Keep scrolling to learn how to easily flat iron your natural hair in just a few simple steps.
How to Flat Iron Natural Hair with Ease
Also, for you curly girls that are still stumped on how to flat-iron your ringlets, it’s a super simple process and we can help! Here’s how to flat iron natural hair at home in just five easy steps:
Step 1: Prep hair.
The best flat ironing results begin with clean, moisturized, and well-protected hair (more on that later). Start by using a clarifying shampoo like Dove Amplified Textures Hydrating Cleanse Shampoo. Used with the conditioner, this helps rid hair of dirt, oil, product, and any environmental grime. Follow this up by treating your hair with a deep conditioning treatment or mask to hydrate and prevent frizz. We love Dove Amplified Textures Moisture Spa Hair Mask in preparation for a flat-ironing routine.
Step 2: Protect and blow-dry.
Starting with clean and damp hair, apply a heat protectant like TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray—especially if you want to see those curls ever again! Allow your hair to air-dry on its own for a few minutes to cut down on blow-drying time. Less time, less heat—music to any natural girl’s ears. Blow-dry your hair in sections using a wide-tooth brush to help prevent breakage. Comb attachments from your blow-dryer can cause tension and break the hair; remove that attachment and replace it with the concentrator nozzle, which helps the airflow directly onto the section of hair you’re focusing on. If you don’t have a brush, you can also use the tension method by holding your hair tautly at the ends while blow-drying in a downward motion. A lot of curly girls swear by this method as they have reported less heat damage specifically when using a lower heat setting while blow-drying. To explain: Heat and tension both help to straighten locks. The two methods together can give you the luxury of deploying a lower heat setting.
Step 3: Flat-iron your hair in sections.
When flat ironing your hair, work in small sections to get your hair straight. There are parts of your hair that need lower temperatures than others. For example, your crown may be thicker than the hair at your nape. Use a higher heat setting on the thicker parts of your hair as they can handle a higher temperature (and will most likely need a higher setting in order to straighten), and use a lower heat setting where your hair is thinner. This will also help prevent heat damage to the thinner areas of your hair. If you’re curious to know which heat setting to use, conduct a patch test first on different areas where texture and thickness vary. However, don’t go any higher than 450 degrees, as you’re not baking cookies! Find that happy medium. Some naturals desire a sleek and shiny look, you can achieve this by using a silicone-based serum and apply section by section before flat ironing. Try Emerge Glow Off Oil Serum. As you flat iron your hair, use a rat-tail comb to chase. The chase method refers to applying a comb in front of the flat iron as you glide towards the end. This technique aids in even heat distribution among each strand. Pass the flat iron on your hair once, but try not to do it twice. Continue this process throughout the entire head.
Step 4: Finish with shine.
If you didn’t use a serum while flat-ironing, you may apply it now to give hair a smooth and shiny finish. Smooth a dime-sized amount onto your hair from root to tip, focusing more on the ends to prevent dryness. Opt for a serum that aims to fight frizz and prevent humidity.
Step 5: Maintain your flat ironed style.
Wrap your hair around your head using your brush to maintain your look and prevent your hair from reverting back to its original state while you sleep. Oftentimes you tend to break a sweat during sleep, and that’s a no-no for our newly straightened strands. Secure locks with a silk or satin scarf to keep in moisture and prevent frizz. Pro tip: Another way to maintain your hairstyle during the week is to use dry shampoo. Yes, curl-friends, we can use this product, too. If the hair gets oily and flat, spray Suave Hair Refresher Dry Shampoo at the roots to absorb oils and revive your hairstyle. Utilize oil-based moisturizers to moisturize the hair during the week, as water-based moisturizers will cause the hair to reset. That’s all your need to know about flat ironing natural hair! Implement these products and steps into your routine for a sleek and straight style.
