The right way to flat iron

Flat ironing the hair is one of the ways to achieve an appealing look. Here are tips to help you get it right; always:

Conditioned hair: Ensure your hair is well conditioned and moisturised using the right products before you switch on the flat iron.  Applying a product that prevents heat damage to your hair before flat ironing is not enough. Conditioning it before the process ensures your hair is not damaged even further. Regularly conditioned and cared for hair is the best candidate for flat iron.

Clean hair: For best results, do it just after a fresh shampoo and conditioning.  Avoid heat styling dirty hair.

Thermal protection serum: Once you have shampooed and conditioned the hair, apply serum while it is still wet to allow it to spread evenly. Use a wide-toothed comb.

Heat protectant: When your hair dries, section it then apply a heat protectant. The protectant only helps to a certain degree. Too much heat on the flat iron will still damage your hair.

Oiling: Avoid applying oil on your hair before flat ironing; do so afterwards. This way, you are assured of a lightweight bouncy hair at the end of the process.

Dry hair:  Your hair should be completely dry before you flat iron it. You could first blow dry it or wet wrap it then sit under a dryer until it dries. Wet-wrapping smoothes the hair just the way blow-drying does. If you flat iron wet hair, it will frizz up.

Sectioning: Section your hair so that the iron can easily pass through it. Press sections that are thinner than an inch. When the sections are chunky, you won’t achieve the desired results. Pinning up or clipping the sections will make your work easier as you press.

Patience: Do not flat iron when you are in a rush. One needs slow and controlled movement for this process. Start as close to the roots as possible and pull the iron down smoothly.  Don’t hold the iron in any one place for too long as this could cause undesirable folds and damage the hair. Run the iron several times over the section until it is completely straight.

Temperature: The heat level of the iron should be determined by the thickness of your hair. The thicker it is, the higher the heat should be. Every part of your hair, the crown and the sides require different amounts of heat.

Remember, however, that the lesser the heat, the better.

Spray: Apply a holding spray to ensure your hair stays straight the whole day after flat ironing.

Photo: www.hellomagazine.com