How to Straighten and Maintain Damaged Hair
Get the right tools., Shampoo twice to really get your hair clean., Condition your hair several times to get it really soft., While your hair is still dripping wet, apply some Infusium 23 leave-in conditioner., Use a very, very small amount of serum...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Get the right tools.
High quality flat irons are crucial.
Unfortunately, this is the one thing where pricier tends to be better.
That doesn't necessarily mean that you need to spend $700 on a designer flat iron.
Whatever you do decide to buy, make sure that it has thin ceramic plates.
One inch gives you much better control and straightens better than larger 1-1/2 or 2 inch plated ones.
You'll also need a wide-tooth plastic comb
- you can get one anywhere for about $2
- a round brush with both natural and nylon bristles, and a thin plastic comb with a long pointed handle for parting your hair.
Buy large metal hair clips
- the kind for styling.
Look to a beauty supply store for these if the drugstore doesn't have any good ones.
Thin hair ties are also very helpful.
Try to get the kind without any metal in them, as those snag easily.
Use a good moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.
Infusium 23 is great.
Matrix and Biolage are also excellent, but a little more expensive.
Even if you are loyal to your favorite brand, Infusium 23's leave-in conditioner is an absolute essential for anyone who straightens their hair.
It has a texture like water and leaves no residue if used properly. -
Step 2: Shampoo twice to really get your hair clean.
Never scrub, but gently massage your scalp.
Pay special attention to your hairline
- particularly around and behind your ears
- because this is where your hair gets especially dirty.
When you're satisfied, comb the shampoo through with your fingers to distribute it to the ends, but keep in mind that there's no need to vigorously wash the bottom half of the hair, especially if it's damaged.
Be sure to rinse it all out, and be thorough but always gentle.
Any trace of shampoo left in your hair will only contribute to dryness.
Rinse for a full four minutes. , Don't use too much, just enough to coat it evenly.
Please, please, please do not condition the roots of your hair.
The bottom half is all you need to do unless you're into major greasiness.
The first time, condition normally, comb it through with your fingers and rinse it out.
The second time use a (store-bought) deep conditioner mixed with your regular conditioner and leave it in for a while
- tie your hair up to keep it out of your face and get your shaving/body scrubbing/whatever out of the way, and rinse it out.
The last time you condition rinse it out with cool water (or as cold as you can tolerate).
This will really help seal in the moisture and add shine.
Rinse as thoroughly as you can! Accumulated conditioner makes your hair feel dull, heavy and greasy, guaranteed. , Use only on the bottom half of your hair.
Less is definitely more here.
Use too much, and your hair will feel like there's a light spray in it.
For the best results, put some in a spray bottle.
A couple spritzes on each section is all you need.
If not, pour a very little bit onto your hand and smooth it through your ends.
Comb it through with a wide tooth comb. , Make sure that it's oil free and not too heavy, and again, keep it well away from your roots.
Squeeze it through between the palms of your hands. , The part will stay in place best if you make it while the hair is wet. , You can experiment with the time to see what works best for you. , Tie most of your hair up into a ponytail right on top of your head, leaving just the bottom layer hanging down.
Use the clips to get stray chunks of hair out of the way.
Blow out the bottom layer of hair, really pulling it taut and away from the head.
It doesn't need to be pin straight just yet, so don't stress out too much here.
The idea is to make the flat ironing easy. , Go section-by-section as thoroughly as you can.
Don't do huge pieces at a time.
Pull it taut, and go firmly but gently.
Going through your hair super fast will snag it and lead to split ends, but going through it too slowly will burn it.
The great thing about small flat irons is that they're very versatile
- you can go pin straight, flip the ends, or just give your hair some body where you need it.
Even if you want to make your hair as straight as possible, using strokes with a slight inward curve looks the most natural.
With enough practice, you'll find your own technique. , Keep in mind that the smaller the layer the more thoroughly you can straighten it and the better the results will be.
Pay special attention to your bangs and the back of the head. , Comb all your hair forward and clip it up section-by-section with bobby pins.
Make sure not to bend it in any way that goes against the style that you've so toiled for.
You want to clip it to the side of your head in a circular pattern so that it looks kind of like a beehive.
Pile it up, not to the side.
When it's all up, secure it with a silk scarf to keep everything in, and you can sleep on it with no worries. , -
Step 3: Condition your hair several times to get it really soft.
-
Step 4: While your hair is still dripping wet
-
Step 5: apply some Infusium 23 leave-in conditioner.
-
Step 6: Use a very
-
Step 7: very small amount of serum or cream just on the ends of your hair.
-
Step 8: Comb the front of your hair forward
-
Step 9: and use the end of the thin comb to part it.
