How to get sleek, straight hair
Part of the fun of having long hair is changing the texture and experimenting with different styles. I love my naturally wavy hair, but I also love the occasional super straight look. Getting all of my hair—even the back sections— uniformly straight, glossy and frizz-free is not easy, though. In this episode our good friend Herbal Essences celebrity stylist Charles Baker Strahan shows us that with the right products and tools we can achieve the just-emerged-from-the-salon look at home. Watch how he customizes his technique for three Thread viewers, each with dramatically different hair types.
As Charles explained, the reason I wasn’t getting the sleek, straight results I was after on my own, was because I wasn’t using the right products and techniques. The blow-dryer does a lot of the work, but the prep and products make a huge difference in the end result. Check out his step-by-step instructions to turn curly, wavy, and fine hair shiny and straight.
Curly hair
This hair type requires the most effort because you’re going against its nature. Charles recommends washing with Herbal Essences Touchably Smooth shampoo and conditioner and then prepping the hair for heat with a light-weight mousse mixed with a split-end protector because curly hair tends to have drier ends. Divide the hair into small sections to blow dry and start with the heat at the roots. Next, smooth the hair even more with a flat iron and thin-tooth comb.
Wavy, frizzy hair
Start with a light mist of spray gel and leave-in split-end protector. Because you’re dealing with waves instead of tight curls, you can divide the hair into slightly larger sections, which means you’ll use less heat overall and move through the straightening faster. Finish with a blast of cool air, which helps to set the look and prevent frizz.
Straight, fine hair
The hair is already on the straight side so in this case the emphasis is on adding sleekness. Start with damp hair and add gel at the roots. Blow-dry the hair straight down in the direction of growth (i.e., don’t bend the hair against your natural part). A quick touch of the flat iron will help to lock in the look from the scalp to the ends.
Big thanks to Bevin, Megan and Emily who are all getting the Herbal Essences Touchably Smooth collection.
Do you have any tricks for sleek straight hair? Let us know by posting on our Facebook wall.
Check out the latest from The Thread below.
