STYLE

Beauty

The fatal flat iron mistake you've been making

 
We’ve all been there: It’s the dreaded school picture day, you woke up extra early to straighten your curls, and all of the sudden you smell something horrifying: burning hair. YIKES! What is a girl to do? While having the temperature on your flat iron too high can totally damage your hair, it’s equally important to remember that too low of a temperature will have a similar scream inducing effect. 

Any setting above 420º will fry your mane like a french fry, because when your straightener is too hot, it actually starts to melt the keratin protein in your hair. And trust us at GL when we say no amount of coconut oil will save you then. Likewise, having the temperature setting too low can cause double trouble: Not only will you likely damage your hair because you will have to run the straightener through more times, you will also dull your beautiful shine and create the appearance of lifeless locks.

So does this mean it’s time to unplug the straightener for good? No way. You can still have #hairgoals without the hair damage. Researchers have recently determined that the perfect temperature to straighten your hair is…365º Fahrenheit. This temperature is ideal for a number of reasons. First, it seals the cuticle and helps preserve moisture. But, equally important, it speeds up the straightening process because you won’t have to use as many strokes to achieve a pin straight style.

So the next time you decide to change up your look with a flat iron, turn it to 365 degrees and thank us later.

What major hair mistakes have you made? Got any good tips? Share in the comments.

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by Maddie Howard | 2/1/2016
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