STYLE

 

Sometimes the best remedy for frizzy summer hair is a sleek, straightened look. If you have a straightener handy, this glam look can be yours without an expensive trip to the salon. But if your at-home styling session never turns out quite the way you want, you might be making some flat iron faux pas. That’s why we’ve made this guide to the most common mistakes girls made when straightening. Here’s what to avoid...

1. Using the wrong shampoo and conditioner
Hair care starts in the shower. It’s good practice to clean your hair before styling it, and it’s also important to clean it with the right products. So when you lather up, make sure you use shampoo and conditioner with “smoothing” qualities. While it won’t magically make your hair straight, it will give you better results.

 

 

 

Try: Moroccan Oil Hydrating Styling Cream, $29, amazon.com

3. Setting your iron to the wrong temperature
Making your iron too hot can cause serious damage. The full 450 degrees is only really meant for professional use, so beauty experts suggest starting at 300 or 350 degrees and adding heat if you have super thick hair. Just make sure that your iron is hot enough that you don’t have to repeatedly run it through your hair, because repeated heat exposure can cause damage as well.

4. Not sectioning
If it seems to be taking way long to straighten your hair, then you’re probably not going about it in the most effective way. Divide your hair into small, even sections, and brush through each section before you apply heat. Your iron can only heat up so much hair at once, but you’ll only need to run through each portion once or twice if you keep the sections small enough.

5. Working in the wrong direction
Most people think that you should glide your straightener vertically down your hair, but stylists say that you should actually move horizontally, starting at the root of your hair and sliding sideways. Pull your hair taut at the tip for a little extra help.

6. Letting your hair sizzle
If you hear a crackle or see steam rising from your straightener, stop and see what’s up. This probably means that your hair is still a little wet from your shower or your heat protectant. Let your hair air dry or dry it with a blow dryer before proceeding. Just make sure that the blow dryer is always facing down to avoid frizz.

check these out!

• Your new beauty obsession = craftcore
• Add these warm-weather beauty essentials to your beauty bag rn
• We've got your spring hair inspo right here
• Your ultimate guide to the spring Everything Shower

you might like these

• Is it bad to have a skincare routine at a young age?
• TikTok's 333 method is all you need to create your capsule wardrobe
• Your guide to the hottest spring nail trends
• This is how to get your shiniest, healthiest hair ever