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The thing about straight, smooth hair is that it not only uplifts your look, but it also just makes your day a whole lot better. Also, it’s just easier to maintain (those with super frizzy hair can relate. We see you). And while everyone is not born with naturally straight hair (god bless hair straighteners), we’ve listed 5 easy-to-do steps that you can follow for sleek, straight hair in the comfort of your home.
For a novice, straightening your hair at home can be intimidating. If you’re generally clumsy, then you run the risk of burning your hand. Or worse, your hair (eek!). From the right temperature to the right method, there’s a lot to understand and get used to. However, once you’ve figured out the right way to use a straightener, it’s all smooth sailing after.
First, you’ll need to get a good hair straightener that suits your hair type. Along with the best hair straightener, you’ll also need the right products for straightened hair. Straightening your hair too often can damage the health of your hair, so it’s important to use products that not only protect your hair from the heat but also nourish it. Keep reading to skim through the best hair stylers, top products, and tried-and-tested tips.
What Are Hair Straighteners?
Hair straighteners are tong-like appliances that use heat to flatten wavy, frizzy, or textured hair. This hair styling tool is clamped over strands of hair slightly away from the roots and glided towards the tips to use the surrounding heat to straighten the hair shaft. In order to prevent the hair from burning, the heated plates are made of ceramic or metal and covered with Teflon.
How Do Hair Straighteners Work?
Hair straighteners temporarily flatten your hair by breaking the hydrogen bonds in your hair strands. The tong-like hair styling tool consists of two heating pads that clamp and press down the hair to open it up. This type of hair straightening is not permanent because the hydrogen bonds rebuild adding texture and movement to your hair.
How To Choose The Right Hair Straightener For Your Hair?
Before you learn how to use hair straighteners you need to know which hair straightener will work the best for you and your precious hair. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Plate Material
You can choose ceramic-plated heating pads if you have fine, damaged, and coloured-hair hair, ceramic pads heat slowly, but they distribute equal thermal flow giving every strand the same heat. It also ensures your hair doesn’t break or overheat. If you have thick hair and need to heat your hair quickly use a titanium-plated heating pad.
Temperature Control
If you style your hair often, then look for a hair straightener that offers multiple temperature settings. If you have coloured or fine hair, you will need a lower temperature and if your hair is thicker and more textured around the roots then you will need a higher temperature.
Portability
If you travel a lot and need to have your hair styling tools handy, make sure your hair straightener is portable-friendly. Look for small heating plates that are narrow and small and the whole tool is detachable. Also, make sure the chords on these tools are long enough for hotel rooms and thin enough to make them carry-on-friendly.
Are Hair Straighteners Good For Your Hair?
If you’ve been wondering if a straightener is good for your hair, the answer is tricky because it’s a yes and no. Hair straighteners are great for styling your hair without having to visit the salon. It will give your hair a sleek, frizz-free, and detangled finish. And yes, you’ll end up saving time, effort, and a whole lot of money at your local beauty salon. However, regularly subjecting your hair to heat can damage your hair in the long run. Using a straightener daily is also not recommended. Make sure to use hair sprays, serums, and other heat-protecting products to shield your hair from all the heat.
What Are The Things To Keep In Mind While Using A Hair Straightener?
If you are learning how to use a hair straightener at home, there are a few things to keep in mind so you don’t cause breakage or damage to your hair.
Use a Heat Protectant
Use a hair mousse, lotion, spray, or serum before using the hair straightener. The heat causes the hydrogen bonds to break and thus cause moisture loss. A heat protectant will create a barrier around the hair strands so it doesn’t burn or break under thermal pressure.
Dry, Not Damp
Contrary to popular belief, you should not use a hair straightener on damp hair. The steam from wet hair can increase the temperature beyond control and cause your hair to burn. Make sure your hair is completely dry before but covered in a heat protectant.
Keep It Moving
Don’t wait on one part of your hair for a long time, keep the heating pads moving. When you put too much heat on one part it can make your hair look flatter than others creating a weird and unflattering appearance.
Invest In Good Quality Tools
Hair straighteners can make or break your hair, so investing in a good quality hair styling tool is paramount. Consider it an investment and thus a high-quality one will save you money in the long run.
