored to smoothness using an electrical device.

Recommendations for using forceps

Worried about how to perfectly straighten your hair with an iron?

There are simple instructions for this:

Remember as a rule - you can use straightening irons only on clean and dry strands. Therefore, you should first wash your hair with shampoo and dry it with a hairdryer.

Save time with a hair dryer

To protect your curls from damage, always use special heat protectants. They usually come in the form of sprays, emulsions or balms. Their action is based on preserving moisture inside the hair, due to which it remains shiny and elastic. However, use heat protectant sparingly so you don't end up with a really greasy and dirty scalp.

When purchasing heat-protective cosmetics, give preference to products containing useful ingredients such as silk proteins, keratin, and wheat protein. Look in stores for protective fluid - shine, it will give your curls a diamond shine.

Be careful with cosmetics containing silicone. It weighs down the strands and impedes metabolism in the scalp.

Good heat protection spray from Estelle

The main secret of how to beautifully straighten your hair with an iron lies in the consistent layer-by-layer processing of the strands. For convenience, separate the curls with hairpins or small crabs and start straightening them from the back of the head.

Correct layer-by-layer straightening

Straightening your curls with your own hands

The tongs should grip the strand tightly. Move the iron slowly along the entire length, from roots to ends.

Advice! To create root volume in your hair, pull the strand with an iron perpendicular to your head. You can also treat only the upper strands with curling irons, and the untouched lower hair will slightly lift the hairstyle, creating the desired volume.

Try not to linger too long on any section of your hair to prevent damage.
To consolidate the result, you can spray your hair with fixing varnish.
Experts always recommend cutting them off in a timely manner to prevent split ends.

If you don’t have enough free time and every minute counts, it’s important to find a solution on how to quickly straighten your hair with an iron. In this case, we can recommend purchasing curling irons with a wide working surface of the plates, thanks to which a larger amount of hair can be processed with such a device in one movement. Styling will take you half as much time!

Photo: before and after heat treatment of hair

Note! Regardless of the quality of the curling iron, it is not recommended to pull hair with it more than 2 times a week. Otherwise, over time they will become dull, brittle and lifeless.

How to care for your hair after straightening

No matter how often you use a hair straightener, careful and conscientious care is required. High temperatures evaporate water from the hair, so a set of cosmetic procedures is needed to nourish and restore damaged strands.

Care should begin with shampoo and conditioner and end with regular use of nourishing and moisturizing masks. It is better when all the products are from the same company, then they complement each other and provide the best effect.

An excellent result in restoring the health of curls is obtained by using homemade masks prepared with your own hands from available ingredients. For example, a nourishing mask made from coconut oil is very useful, which must be applied to the head and left on for two hours. Make masks twice a week, and within a month you will notice a positive effect.

Coconut oil for healthy hair

You can laminate your hair yourself using regular food gelatin.

To do this you need:

1 tbsp. Fill the gelatin with warm water and let it swell.
After 30 minutes, heat the water with gelatin until it is completely dissolved.
Pour a little hair balm into the resulting solution and apply the mixture to your curls.
Wrap your head in cellophane or cling film and cover it with a terry towel on top.
Rinse your hair after three hours.

After 3-4 such procedures, the strands will noticeably strengthen and become thicker.

Precautionary measures

A hair straightener is primarily an electrical device that can cause thermal burns; for the safety of your curls, follow these rules:

Do not check the heating temperature with your fingers or hand;
When styling, retreat 2-3 mm from the roots to avoid scalp burns. The sensations are painful and unpleasant, causing the hair follicles to suffer;
Do not leave the straightener to heat up on flammable surfaces;
Do not use the electrical appliance near water: in the bathroom or near an aquarium;
Do not leave the device switched on unattended.

How to straighten your hair with an iron

The styling product you choose depends on how much curl your hair has. During the straightening process, each strand will be subjected to prolonged exposure to temperature, so you will need a strong product like a serum, mask or mousse. If your hair is slightly curly, it is better to choose a spray.

Wash your hair with warm water and apply shampoo. Massage the mixture into your scalp and then rinse. Then apply the product again and distribute it over the entire length, not in circular movements, but in the direction from roots to ends.
After shampoo, a balm is always used. Distribute it evenly along the entire length, without treating the root area. Keep the mixture on your hair for about 10 minutes, then rinse.
If you decide to use a mask, apply it from the middle to the ends. Carefully treat split hairs and wait 15 minutes. After washing your hair, wrap it in a towel and wait 20 minutes until the moisture is absorbed. Do not pull your hair, such movements contribute to its splitting.
Be sure to apply styling products with heat protection, and then proceed to blow-dry. Dry off any moisture thoroughly, otherwise you risk damaging your curls during the straightening process.
Take a flat comb, divide the hair into 4 equal parts, moving from temple to temple and from the middle of the forehead to the neck. Pin the top two sections with barber clips at the top of the head. Comb the lower curls well, starting from the ends and gradually moving up.
Take a section from the back of your neck and run the iron over it. Do not pinch the curling iron too hard, otherwise the hair will not be straightened equally. Walk 3-5 times until fully straightened. If your curls are very frizzy, take breaks to let them cool down.
Next, move in a horizontal direction, first one ear, then the other, repeating the previous manipulations. Once you're done with the bottom row, pin it up with flat clips, separating it from the top curls. You need to create a kind of wall between straightened and unstraightened hair.
Unravel one upper part, separate a curl at the back of the head with a comb and go over it several times with an iron. Try not to snag already straightened hair. For convenience, you can put a strand on a comb and from there pick it up with tongs. After one part has been straightened, unravel the second and do the same.
Now you need to go through the hair growing along the forehead and temples, grabbing strands from the top and bottom at the same time. In this way, styling will look harmonious, emphasizing the cheekbones, jaw, and chin.
After the procedure, spray your hair with hairspray at a distance of 20 cm, or use wax, first rubbing it between your palms.

