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Home · News

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101

January: Straight Hair
By · Updated October 28, 2020
01
Curly Top

Whether you’re natural or relaxed, you can still run into issues straightening your strands at home. Here’s how to do it right!

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
02
Cute Comb

Goody Wide Tooth Rat Tail Comb ($2.99, at drugstores) is excellent for detangling knots and making precise parts.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
03
First Things First

Make a center part and a part across the top of your head from ear to ear (it should make a “T”). Pile damp hair on top of your head and pull out small sections, starting at the nape of your neck.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
04
Serve and Protect

Soft & Beautiful Ultimate Style Protect Styling Spritz ($1, amazon.com) contains vitamin E and essentials oils to nourish your ’do and protect it from heat damage.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
05
Dry Idea

Blowdry each section using a paddle brush and a hairdryer with a nozzle attachment. Try Conair Infiniti Ionic Hairdryer ($39, folica.com).

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
06
The Big Easy

If managing a brush and a blowdryer is too difficult, attach Gold N Hot Styling Pik Attachment ($4.49, sallybeauty.com) to your hairdryer and comb through wet hair.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
07
Frizz Fighter

Phytolisse Finishing Serum ($32, ulta.com) prevents frizz while adding a weightless sheen and light hold. Apply before wrapping your strands.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
08
Smooth Mooves

For the straightest strands, wrap hair after blowdrying (or skip blowdrying, and wrap hair wet). To start, create a center part and use a brush to smooth one side behind an ear.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
09
Brush it Off

Denman Squargonomics Brush (left, $8.99, folica.com) and Denman Classic Styling Brush (middle right, $10.99, far right, $8.99) are must-have tools for smoothing your hair into the wrap.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
10
Easier Than It Looks

To continue your wrap, brush one side down past your ear and around the back of your head. Hold the top of your hair in place with your hand, and brush hair in a circular motion.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
11
Hold On

To hold wrap in place, slide in curved wrap pins about three inches apart, all the way around your head.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
12
Bobby Soxer

Goody Mosaic Collection Perfect Wrap Bobby Pins ($4, simplyhairaccessories.com) help keep your wrap in place while you sleep.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
13
The Big Finish

Voila! A perfectly pinned wrap. When you unwrap it, your hair will be straight, silky, and beyond sexy.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
14
The Heat is On

Before heat-styling, spritz on Mizani Gloss Veil Shine Spray ($11, amazon.com) for glossy, frizz-free strands.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
15
Iron it Out

Wraps don’t agree with everyone! If its not for you, try flatironing your tresses after you blowdry. But first, run a heat protector over small sections of hair.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
16
Miracle Worker

Roots of Nature Thermal Smoothing Serum helps straighten frizzy strands and protect hair from heat damage. Perfect to use before blowdrying!

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
17
Pink Lady

Hot Tools Titanium T1 Flatiron ($43, walgreens.com) evenly distributes heat so you don’t get “hot spots” in your hair — only shiny, smooth tresses.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
18
Salon-worthy Strands

To flatiron, run a one inch iron over small sections of your hair.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
19
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Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
20
Around the Bend

After flatironing, add Diane Snap-On Magnetic Rollers ($5, amazon.com) to your ends and blast with heat from a blowdryer to give your flatironed ’do a nice bend.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
21
Straight Talk

A beautiful blowout, thanks to you fierce flatironing skills!

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
22
Pillow Talk

Extend the life of your blowout with Branche Charmeuse Case ($84, brancebeautysleep.com). The 100% silk case smooths your blowout’s cuticle layer, adds body and reduces breakage.

Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
23
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Hot Hair: Straightening Strands 101
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