-
Step 10: Wrap your hair turban-style in a towel
-
Step 11: and just let it 'soak' for about 25 minutes.
-
Step 12: Plug in your flat iron to let it heat up for a while.
-
Step 13: When the bottom layer is completely dry
-
Step 14: flat iron the hair.
-
Step 15: When you've gotten the bottom layer perfected
-
Step 16: ease out another layer and repeat steps 8 and 9 until you're all done.
-
Step 17: To preserve your hairstyle and keep the retouching-time minimal in the morning
-
Step 18: wrap your hair before you go to sleep.
-
Step 19: Finished.
Detailed Guide
High quality flat irons are crucial.
Unfortunately, this is the one thing where pricier tends to be better.
That doesn't necessarily mean that you need to spend $700 on a designer flat iron.
Whatever you do decide to buy, make sure that it has thin ceramic plates.
One inch gives you much better control and straightens better than larger 1-1/2 or 2 inch plated ones.
You'll also need a wide-tooth plastic comb
- you can get one anywhere for about $2
- a round brush with both natural and nylon bristles, and a thin plastic comb with a long pointed handle for parting your hair.
Buy large metal hair clips
- the kind for styling.
Look to a beauty supply store for these if the drugstore doesn't have any good ones.
Thin hair ties are also very helpful.
Try to get the kind without any metal in them, as those snag easily.
Use a good moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.
Infusium 23 is great.
Matrix and Biolage are also excellent, but a little more expensive.
Even if you are loyal to your favorite brand, Infusium 23's leave-in conditioner is an absolute essential for anyone who straightens their hair.
It has a texture like water and leaves no residue if used properly.
Never scrub, but gently massage your scalp.
Pay special attention to your hairline
- particularly around and behind your ears
- because this is where your hair gets especially dirty.
When you're satisfied, comb the shampoo through with your fingers to distribute it to the ends, but keep in mind that there's no need to vigorously wash the bottom half of the hair, especially if it's damaged.
Be sure to rinse it all out, and be thorough but always gentle.
Any trace of shampoo left in your hair will only contribute to dryness.
Rinse for a full four minutes. , Don't use too much, just enough to coat it evenly.
Please, please, please do not condition the roots of your hair.
The bottom half is all you need to do unless you're into major greasiness.
The first time, condition normally, comb it through with your fingers and rinse it out.
The second time use a (store-bought) deep conditioner mixed with your regular conditioner and leave it in for a while
- tie your hair up to keep it out of your face and get your shaving/body scrubbing/whatever out of the way, and rinse it out.
The last time you condition rinse it out with cool water (or as cold as you can tolerate).
This will really help seal in the moisture and add shine.
Rinse as thoroughly as you can! Accumulated conditioner makes your hair feel dull, heavy and greasy, guaranteed. , Use only on the bottom half of your hair.
Less is definitely more here.
Use too much, and your hair will feel like there's a light spray in it.
For the best results, put some in a spray bottle.
A couple spritzes on each section is all you need.
If not, pour a very little bit onto your hand and smooth it through your ends.
Comb it through with a wide tooth comb. , Make sure that it's oil free and not too heavy, and again, keep it well away from your roots.
Squeeze it through between the palms of your hands. , The part will stay in place best if you make it while the hair is wet. , You can experiment with the time to see what works best for you. , Tie most of your hair up into a ponytail right on top of your head, leaving just the bottom layer hanging down.
Use the clips to get stray chunks of hair out of the way.
Blow out the bottom layer of hair, really pulling it taut and away from the head.
It doesn't need to be pin straight just yet, so don't stress out too much here.
The idea is to make the flat ironing easy. , Go section-by-section as thoroughly as you can.
Don't do huge pieces at a time.
Pull it taut, and go firmly but gently.
Going through your hair super fast will snag it and lead to split ends, but going through it too slowly will burn it.
The great thing about small flat irons is that they're very versatile
- you can go pin straight, flip the ends, or just give your hair some body where you need it.
Even if you want to make your hair as straight as possible, using strokes with a slight inward curve looks the most natural.
With enough practice, you'll find your own technique. , Keep in mind that the smaller the layer the more thoroughly you can straighten it and the better the results will be.
Pay special attention to your bangs and the back of the head. , Comb all your hair forward and clip it up section-by-section with bobby pins.
Make sure not to bend it in any way that goes against the style that you've so toiled for.
You want to clip it to the side of your head in a circular pattern so that it looks kind of like a beehive.
Pile it up, not to the side.
When it's all up, secure it with a silk scarf to keep everything in, and you can sleep on it with no worries. ,
About the Author
Heather Wells
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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