Fashionable Friday: Tips for Using a Flat Iron

A flat iron can be a very versatile hair styling tool. I love that it works not only for straightening your hair, but for curling it too! The the key is to know how to use it.

With that said, here are a few tips to make your flat iron your new favorite hair styling tool, that is, if it isn’t already:

Make sure your hair is prepared.

• Use a thermal spray or heat treatment product on your hair while it is still wet for added protection before flat ironing.

• Unless you are using a wet-to-dry flat iron, make sure your hair is clean and completely dry. Any moisture could cause it to frizz up. If you hair feels cool to the touch, then it is probably still damp.

Choosing the right Flat Iron

• If you are looking for investment in a higher quality flat iron, opt for choosing a ceramic flat iron. A lot of inexpensive flat irons have a ceramic coating, but the coating can easily scrape off. Also, if you see the word “nano-ceramic” on the package, it means there is only a small amount of ceramic used, which you will find in less expensive flat irons as well.

• Flat irons with plates that are 1″ to 1.5″ are typically just fine for most hair types but if you hair is extra short or thin, then a narrower plate might work better for you. In general, the smaller flat irons and easier to control and that is a bonus if you have short hair and are working closely to your scalp.

• If you are looking to curl your hair with a flat iron, try using one that has rounded edges. This prevents you from getting “dents” in your hair.

To the left is a picture from when I curled my hair using a flat iron. It gives you a different type of curl than if you were to use a curling iron.

Tips for Use:

• Don’t use more heat than necessary. For thick and/or coarse hair, set your flat iron between 350-400 degrees. For finer hair, set the temperature around 300 degrees and for normal hair, set your flat iron temperature between 300 to 380 degrees.

• Before using your flat iron, comb out all the tangles in your hair and section it off in pieces no bigger than the plate size of your flat iron.

• If you are using the flat iron to straighten your hair, is is important to keep the sections small. One of the most common mistakes we make is trying to iron too much hair at once. This will cause uneven heating. You also run the risk of added damage if you iron the same section of hair over and over.

• Curling your hair with a flat iron can be simple if you know how to do it correctly. Unlike using a curling iron, you don’t need to wrap your hair around the iron. Instead, clamp a 1″ section close to your scalp and turn the iron around several times in the direction you want the curl. At first, this can be very time consuming while you get the hang of it. But once you get used to curling your hair with a flat iron, it will take you no time at all.

• Lastly, make sure to clean your flat iron every so often. Hair products can build up on the plates, causing the iron to not work as effectively. To clean your flat iron, heat it on the lowest setting and wipe it with a non-abrasive cloth. There are flat iron cleaners out there, but I think just a cloth and heat will do the trick.

What are your flat ironing tips? We’d love for you to share!