I was born with stick-straight hair so it doesn't take much more than a blow dryer and a brush to tame my mane. But my friend Laura was born with amazing curly hair and to get her hair straight involves such tedious drying, brushing and flat-iron that she's developed amazing biceps that she claimed she got from simply straightening her hair.
See photos of long, straight hair
So how to get your hair straight and sleek? Here are some tips:
- Wash hair first. You'll get better results if you don't start with already dried hair.
- Towel-dry hair so it's barely damp. This cuts down on drying time.
- If you have wavy hair, spritz a straightening product on hair (I like Bumble and Bumble's straightening spray) or a smoothing cream. Glamour magazine recommends Pantene Pro-V, which you can find at any drugstore.
- Dry hair with a paddle brush pointing the nozzle downward. You want to avoid adding body to hair, so don't "fluff" as you dry. You're aiming for stick straight hair. You want it to hang like a curtain.
- Follow with a flat iron. Start at the hair closest to the nape of the neck, ironing in small sections.
- Finish by running a shine serum through hair. Skip this step if you have oily hair.
Photo of Rachel Bilson by Jemal Countess/Getty
Comments
What could be worse for the health of your hair than a flatiron! Leave them out!
okay i straighten my hair not everyday but like every other and it never turns out straight straight its always frizzy and i do think my hair is fried….i have really thick, pretty long, wavy hair and it just gets on my nerves trying to get straight straight hair like the girls at school
Molly, if you curls and are prone to frizz, I can help you. The secret to keeping frizz at bay involves a few products: a leave-in conditioner, a deep conditioner and a styling product involving silicone. If you have curly hair, these should be staples in your bathroom cabinet. All either keep the hair moisturized or protect the cuticle from moisture. Here are a couple articles for you to consider: http://beauty.about.com/od/hairbasics/qt/curlyhairtips.htm and http://beauty.about.com/od/curlyhair/a/curlyhairstyle.htm. This is a great list for keeping frizz at bay: http://beauty.about.com/od/frizzyhairhelp/tp/frizzy_hair_fixes.htm.
Cheers,
Julyne
I blow-dry and straighten my hair almost every morning before I go to school… it starts out pretty straight but throughout the day the ends of my hair start to flip inwards or outwards, and it makes my hair look terrible. I noticed that if I spray hairspray on my hair BEFORE i straighten it, this doesnt happen, but I have a strong feeling it is super bad for my hair to do that.. Is there any other way to keep the ends from flipping? Thanks,Courtney
Hi Courtney,
It is not bad for you to spray hairspray before you straighten it. I would recommend using a styling spray if you worry about using hairspray and take a break from the heat irons on the weekends or on some occasions.
I also recommend hydrating your ends every time you shower with a conditioner. You can deep condition once a week to help protect your hair from the heating elements you use.
Cheers,
Julyne
Hi – I have frizzy hair and have tried everything – and I can recommend Brazillan Blow Dry – as the best remedy. It is costly – but it puts all the health back into your hair and leaves is slick and smooth – with amazing shine. Once you have tried the Brazilian Blow Dry – nothing ever compares x x Absolutely fabulous – no effort blow drying – can leave without drying at all.
Check out salons for special offers – sometimes they have half price offers x
That’s perfect.
I think it works, I’ve tried it many times.
When you get older, you learn that it’s just better to work with what you have been given. Straighten your hair occasionally, but if it’s curly, let it be and enjoy the compliments curls bring.
I have split ends,wavy,curly,,and short hair I straighten almost every other day for school and when im done it ends up being poofy and frizzy it never gets straight unless my parents and I go to a barber shop and get my hair done
WHAT DO I DO
i wish i had straight hair!!
I have thick wavy, hair. I bought a 100$ straightener but it doesn’t get it as straight as I’d like it to be. What can I do to make it super flat?