Choosing a hairstyle is only half the battle. The other half is maintaining a style. Whether your hair type has some natural straightness or requires a lot of effort, knowing how to keep your flat-ironed hair straight can make the work worth it.
With a few tips, you can have longer-lasting straightened hair. Read on for our suggestions to make the most out of your flat-ironed hair.
Tips to Keep Flat Ironed Hair Straight
1. Weather Watch
Many of us flat-iron our hair based on mood or plan it for specific events. What happens when the weather isn’t cooperative? You might think flat-iron hair is the perfect choice for your outfit, but if the weather is humid or rainy, you might need to reconsider.
The chemical structure of human hair is sensitive to moisture. Hydrogen bonds, water molecules, and hair proteins mix, and that reaction triggers curling and frizzing.
Even with tools and serums, it can be challenging to overpower your hair’s natural reaction to moisture. If possible, look ahead at your local weather report and plan a backup style if you’re styling for an event.
2. Avoid Sweat
There’s no rule against working out with straightened hair, but your activity might cause a few bumps in your do. For example, your ponytail becomes a dent, and braids become waves.
That said, is staying still as the statue the answer to how to keep your flat-ironed hair straight? Not necessarily. Sweat is the culprit of causing your follicle mayhem.
Moisture and heat are side effects of any decent workout. Avoid raising your heart rate while sporting a straightened style.
3. Use the Best Flat-Iron
You don’t need a million-dollar, gold-plated flat-iron for it to be considered the best. You just need a flat iron that works best for your hair texture.
Perhaps you’ve heard about curly, wavy, and straight, but are you familiar with coily? Do you know the difference between 4A or 4C hair? Not everyone can be a hair care expert, but you can be an expert in your hair type.
Different hair types have different porosity and texture, which means you might need to research your hair styling tools.
Another aspect to watch for is material. A quality flat iron will have ceramic plates that allow even heat distribution. Better heating distribution means you won’t fry some hair sections while others remain untouched. A better quality flat iron will last longer and will allow for better hair care.
4. Use the Correct Heat Setting
It can be tempting to switch your flat iron to the highest heat setting to get it done quicker. However, sometimes slow and steady, or patience and low temperature, win the race.
Too much heat can burn your hair. While singed hair is a possibility, it’s more likely you’ll dry out your hair. Dry hair can sometimes look straw-like. The undesirable texture is unhealthy for your hair, leading to split ends and making it more difficult to style.
If you know your hair type, you can control the heat setting to match. If you have fine or damaged hair, you should flat iron at a low setting, usually below 300 degrees. Coarse or densely curly hair will flatten better at higher settings, between 350-400. Hair types that fall between those will fall somewhere between 300-380.
5. Keep Your Flat Iron Clean
Keeping your hair styling tools cleans wastes less time and makes styling easier. If gunk, old hair spray, and serums are coating your flat iron, it can impact how the tool treats your hair.
A clean flat iron is more effective, distributes heat evenly, and lowers the risk of singing or frizzing.
6. Try A Silk Pillowcase
Overnight care is an essential step for protecting your flat-ironed style. There are several benefits to satin or silk pillowcases, and one is frizz prevention.
The traditional cotton pillowcase is more porous than silk, which steals moisture from your hair. Silk preserves hair hydration, making it essential for sleepers with dry hair or scalp.
Silk is smooth, which allows hair to glide. Cotton snags hair, leading to frizz, tangles, and bedhead. Your flat-iron hair will stay straight longer as there’s no pesky friction to catch strands and change their shape.
But which is better, satin or silk? Silk is a natural fiber, while satin is a weave made from multiple fibers, including silk. So while satin costs less, it has the same benefits.
7. Wear A Headwrap
Another idea that takes advantage of silk and satin is the headwrap. If you’re attached to your cotton pillowcase, wear a silk head wrap overnight. Are you wondering how to keep your flat-ironed hair straight in between outings? Wrap your head again.
Sometimes it’s less about preserving your look for a later date and more about keeping your look from morning until night. If you straighten your hair for a morning outing but need to look your best for an evening event, try wearing a headwrap in the middle of the day.
Not everyone will feel comfortable wearing something at night, whether a headwrap, sleep mask, or socks. However, it’s worth a try.
8. Touch-Ups with A Straightening Brush
One use for the straightening brush is to straighten hair from scratch, but you can also utilize it for touch-ups. Remember to opt for lower heat and add smoothing products after your touch-ups.
9. Remember the Roots
If you focus your flat-ironing on the middle or majority of your hair, sometimes you neglect the roots. Remembering to straighten your roots adds volume and creates a sleeker, longer-lasting look.
Sectioning your hair while straightening is helpful for control, but it also provides a better method for straightening your roots. Start close to your scalp, careful not to touch your skin, and run the flat iron upwards, raising your strands toward the ceiling.
10. Seal Hair Ends
Now that you’ve got the roots, what about the end of your hair? Tame your hair from root to tip for a unified look that won’t stray.
Add in your serum or wax of choice to seal the ends of your hair. While cutting split or dry ends is better for your hair health and growth, hair wax can prevent unruly ends from frizzing in the interim.
11. Use Thermal Protector Plus Hair Straightening Serum
If you use any hair styling tools that utilize heat, you need a thermal protector. While blow dryers, curling irons, and flat irons are fantastic for creating a great look fast, that heat can damage your hair.
Heat-protective sprays protect your hair during your styling, but it also helps the look last longer. In addition, it lowers the chance of frizz or other unruly hair but preserving the health of your hair.
Did you know you can get two-in-one thermal protection and hair straightening serum? Straightening serums applied to your hair before you flat iron help the look last longer. With heat protection, the combination offers an enduring style without the risks.
You can also apply straightening serum at the end of the day for overnight hold.
12. Avoid Mists and Perfumes
We’re back to moisture for this tip. But, of course, the same reason you need to avoid rain and humidity is why hair mists and perfumes are off the table. You might be surprised that hairspray is also a dangerous add-in.
We’re not saying any hair spray. It’s best if you limit the amount you use and never flat iron damp hair.
Ever see a wisp of smoke or hear sizzling? That’s a sign you’re drying your hair. Unfortunately, it can also cause breakages. Try a light-hold hairspray and let your hair dry before heating your iron for the best results.
13. Add-in Anti-Humidity Products
While we suggest saving straightened hair for a non-rainy day, you can use products that assist in humidity-proofing your hair. Some anti-humidity products to add to your hair care arsenal include anti-frizz serums, oils for smoothing, and other anti-humidity formulas.
If you’re not sure where to start with oils, try coconut oil or even shea butter as they are the most common. They smell pleasant and nourish hair while keeping it controlled.
Additionally, don’t neglect your shampoo and conditioner. Anti-frizz shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in products nourish your hair and improve hair health. Reducing frizz around the clock can save you time when you’re ready to plug in the flat iron.
14. Change It Up
Sometimes when you like a look, you wear it a lot. When it comes to hair styling tools, they are damaging to your hair. Give your hair cuticles a rest and avoid drying out your hair.
Overusing styling tools can lead to heat damage. Heat damaged hair might become brittle, easily tie in knots, difficult to brush or detangle, or break and split.
Now it’s time to try out the solutions on our list to find what works best for you. What’s your favorite trick for how to keep your flat-ironed hair straight? What products improve your style endurance?
We hope the weather will allow a frizz-free do. Enjoy showing off your flawlessly straight hair.
