How To Straighten Your Curly Hair At Home

Curly hair is no doubt beautiful. Dazzling ringlets, beautiful corkscrews and natural wave hair weave and have been lusted after by many a straight-haired girl! There is an exquisite charm about naturally curly hair that allows it to look relaxed, stylish and charming.

But it can be quite difficult to tame them, especially on a bad hair day. Sometimes, even the strongest gels don’t work on your curls, leaving them unmanageable.

If we want to tame our luscious locks into a more manageable style, or just fancy a change. Straight hair is the ‘in’ look these days. With the right tools and a bit of patience, you can easily straighten curly hair. It will probably take longer than it does to straighten wavy hair weave, but you can still get the same beautiful results.

So, if you follow current trends, you know you should definitely give the curly hair to straight hair look a try. We help you to achieve that sleek style, we have compiled our ultimate guide to straightening your curly hair.

Successfully Straighten Your Hair at Home

Depending on the length and thickness of your hair, straightening it yourself can be time-consuming, but it's also cost-effective and convenient. Choosing to straighten your hair yourself at home will save you a huge amount of money over time.

What You Will Need

• A high-heat blow dryer
• High-quality flatiron
• A great round brush
• A good straightening product
• Hair serum for a smooth, shiny finish

Here's how to straighten your hair at home, step-by-step:

Step 1: Wash and condition your hair. Use a gentle shampoo and a smoothing conditioner to prepare your hair for the straightening process. Straightening, no matter how gentle you are, is tough on the hair, so "babying" it with gentle hair-care products beforehand can help prevent more damage.

Step 2: Towel dry your hair until it's more "damp" than "wet". This means less time spent blow drying your hair, and that's a good thing! Try a microfiber towel, which is gentler on the cuticle of the hair than regular towels.

Step 3: Smooth a dime-size amount of a straightening cream, balm, gel, or lotion throughout the hair to get it ready for blow drying and flat ironing. Make sure you don't overdo it, too much can make your virgin hair limp instead of straight!

Step 4: Using a round bristle brush, carefully pull your hair straight as you blow it dry. You can alternate between your blow dryer's hotter and cooler settings to make sure you're not overheating your hair. Keep doing this until your hair is completely dry.

Note: If you have very thick, curly hair, this can take a while! If you have a good round-brushing technique you can be done at this stage, but for lots of people, it takes a bit more effort to get the smooth, straight (but not too flat) look you want. But don't worry: Using the flatiron will get the job done.

Step 5: Never use a flat iron on damp hair—you must blow dry your hair first. Using a flatiron on damp hair can lead to damage that literally breaks the hair because the temperature of the flatiron on damp hair can cause the water in the hair to literally boil, and then burst the hair shaft.

Step 6: Put the top half of your hair in a bun or clip it on top of your head. Divide the bottom half of your hair into small sections about one to two inches wide. Using a comb, pull out a section of hair as taut as possible with one hand, while smoothing a flatiron along that section with the other.

Start at the roots of the hair and move to the end in one fluid motion, then repeat a couple of times to make sure that section of hair is straight. After one section is done to your satisfaction, repeat the process on the other sections.

Step 7: If you want a fuller look, apply a volumizing spray at the roots as you flatiron each section.

Step 8: When the bottom part of your hair is done, unclip the top part and begin working on those sections. Use a handheld the mirror to check the back of your hair in a separate mirror to make sure you didn't miss anything.

Step 9: When you're all done, use a small amount of a silicone serum or spray for a smooth and polished look. Serums work best on coarse, thick hair, while sprays are preferred for normal to fine or thin hair.

Video Tutorials

You can see this video to learn how to straighten your curly hair.

Common Straightening Mistakes

Once you get the method of straightening your curly hair, It is easy, and you’ll get quicker each time you have a go. But if you are not getting the effect you are looking for, here are a few ideas as to where you are going wrong and how to correct them:

1.Applying Too Much or Too Little Product

This goes for both before and after you straighten. Applying too much product before or after you straighten your hair can leave it greasy and lank. Instead, know that a little goes a long way in terms of applying products to your hair, and remember to comb it through your hair, not just leave it on the top surface of your hair.

2.Using Sections That Are Too Large

If you find that your hair just isn’t becoming straighter, try using smaller sections which are more easily managed by the straightener. Smaller bunches will fit better in the flat iron and have a more even heat distribution, meaning the hairs are straightened more efficiently. It takes a little longer, but you will get a better result.

3.Forgetting to Clean Your Straightener

If you are finding your hair is catching on your flat iron and that it is hard to glide it down your strands of hair, you probably need to give it a clean! Turn it off, wait for it to cool then use some rubbing alcohol to clean off any residue. This is also a good idea to check the plates for chips and other damages which can snag your hair.

4. Not Drying Your Hair Properly

This is a big mistake and can seriously damage your hair! Occasionally straighteners are marketed for use on wet hair, but we don’t recommend this. If you are in a hurry, use a blow drier to dry your hair thoroughly before you straighten it. Blow dry it down the strands from the roots, and you can brush it through as you go along.

5. Choosing The Wrong Temperature Setting

Choosing a heat that is too high for your hair can singe and burn the strands. Choosing a temperature that is too low for your hair type can mean it doesn’t straighten or remain straight for long. So you must choose the right temperature setting.