How To Flat Iron Long Natural Hair

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Flat irons can be a useful beauty tool for achieving direct or fifty-fifty wavy hair. This look can be a corking fashion to mix upwards your way. Unfortunately, flat irons can cause severe heat impairment, especially to natural hair. Only if you take a few actress precautions, you tin can straighten your natural pilus without ruining it. To minimize the chance of damage, prepare your hair for the oestrus with workout treatments and heat protectors. And so carefully utilize the heat to your dry hair in sections. Finally, be sure not to overexpose your hair to flat ironing.

i
Launder your hair. The best time to flat iron natural hair is correct after you have washed and conditioned your locks. If you flat atomic number 26 hair that contains any hair products or dirt, then your hair will probable look stiff, instead of appearing flowy.^[1]
- While you can (and should) prepare your pilus for apartment ironing with heat protectant products, you don't want to exit other routine hair intendance products (similar hairspray) in your pilus before y'all flat iron it.
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Status your pilus daily. Conditioner strengthens and moisturizes your hair, keeping information technology salubrious and lush. Although using this product should exist part of your daily routine, it's particularly important to status prior to applying estrus through apartment ironing. On the solar day you lot plan to straighten your hair, apply then rinse out a daily-use moisturizing conditioner when you shower.^[2]

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Use a estrus protectant earlier you accident dry and flat iron. Oestrus protectants are a nifty way to mitigate the damage caused by heat. These products often comprise silicon, which coats and protects the hair from the heat of the dryer and flat fe. Spray your hair twice if you're accident drying and then post-obit up with a straightener.^[3]
- Nearly of these products can exist applied to moisture or dry hair.
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Let fine or thin pilus air dry to minimize harm. After yous've washed and conditioned your pilus, fully dry information technology before yous start straightening. If you lot take sparse strands of hair prone to breakage, the texture of your pilus is what'southward known as "fine" or "sparse."^[four] This texture is particularly at risk for heat damage, so it's best to allow it air dry overnight before flat ironing.^[five]
- Any wet left in your hair will chimera upward during the heating process and damage your hair further.
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Accident dry out hair with a thicker or coarse texture. If your strands are a bit thicker and by and large don't interruption, you're rubber to add together a picayune rut with the blow dryer.^[half-dozen] Permit your hair partially air dry for well-nigh 20 minutes before accident drying it. Then, stick to low or medium estrus to fully dry it out.^[seven]
- If y'all don't take time to let your hair air dry at all, you can accident dry out information technology correct abroad. Notwithstanding, exist aware that this increases your take a chance of dissentious your hair over fourth dimension. Endeavor to limit your use of the accident dryer equally much as you lot can.
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Decide on a temperature based on your pilus'due south texture and thickness. Straightening your pilus can crusade damage if your atomic number 26 is too hot or if you make multiple passes over the same section of pilus with it. To proceed your pilus equally good for you as possible, prepare your atomic number 26 to a temperature that's hot enough to straighten a department with 1-2 passes, only no hotter.
- Prepare your atomic number 26 to almost 150 °F (66 °C) if y'all accept sparse, fine hair.
- Set your flat iron to well-nigh 350 °F (177 °C) if you have thick, coarse pilus.
- Set you flat iron to about 250 °F (121 °C) if your pilus is thick and fine or coarse and sparse.
2
Divide your hair into sections. Before you begin using the apartment iron, separate your hair into sections. Use clips to pull up the bulk of your hair, and then let down a sparse layer of hair at the base of your caput. As you lot straighten each section, permit out a bit more hair from your prune.^[8]
- You should not straighten a section of hair that is wider or thicker than 1 inch (2.five cm) at a time.
- If you lot try to straighten a section that is likewise thick, information technology won't straighten properly.
- Yous may need multiple large and small clips to hold your hair in identify. You can observe these online or at your local pharmacy.
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Brush each section earlier straightening. This will help smooth out the hair and give you sleek locks. This is particularly important for natural hair that may tangle easily.^[9] Employ a paddle brush or a wide-toothed comb to avoid pulling your hair or breaking the strands.^[10]
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Start at the root of your hair and run downwardly to the tips. In order to get the best results with your flat iron, start at the roots of your hair, press downwardly with the flat iron, and then slowly motion the flat iron downwards the hair to the tip. Brand sure that y'all maintain pressure the entire time.^[eleven]
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Flat iron each section until your look is complete. Depending on how thick your hair is, information technology may take a while to flat iron every section. Be patient and don't try to blitz the process. If yous need to, take a break for 20 minutes and offset up once more after you've rested.
- Generally, it will accept almost a half hour to an 60 minutes to finish flat ironing. If y'all have a lot of pilus, it could take longer.
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Choose a loftier-quality ceramic flat iron. When you lot purchase a apartment atomic number 26, check the label. Just purchase ane that reads "100% ceramic." While these products cost more, the ceramic coating won't habiliment off over fourth dimension. This coating helps protect your hair against the heat, and so y'all definitely don't want to buy a inexpensive flat fe with a coating that'll clothing out later a few uses.^[12]
- Bones ceramic flat irons shouldn't cost much more than $20-$40 USD. Professional-grade straighteners, however, tin cost as much as $lxxx-$100 USD.
ii
Deep status your hair weekly. Purchase a deep conditioner from your local chemist's shop or make your ain. Deep condition at least once a week if you're apartment ironing your hair. If yous tin can practise it every three or four days, that'south even better! Heat the conditioner up by placing it in a hot water bathroom earlier applying. Then, leave the conditioner in for about 15-30 minutes under a shower cap. Finally, rinse it out in the shower.^[13]
- Homemade deep conditioner recipes usually contain bananas, avocados, love, and olive or coconut oil. These natural products will work every bit well as the purchased version, but they tin be messy to create and store.^[14]
- To make a hot water bath for your deep conditioner, boil water in a saucepan. Once the water's boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat and place your deep conditioner in the pot. Apply tongs to remove the conditioner after v to 10 minutes.
- To amp up your treatment, add steam! Heat upwardly a damp towel for about ii minutes in the microwave and identify information technology on your head in between 2 layers of shower caps. The heat will help the conditioner actually get into your hair and practise its nifty work!^[15]
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Don't flat iron the same department multiple times. If you rush through the straightening process and try to straighten large chunks of hair, you may demand to employ the flat atomic number 26 to the same section of pilus multiple times to become your desired look. This increased rut exposure tin can damage your hair.^[xvi]
- Make sure to accept your time and complete only one pass with the flat iron over each pocket-sized section of hair.
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Avoid going bone direct if you accept very curly hair. Go for a wavy look instead past flat ironing each section once without trying to make your hair completely straight. Once you're done, run your fingers through your hair. This will give you added volume while too causing less oestrus damage.^[17]
- If you lot'd similar, you tin can even put a product in your hair that'due south designed to make waves. Usually, these serums are meant to be applied right after yous finish apartment ironing.
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Wrap your straightened hair at nighttime to avoid morning touch-ups. Use a silk or satin wrap to keep your hair direct overnight. These materials should minimize whatsoever night frizziness every bit well. In the morning, just take off the wrap and shake out your pilus. Yous may even become a little natural wave -- embrace it!^[18]
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Don't straighten natural hair more than a few times a calendar month. Estrus will slowly but surely cause your natural hair to dry out and become breakable. It can also ruin your curlicue pattern, making it difficult to go your curls to bounce dorsum. The nigh effective manner to protect your hair over the long term is to limit your hair's exposure to oestrus.^[nineteen]
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Cut dorsum on straightening if you see oestrus damage. There are lots of signs you can scout out for to keep tabs on your pilus'due south wellness. If yous're damaging your hair, you may need to adapt your styling habits. It'southward possible that your pilus can only handle being straightened a few times per yr (rather than once or twice each calendar month).^[20] Look out for the post-obit:
- Frizzy hair that's become more difficult to untangle.^[21]
- Split ends.
- Locks that have lost their curl.^[22]
- Strands that experience bumpy to the touch.^[23]
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Question

