Heat styling your hair can go well…
or just plain awful.
Here are our Top 5 Tips for successful hair styling.
1. Use heat protection.
Use a product formulated to create a protective barrier against the heat for better results. Less damage means shinier hair, a longer-lasting style, and healthier hair.
We love HEATED.DEFENSE by Kevin Murphy.
2. Don’t use straighteners on damp or wet hair.
Dry your hair completely first either naturally or with a blowdryer. Blowdryers are less damaging than straighteners.
Dry with a blow dryer pointed down the hair shaft and brush it straight or use a big round brush for volume. Once completely dry, use a flat iron on certain sections of the hair.
Warning: Never try to straighten wet or damp hair — you’ll do serious damage!
3. High Heat!
Just because a straightener can go over 400 degrees, doesn’t mean it should.
Blowdrying hot and fast actually, makes it harder to style. Studies show that you’ll achieve the same results without the damage by using more moderate temps.
Using Smoothing protectant and serums minimise the effect the heat has on your hair. We love this Olaplex styling duo to protect and keep your hair healthy and shiny.
4. Keep the Styler on the Move.
Ah, the not-so-sweet smell of burning hair. If you hear that sizzle, you could be doing a number of things wrong.
- Hair still Damp.
- Tools too hot.
- It could also be due to you holding the iron in place for too long or directing the dryer at the hair too intensely.
- Don’t treat the straightening tool like a crimper, move it downward lightly, without pausing or pulling.
- Clamping the straightener too tight will cause it to move too slowly. It’s better to go over each section a couple of times than once too hot and too tight.
- Using the blowdryer nozzle incorrectly. It intensifies the heat and will burn your hair. Read about how to use a nozzle correctly here.
- Products in the hair can cause problems. Re-styling hair with hairspray from yesterday will stick and burn. Some styling and volume products can leave a sticky residue and make it sizzle.
- Are you heat styling over dry shampoo? Be careful. If you are not doing all the other common mistakes and you are still sizzling, then it could be your dry shampoo. Some are much better quality than others and the silicone ingredients might just be the problem.
5. Style not holding?
Feel like your hair still isn’t staying straight or holding a style?
Instead of running the iron over it yet again or over-drying to get it to hold make sure you’re finishing the job correctly. Check out all the best Blowdrying Tips here.
To finish well apply a frizz-fighter that will hold the style and add shine.
Use a good-quality hair spray that doesn’t weigh your hair down.
