Once you've found the best iron for your hair, the next crucial step to straightening your strands like a pro is preparing your hair for the heat it's about to undergo. Here's how:
Preparation for fine hair: Wash hair with a lightweight volumizing shampoo like Rene Furterer Volumea Volumizing Shampoo, $23 and conditioner. Once out of the shower use a volumizing mousse with built-in heat protection like Nexxus Thermal Volume Volumizing Heat Protection Mousse, $11.99. Blow dry hair to create volume by lifting at the roots. Smooth hair from the mid-shaft to your ends using tension and a natural bristle brush, says Moticka.
Next: How to prep thick hair
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Tip 5: Prep thick/course hair
Start by washing with a smoothing shampoo and conditioner like Redken Smooth Down Shampoo and conditioner, $14.50 each. Once out of the shower, apply a smoothing serum with heat protection technology like Kiehl's Heat-Protective Silk-Straightening Cream, $17. Blow dry hair thoroughly with a natural bristle brush and apply tension as you dry hair in order to make it as straight as possible, says Moticka.
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Tip 6: Get a super straight look
Follow these steps to get a super straight, polished look like the one seen here on Michelle Trachtenberg:
Step 1: Start by clipping your blow dried hair into manageable sections — the thicker your hair, the more sections you should create. Starting on the bottom half of your head, near the nape of your neck, grab a half-an-inch to two-inch section of hair. Step 2: Starting half-an-inch down from your roots (this will help your hair maintain some volume), quickly smooth the iron down the hair shaft "making sure to move at a steady pace," advises Moticka. Continue this until you have straightened the bottom and mid-sections of your head. Step 3: For the final sections near the crown of your head, lift hair off your scalp and get the iron as close to your roots as possible, pressing firmly while drawing the iron straight outward from your head to achieve a flat, smooth finish, says Moticka. Step 4: Mist with shine spray.
Image via Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic/Getty
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Tip 7: Get a voluminous straight look
For a fuller, more voluminous look — like the one seen here on Jennifer Aniston, you will want to hold the iron a bit differently. Moticka says to iron from the mid-shaft to ends, still moving the iron straight out to the sides, lifting from the scalp. "As a rule, I do not drag the iron down when working, because it tends to put creases in the [hair] if you are going against the growth pattern," she continues. For added flip, twist your wrist slightly away from your face once you've reached the end of a straightened section for a bit of bounce. Mist with a shine spray or flexible hold hairspray.
Image via Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty
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Tip 8: Things to avoid
- Do not iron hair when wet, as this is a sure way to fry your strands.
- Do not use broken or chipped hot tools, as they can be dangerous.
- Do not use a flat iron everyday as "any tool or procedure involving high heat will dry the hair and make it brittle over time, especially with prolonged and frequent use," says Moticka.
Image via Imaxtree
Urban legends abound in the beauty world. These are specific hair care myths and stories that get passed from woman to woman, generation to generation. They run the gamut, but consist of fanatical ideas women believe to be true like "split ends are reversible" and "pluck one grey hair and two will come to its funeral." One of our personal favorite hair care fairytales is some women just wake up with naturally smooth and perfectly straight hair. Bull winkle. Sorry ladies, but we all have to work for the frizz-free sleek stylings we envy on models and celebrities like Jennifer Aniston.
Any woman with curly, wavy hair, heck even "straight" hair should know that to get hair super smooth, some heat styling is in order. It is slightly unfair, but true. If you have pretty straight hair already, you likely only need the assistance of a blow dryer to get a sleek look, but if your hair has texture and is thick or course, you'll need the almighty flat iron to achieve stick straight strands. Fear not though, with the right hair care preparation, straightening tips, and responsible use, you don't have to fry your hair for it to look fabulous.
Here to share the proper hair care tips needed to straighten your hair like a professional is celebrity hairstylist Amita Moticka, director of cutting education for diPietro Todd salons and academy. She shares scoop on how she keeps her A-list clients' hair healthy and sleek, so you can finally copy those gorgeous, red carpet hairstyles you've been salivating over.
