Have you been using a flat iron but not getting your hair as straight as you want? Or maybe you never used a flat iron before and want to know how to straighten your hair with one the correct way? Well, I’m a hair professional so let me help you answer that question!

Step One: Get The Right Flat Iron
When it comes to hair straighteners, you really do get what you pay for. Generally, the cheap ones you can buy at the drugstore just don’t get hot enough and their plates are made out of materials that damage your hair. If you spend a tiny bit more you can get one that will give you amazing hair with little effort.

• Size – You need to pick out the right size. The plates come in widths as small as a half inch (mini styler) and all the way up to 3inch. Generally speaking, the shorter the hair, the smaller the size you should go with. 1” is a good versatile size that accommodates many different lengths of hair.
• Material – Now this is where you really don’t want to cut corner. You want authentic 100% ceramic flat irons. A ceramic hair straightener uses special minerals that when electricity flows through them, they actually improve the texture and shine of your hair, rather than ruining it.

Once you have got yourself a high quality iron, such as FHI flat irons, CHI, or another leading brand, you are ready to begin. Also, be sure you’re doing this in front of a big bright mirror. Ideally, if possible, the best mirrors to work in front of are the multi-panel mirrors, because they can make seeing in back of your head a bit easier.

How To Straighten Your Hair With a Flat Iron

Step 1: Dry Your Hair
This step may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised how many people try to straighten their hair while it is still damp or even soaking wet. This is a big no-no! It damages your hair by literally boiling the water on the hair follicles. There are some irons out there which claim to be able to handle wet hair, but I’m skeptical. Until I see proof that they’ve found a way to do it that doesn’t damage hair when it’s wet, I’m staying away from them.

Step 2: Brush Your Hair
Take a hair and briefly brush it in the directions you would like it to sit once it’s been straightened. This helps tremendously by having the hair follicles aimed in the right direction, so you’re not “going against the grain” so to speak when you’re straightening it.

Step 3: Separate Hair
Unless you have short hair, you’ll probably want to separate sections using clips in order to make it easier. Although this isn’t absolutely necessary, this is the technique professionals use.

Step 4: Begin Ironing
Now it’s time to start! Begin at the roots of the hair and clamp down. Gently pull it through the ends of your hair in a fluid gliding motion. Never allow the plates to sit on your hair in a stationary position. Your hair should always be moving through them when they are making contact. The entire process – from the root to the end – should take no more than several seconds.

Step 5: Final Touch
Now there are two ways to do this. Some people like to do one pass on every section and then go back and do additional passes, if necessary. Other people like to focus on one area at a time, getting it perfect before moving onto another section of hair. Personally, I prefer the first method of doing a rough pass on all of it, then going back and doing additional passes. That way I can see how each section looks in comparison to the others.

Step 6: Apply Finish
There are several flat iron hair products which can be applied after you’ve ironed to give it that finished look and help minimize any minor frizz or flyaways that may be present. Optionally, there are also thermal hair protection products you can apply before you begin that help protect your hair against heat damage. I recommend using these.

Step 7: Style Your Hair
If you would like to use any pomade or hairspray, now is the time to use it. However it’s important to note that many water based protects, such as gel, serums, and even some pomades, may cause your hair to curl. Unfortunately their labels won’t tell you if they will do this or not, so the only way to find out is with trial and error. Now you know how to straighten your hair with a flat iron! But again, I can’t reiterate the first and most important step, which is to use a good flat iron.