How To Use Hair Straighteners At Home
Here is an easy step-by-step guide to straighten your hair:
Step 1: Cleanse Your Hair
Even the best straightener can’t do much if your hair is greasy. Hence, it’s important to wash your hair (and massage your scalp thoroughly) with a moisturising and nourishing shampoo that suits your hair type. If you have frizzy hair, get your hands on the best shampoos for frizzy hair on Nykaa. This will make the process of straightening easier.
Nykaa Recommends: The Nykaa Naturals Fermented Rice Water & Bamboo Paraben & Sulphate Free Shampoo promises to rejuvenate dry and damaged hair while the WOW Skin Science Onion Shampoo For Hair Growth And Hair Fall Control is a reliable product designed to treat hair fall.
Step 2: Dry Your Hair Well
Never use a hair straightener on wet hair. After you wash your hair, dry it with a soft, microfibre towel and follow it up with a hair dryer . Now, using a hair dryer can make your hair super parched, so you need to keep a healthy balance of towel drying and blow drying to avoid frizz. While using the hair dryer, always keep the nozzle pointed downwards.
Nykaa Recommends: Get your hands on the Ikonic Professional Blaze Hair Dryer Black as it’s known for its compact design, loved and highly recommended by industry experts.
Step 3: Comb And Detangle
Straightening your hair can be a nightmare if you don’t detangle your hair before you start the process. So, grab a hairbrush and patiently undo your knots. Start from the bottom of your hair and make your way to the roots. Be gentle as tugging or pulling your hair too hard can lead to breakage (which we don’t want).
Nykaa Recommends: For perfectly detangled hair, use the Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Finisher Hair Brush - Pink.
Step 4: Don’t Forget Your Heat Protection Spray
To minimise the damage and ensure healthy hair, you MUST use a heat protection spray or serum. If you choose to use a serum, take a few drops and apply along the lengths of your hair. Stay away from the roots because you don’t want your hair to turn greasy.
Nykaa Recommends: The BBLUNT Hot Shot Heat Protection Hair Mist with Grape Seed Oil, No Parabens is specifically formulated to cater to Indian hair. The Wella Professionals EIMI Thermal Image Heat Protection Spray is also a great option that you could consider.
Step 5: Divide And Conquer
Before going ahead with this step, double-check to make sure that your hair is bone dry. Do not use the straightener on damp hair. Divide your hair into sections and use your straightener one section at a time. This will ensure that you don’t miss any strands. Also, go slow with the temperature setting. Start at a low setting and increase the temperature depending on the intensity based on your hair type. Follow it up with a setting spray to lock in all your effort.
Nykaa Recommends: The Philips BHS738/00 Kerashine Titanium Wide Plate Straightener With Silkprotect Technology is a heavy-duty straightener for curly hair designed with wide plates.
Now that you know exactly how to make hair straightening at home a quick and easy experience, you can check out all the different types of hair straighteners in the market to get started!
Parting Thoughts
If you are learning how to use hair straighteners for the first time, make this guide your go-to for picture-perfect hair. Give your personal style a spin with the right hair tool and a step-by-step process to get salon-like hair at home. Make sure to keep in mind a few things such as which hair straightener to invest in, and how to take care of your hair before you head on to styling.
FAQs
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How do you use a straightener on wet and dry hair?
When you’re running late in the morning, the idea of straightening your wet hair can seem tempting but it’s best not to give in. Ideally, hair should only be straightened if it’s completely dry. Using a flat iron on wet hair can lead to damage like burnt hair, severe frizz, and breakage. In the long run, it can make your hair brittle and damaged. If your hair is already damaged and dull due to overuse of straighteners, try simple home remedies to restore its shine.
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What should I put on my hair before flat ironing?
You can use the following products on your hair:
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How to use hair straighteners at home?
Learning how to use a hair straightener? Follow these steps:
- Thoroughly wash your hair
- Completely dry it off
- Use a comb to detangle
- Make sure to use a heat protectant
- Divide and conquer
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What kind of hair straightener should I use?
If you have thin hair, use a hair straightener with ceramic heating pads that evenly distribute heat to avoid further damage. If you have thick hair, use a titanium-plated straightener with heat controls. If you have curly hair, use a tourmaline straightener with wide heating plates.
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What temperature should I use for my hair?
If you have thin hair, you can use up to 100°C, if you have slightly damaged but medium-thick hair you can go up to 160°C. The max you can push the temperature is up to 230°C, and that too only if you have really thick and curly hair that needs heavy-duty straightening.
