Hair straighteners and curlers can be extremely effective styling tools — but please be careful when you use them! If you are not, they can scorch your hair, depleting it of its natural moisture content, and making it brittle and prone to breakage.
Use protective styling aids
The reason why straighteners work so well is also the reason why they cause so much damage: their high heat temporarily resets the shape of your hair. To lessen heat-damage, apply a heat-activated protective styling aid to your mid-length and ends. However, please be aware that no styling aid will completely protect your hair from heat-inflicted damage.
Restore elasticity
Use a pre-shampoo conditioning treatment, such as our Elasticizer, at least one a week. This will help re-hydrate your hair, restoring strength and stretchability to reduce breakage.
Use sparingly
If you have coarse, curly or frizzy hair, using straighteners daily to tame your style can be very tempting. But be warned, the breakage this can cause actually makes your hair look frizzier, when different lengths of hair snap off and stick out.
Try to limit your use of straighteners to once or twice a week, and do not leave the iron on your hair for too long.
Be gentle
Do not pull too hard when straightening or curling – your hair is already vulnerable to breakage, and tension can make it worse.
Replace your hot iron
Water and product residue can build up on hot irons and cause them to stick to your hair, which be very damaging. To avoid this hazard, replace your hot irons when they become sticky and uneven.
Go natural
As an alternative to hot irons, there are many products out there to help tame and smooth all hair types. Or simply embrace the natural texture of your hair!