Hair Care Tips 02 – Straightening

Straightening your hair can seem very simple but to maintain quality hair there are some simple steps to take. First of all we are talking about mechanical straightening which is done with hot styling tools such as GHD’s. Chemical straightening is very different and should only be done after consulting a professional. We rarely recommend hair to be chemically straightened while coloured as it causes too much damage and can make the hair very dry and brittle.

The most important aspect of straightening your hair is the products you use. If you want straight hair on a continued basis then using a smoothing shampoo is vital. This helps the hair to be ready to be straightened. A smoothing shampoo also adds more moisture and can help with frizz.

With products being the most important aspect of straightening then a heat protector is the most important product. A heat protector can help prevent heat damage that can be caused by the straightener. Like it or not but putting 200 degrees plus on your hair is going to do damage. You need to do everything to limit it. A heat protector for our hair is like sunscreen to our skin. You can go out in the sun once maybe twice without seeing any sunburn or damage. But if you keep doing it you will get burnt. This is the same with your hair.

Also beware of wet to dry straighteners. They claim to be able to straighten your hair while wet but can leave your hair dry and damaged. They also leave moisture particles inside the hair shafts which eventually come to the surface and cause frizziness. You would not iron your clothes wet so why would you iron your hair wet. Blowdry the hair dry before straightening. For a better result use a straightening cream and brush when blowdrying.

Six simple steps for Stylish Straight Hair

1. Using a smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner
2. Apply a straightening blowdry cream
3. Blowdry your hair by gently pulling it straight with your hands or a brush
4. Apply your heat protector either all over or section by section
5. Use your GHD’s and glide them through the hair
6. Apply a very small amount of serum to help with frizz and add shine