How to Prevent Damage When Straightening Your Hair
If you’ve got naturally curly or wavy hair, your daily beauty routine may include hair straightening. Unfortunately, heat treating your hair every day can do a lot of damage to your locks. With a little care and investment, however, you can reduce and even prevent the damage that straightening your hair can cause.
Invest in a Good Flat Iron
There are plenty of cheap flat iron options out there, but they’re cheap for a reason. If you want to do right by your hair, look for a flat iron with ceramic tourmaline plates. The ceramic helps to heat your hair evenly, while the tourmaline can help keep it smooth.
You should also be looking for a flat iron with adjustable temperatures. The lower the heat, the less damage you’re causing your hair. Thin or damaged hair needs lower temperatures, while thicker and coarse hair requires higher heat. You also want a flat iron that retains its heat as you move between sections of hair. This reduces the need to re-iron sections and cause more damage.
You Need a Heat Protector
You may assume that using a damage-repairing shampoo and conditioner would render heat-protecting products unnecessary. However, you’re doing your hair a disservice by avoiding this critical step. Heat protectors help strengthen your hair and reduce heat damage. Avoid applying it near your roots, as the oil in these sprays can make your hair look greasy if you spray on too much. You may also want a soothing or smoothing finishing spray to keep baby hairs and frizz in check. You can re-apply throughout the day to help refresh your style.
Reduce Other Heat Exposure
If you can commit to air-drying your hair, you’ll help reduce the damage and strain caused by straightening. Combine that with bi-weekly or monthly deep conditioning treatments with oil or oil-based conditioners, like argan oil, coconut oil, or marula oil, and your hair will be stronger and shinier in no time.
Talk to your stylist about your routine — they can help you determine what options are best given your natural hair type. And when you’re ready for a fresh cut to smooth out split ends or a professional styling appointment to minimize damage and give you beautiful results, drop us a line!