How to straighten hair with a curling iron

Straight, shiny hair is the key to a well-groomed hairstyle and an attractive appearance. Moreover, straight hair will never go out of style. If your hair is naturally curly or wavy, but you don’t have a special straightening iron at hand, don’t worry. You can use a curling iron. It turns out that it can not only curl, but also perform the completely opposite task - make your hair perfectly smooth and even.

How to straighten your hair with a curling iron

In order to carry out the straightening procedure, you will need:

• cylindrical curling iron;
• comb;
• an elastic band or hair clip;
• thermal protection;
• styling products.

First, wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner. Rinse thoroughly to ensure no soap residue remains. Dry your head with a towel and carefully comb your curls with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers. Apply thermal protection spray or gel to damp hair from roots to ends. Also at this stage you can use mousse for volume and fluffiness. There are also smoothing products: they are necessary for those girls who naturally have curly, fluffy hair. Dry your hair with a hairdryer or naturally.

IMPORTANT! Never straighten wet hair! In this state, they will be even more susceptible to moisture evaporation, and may become even more unruly and split.

Divide your hair into two parts: secure the upper one with an elastic band or a hairpin, and comb the lower one and distribute it evenly along your back. Connect the curling iron to the mains and heat it to the required temperature. After the light signal indicates heating, proceed directly to straightening.

Take a small strand from the bottom layer. Open the clamp on the tool and pinch the curl at the roots. Slowly move the curling iron all the way to the ends and open the clamp. In this way, work through the entire bottom layer first, and then the top layer. Try to straighten smaller strands near your face to catch all the small hairs and frame your face beautifully.

Comb gently for extra volume. Fix your hair with hairspray or apply a couple of drops of styling oil to give it softness and shine. This stage depends on your preferences and goals.

What criteria to consider when choosing a curling iron

It is difficult to compare a curling iron with a straightening iron in terms of effectiveness and straightening properties. However, a properly selected tool performs the procedure no worse than one specially created for this purpose. If you plan to do straightening quite rarely, then using a curling iron is an additional opportunity not to waste money on an unnecessary unit.

When choosing it, pay attention to the following criteria:

1. Type of coverage. Modern curling irons are produced in metal, ceramic, Teflon and Tourmanline coatings. The first option is the most unfortunate, since it negatively affects the hair, destroying its structure and making it brittle and dry.Other types of coating are actively used in the hairdressing industry because they have minimal impact on the curls and do not remove all moisture from them.
2. Availability of a clamp. Your tool must have a special clip along the entire length of the curling iron to hold the strand, otherwise it will be impossible to use it as a straightener. The fact is that modern cylindrical curling irons may not have clamps for quick use.
3. Diameter. Units with a diameter of more than 2.5 mm are ideal for straightening. You can also use a smaller device, but it will take you much longer to treat the entire head.
4. Ionization function. This option is not typical for most of these tools, but its presence will allow you to get rid of the accumulation of static electricity.
5. Heating regulation. Many curling irons are equipped with a temperature change button to avoid damaging your hair.

IMPORTANT! If your hair is thin or colored, do not heat the device above 100 °C. If your curls are thick enough or curly, you can raise the temperature from 100 to 160 ° C. In any case, do not heat the curling iron above 200 ° C, this risks burning the hairs.

How to keep your hair healthy using a curling iron

Styling tools always operate at high temperatures. To avoid unnecessary hair damage, follow these simple rules:

1. Never heat the curling iron to maximum.
2. Use heat protectants before straightening. They are available in the form of a spray, gel, serum, mousse or foam, cream or lotion. Choose an option that suits your hair thickness and texture.
3. Work only with pre-dried hair.
4. Avoid appliances with metal coating.
5. Do not hold the curling iron in one place for more than 2-3 seconds.
6. Regularly clean the device from residues of styling products so that they do not burn on it.