Is it OK to flat iron natural hair?

Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology instructor since 2013.

Licensed Cosmetologist

Proficient Answer

Yous can use a straightening iron on naturally curly or straight hair. Always apply a thermal protectant first and make sure the hair is completely dry.
Question

What practice you need for a silk press?

Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Reply

For a silk printing, you will need a flat atomic number 26 and a hair dryer. You should as well employ a deep conditioner, a thermal protector, and a styling serum.
Question

What temperature should I set my flat atomic number 26 to for relaxed hair?

Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology instructor since 2013.

Licensed Cosmetologist

Adept Answer

Relaxed hair should already be fairly direct so the fe can be on a lower setting. Between 350 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit is best; aim for the lower cease and make sure to apply a thermal protector.
Question

I blow and iron my hair for special occasions and the holidays. My pilus is very curly, though. How can I make the procedure safer?

Lesley Ochiora

Community Answer

Make sure that the pilus is prepped for straightening, to minimize the harm don't straighten frequently. Use a low-temperature setting to avoid major harm.

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Things You'll Demand

Daily-use moisturizing shampoo and conditioner
Deep conditioner (DIY or shop bought)
Saucepan and hot h2o
Damp towel
Several shower caps
Heat protectant spray
Blow dryer
Ceramic flat fe
Large and small hair clips
Paddle brush or broad-toothed comb
Silk or satin hair wrap

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Commodity Summary X

To flat iron natural hair, start by using a heat protectant spray on it so it doesn't become frizzy or damaged. Then, dissever your hair into 1-inch sections, and brush out each section before straightening it with a flat fe. Try to only go over each section once with the flat iron and so you don't damage your hair. Also, limit yourself to straightening your pilus a few times a month if possible since regular exposure to heat may make your pilus dry and breakable. For more tips from our Cosmetology co-author, like how to launder and dry out your hair earlier straightening it, read on!

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