How to straighten your hair with a hairdryer

A more gentle way to straighten hair is to use a hair dryer. To straighten you will need a hair dryer, a round comb and a heat protectant.

Before straightening your hair, comb it to detangle curls. You can also wet them slightly for more effective results.
Divide slightly damp hair into small strands and, starting from the roots, pull them out along the entire length with a round brush.
Direct the hot air downwards to prevent frizz.
Repeat with the remaining strands.

General recommendations on how to straighten your hair

If you have soft hair that is easy to style, set the temperature to no more than 150 degrees. For those with thick and thick hair, the 190 degree setting is suitable. Read also: Cascade haircut for short, medium hair with photos.

Do not try to straighten split ends that stick out in different directions. By focusing on them, you will ruin your hair even more. Visit your hairdresser once a month to have damaged hair trimmed.
Daily straightening puts your hair under a lot of stress; in this case, neither masks, nor serums, nor professional treatments in the salon can save it. The only option would be scissors. Carry out the procedure a maximum of 3 times a week.
During the straightening process, do not clamp the plates tightly; movements should be smooth, measured, without a long delay at one point.
Ladies who use tourmaline, ceramic or metal plates should carefully monitor them. Styling products stick to the surface, causing them to burn and damage your hair. In such cases, it is better not to use mousse, serum, spray and other water-indelible cosmetics.
Straighten only clean hair; dirt and dust also stick to the surface, rendering the hair and the device unusable.
Don't listen to those who say that straightening irons are better at straightening wet hair. This is the biggest mistake you can make. The device heats water, which conducts heat well, causing hair to deteriorate 3 times more.
After a successful straightening procedure, avoid moisture. In the shower, use a silicone or plastic cap; when it rains, cover your head with a scarf or hood, even while under an umbrella.
Never adjust a procedure a second time. Due to the use of varnish or wax, the curls will stick together and form a stake.
If you have severely damaged hair, avoid straightening it. Otherwise, use shampoo, conditioner, mask and thermal protection spray; the products must be from the same series.
When choosing curling irons, give preference to Teflon and titanium plates; they heat up evenly, as a result of which they straighten the strands over the entire surface.

How to straighten your hair without a hair dryer and straightener

There are several tricks with which any girl can achieve straight hair without burning it with a hairdryer or straightener. Of course, most of them will be most effective for those with finer, slightly curly locks.

Those with naturally very curly hair will find it difficult to achieve perfectly straight hair, but you can combine several methods to achieve the desired result.

1. Dry your hair with a cold hairdryer

Using hot air from a hair dryer is known to damage the hair shaft, while cool air has the least impact.

If you already know how to achieve straight, smooth hair with hot air drying, try switching to cold air.

Air dry your hair until semi-dry and separate sections as usual. Use cool air while drying, but do not hold the dryer in place, constantly moving it from the roots to the ends of the hair.
Hold the hair dryer approximately 15cm away from your hair.

This method won't take much longer than usual, but you can use a straightening serum or leave-in hair conditioner for greater effectiveness.

2. Wrap your hair around your head

Hair wraps are one of the popular ways to straighten hair without using heat styling.

This method is quite simple and suitable for different hair types and lengths.

You will need:

Invisible
Scarf or head scarf

Comb slightly damp hair with a wide-tooth comb and part it in the center.
Comb the left side of your hair to the right and wrap the hair around your head, pinning it with bobby pins.
Comb the hair on the right side to the left and wrap it around the opposite side of your head.
Let your hair dry. Secure everything with a silk scarf or head turban if you are doing the wrap at night.

3. Curl your hair with large rollers

Oddly enough, but curlers can be used not only for curling, but also for straightening hair. Curlers with a diameter of 4.5 cm or larger are suitable for this purpose.

With their help, your hair will be straight and voluminous, and will gain a healthy shine without the use of hot tools.

Divide slightly damp hair into sections the size of the width of the curlers and wrap the strands around the curlers, pulling them slightly.
You can secure them with bobby pins or clips on each side
Once dry, remove the curlers and comb your hair

4. Use hair straightening products

Now you can find a variety of products, starting with shampoos, leave-in conditioners, and hair sprays to make your curls perfectly smooth. Try using products designed for straight hair or to make styling easier.

All straightening products can be divided into several types:

Serums and creams

, as a rule, used after washing hair. Smoothing keratin serums coat hair strands, adding light weight and straightening curls. After application, hair can be dried with or without a hairdryer.

Sprays

Apply to both washed and dry hair. Many smoothing sprays also have the additional effect of thermal protection, protecting against hot hair dryers and irons.

Oil

for straightening hair, they not only straighten the hair, but also restore its structure, nourish and give it shine.