Do it like a pro.
By Phillip Picardi, Teen Vogue
Sleek, shiny, straight hair can make a major impact. It's the kind of
style that somehow manages to look chic with everything from a great
dress to your lazy Sunday sneaks and joggers, and it works at every hair
length. Want to get the look? We talked to hairstylists to find out
exactly how to straighten hair like a pro. From prep work in the shower
to finishing touches, these rules of thumb give you the best way to
straighten hair without causing unnecessary damage (we are working with high heat, after all!).
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1. Prep for Straight Hair in the Shower
Let's
get one thing clear: no shampoo or conditioner will give you straight
hair. But hair care items labeled "smoothing" may be able to help
prepare the strands for the process by providing major moisture. Hair
that's dried out and brittle before you even start with the straightener
is the culprit behind frazzled hair that won't lie flat. "Take a paddle
brush to comb the conditioner through," suggests stylist Sarah Potempa (who's worked with Lea Michele),
"then rinse your hair gently. Once you're out of the shower, don't
towel dry like crazy! That will enhance the natural curl. Instead, pat
downwards gently." As an alternative to the traditional terrycloth
towel, which promotes frizz, try the super-soft DevaTowel, whose microfiber material helps to promote sleek strands.
2. Rough Dry Your Hair
"The blowdryer is what's really the most damaging to the hair," says Tim Rogers,
the creative director for Living Proof. "So that makes all the
difference when you're trying to get a sleek finish." If you do use a
dryer out of the shower, Sarah suggests rough drying (which is a
technical term for shaking the dryer back and forth over the head) until
it's 80% finished. "But it's important to keep the nozzle facing
downwards the entire time, otherwise the hair will frizz," she notes.
The next 20% is up to you: You can apply your product then let it air
dry, or, "Blow it out smooth for the best result," Tim says. "It gives
the hair more direction and shape."
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3. Use the Right Brush
As for your brush, Sarah insists on using her boar bristle and nylon mix:
"Nylon would cause static on its own, which is why plastic brushes are
difficult to use," she explains. "The boar bristle helps to smooth and
polish." (P.S.: You know those fancy Mason Pearson brushes? This is
basically the same thing, for almost $100 less.)
4. Wait Until Your Hair is Bone Dry
"If you see steam or you hear a sizzle, stop and evaluate the situation," says Harry Josh, the stylist behind the sleek hair of models like Karlie Kloss and Taylor Hill.
"Hair should be bone dry when you straighten." If you're certain that
the hair is dry, it could be that product build-up is the culprit. "You
need to be selective about what products you use before you flatiron,"
insists Sarah. "You should avoid applying anything to dry hair, which is
what makes straightening different than curling. Because the iron
clamps down on the hair, there's nowhere for the product to go. You're
essentially boiling the product into the follicle, which isn't a great
idea, especially when it contains alcohol."
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5. Use a Thermal Protectant
OK,
so you don't want the hair to sizzle. But how are you supposed to get
runway-ready strands without the help of a little something? "Living Proof's Straight Spray coats
the hair with a molecule we patented known as OFPMA," Tim says. "You
can use it on damp hair, which is great, and it protects up to 450
degrees and resists humidity, so it dramatically reduces the frizz
factor." Plus, it's made without oils and silicones, which could
ultimately weigh the hair down. If you have thicker or coarser hair, you
could still use an argan oil to help moisturize your hair and add more
shine.
6. Monitor Your Temperature
Always protect your
hair by avoiding too-hot temperatures. "The 450-degree setting was
designed specifically for in-salon, professional keratin treatments,"
Tim says. "It wasn't meant for consumers. But now, everyone can use it,
which makes the at-home process faster." Obviously, this comes at the
expense of your hair's health. "Coarse hair does need a higher heat,"
says T3 stylist Jeanna Pizzollo. "But fine hair and especially damaged
or color-treated hair should stay in the safe zone of 300 to 350
degrees." The brand's SinglePass Luxe Iron
won't let you go above 410 degrees, and its tourmaline and ceramic
plates heat evenly so that you don't have to run your hair through the
iron more than once.
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7. Take It One Section at a Time
"You
shouldn't be randomly grabbing fistfuls of hair," says Sarah. "The iron
won't be able to get to pieces that are too thick, and you don't want
to unnecessarily reapply heat." Instead, she suggests creating sections
so you can easily track your progress: Split the hair in the middle at
the back and then bring it forward. This will give you two sections to
work with, but if your hair is thick, you may consider clipping it into
four parts. Careful sectioning is one of the most key hair straightening
tips. "Sectioning will save you time," Jeanna adds. "The reason
everyone complains about straightening taking so long is that they're
working off random bits of hair!"
8. Always Hold Your Hair Taut
If you keep your hair sections pulled taut, they'll need less pass-throughs with the flat
iron(and less passes mean less damage, of course). Passing over hair with
the iron more than once won't kill the hair, but you shouldn't need to
do it as much if you're pulling your hair and creating tension. "Tension
is essential," Harry notes. "Create your tension, then pull the iron
downward starting from the root." Obviously, curly styles will find it
necessary to pull, straighten, and repeat a few times, but pulling the
hair taut while you straighten will help immensely.
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9. Add Finishing Products to Reduce Frizz and Add Shine
If
you have the kind of hair that may frizz or curl up, finishing products
are your friends, not your enemies. But we've already learned to avoid
silicones and oils, found in most shine agents, so what's left? "A light
hold hairspray is a good idea," Sarah says. "But it's best to wait for
the hair to cool down first. Think about spraying a hot pan — it'll
sizzle and steam. Your hair will do the same thing!" She suggests
spraying a boar-nylon brush with product, then combing it through for
even application. "It's the best way to make sure your hair gets hold
that isn't sticky or stiff," she notes. Try Leonor Greyl Spray Structure Naturelle. Thicker or coarse hair types could benefit from Living Proof Satin Hair Serum, a silicone-free formula that reduces frizz and adds shine.
10. Use a Flat Iron with Advanced Technology
If
you're flat iron is a dinosaur, you could be following all of the above
steps and still ending up with less-than-flawless hair. The truth is,
when it comes to straightening, the proof is in the product. Here, our
pros give you some compelling reasons to break the piggy bank for a good
flatiron:
[post_ads]"The automatic shut-off feature in T3 irons is crucial. It's a great
safety feature for the girl-on-the-go," Jeanna says.
"Look for the recovery time," Sarah says. "A lot of cheap flatirons take
up to 90 seconds to recover the temperature you set, so you're actually
losing heat as you go along. That also means heat won't be evenly
distributed between the two plates." Her model, along with Harry's and T3's, all have advanced technology that guarantees even, constant heat flow.
"Material
is important," Sarah adds. "Ceramic is softer on the hair, but that
makes it ideal only for fine-to-normal hair types. If you have curly
hair, look for gold or titanium." Harry's's iron actually blends ceramic
and titanium, while T3's is infused with tourmaline for added polish.
As
for size, it matters. "Never go above an inch-and-a-half," Harry
insists. "You won't be able to reach the root properly." Thicker irons
can be good for styling, but not straightening.
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11. Don't Forget That Your flat Iron Can Do Double Duty to Create Waves and Curls
Tim
reminds us that use a flat iron can add texture and polish to any hair
of any style or length. A flat iron, he says, can even work wonders when
styling short hair. On top of that, flat irons can function as a
curling iron and give you beachy waves or tousled curls. Kardashian
stylist and Ouia Haircare founder Jen Atkin loves using a flat iron to
creat "S" waves. Watch how she pulls off the look in this video tutorial.
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