How To Use Straighteners On Short Hair – smartesthairstyles.com – Having short hair doesn’t mean you have to wear the same style every day – and all you need is a flat iron to transform your look! As long as your hair is long enough to be tousled, you can easily style a polished straight hair that is perfect for any occasion. If your hair is around chin length, you can also use your flat iron to create modern messy curls. The trick is to use a straightening iron that’s no more than 1 inch wide – if it’s larger, it becomes difficult to control the style.
- Slim and straight
Separate your hair into sections with clips or pins. Starting at the top of your head, pull your hair up, leaving only a 1 inch (2.5 cm) section at the nape of your neck. Use barrettes or bobby pins to keep the rest of your hair out of the way. If your hair is very short, you may need to twist small sections before pinning them.
There is no right or wrong number of sections – you just need to be able to focus on one area at a time. If your hair is a bit longer you might only need to use 2 or 3 clips, but if it’s very short or you have a lot of layers you might need a lot of pins to hold it up.
When you have short hair it is difficult to get every single piece. By clipping the hair out of the way, it’s easier to smooth out hard-to-reach areas that are usually hidden under the rest of your hair.
Working in small sections will also make it easier to straighten your hair without burning yourself.
Spritz the first section with some hairspray. Hold your favorite hairspray at about arm’s length and spritz just a little on the area you left below. Don’t saturate your hair with the hairspray – a light spritz is enough.
It’s best to spray each section before you straighten it. If you spray your hair all at once, the hairspray will dry out and it won’t be as effective.
By keeping the hairspray at arm’s length, you get more even coverage and you don’t have too much in one spot.
Comb the first section to remove tangles. Using a small, fine-toothed comb, detangle the section near the back of your head from root to tip. If you have any snags or tangles, your hair will not be straightened properly.
In addition, running the flat iron over a tangle can tangle your hair worse and even break your hair.
Hold the ends of a 1-1/2 inch section of hair. Hold your flat iron in one hand and then use your other hand to grab a small section of hair from the area you left below. Run your fingers to the end of your hair and then hold it straight so there is tension throughout the length.
The extra tension makes it easier to clamp the flat iron to the roots of your short hair and you can straighten your hair in a single pass. However, if your hair isn’t long enough to hold and straighten at the same time, skip this – you don’t want to risk burning your fingers!
Hold the flat iron horizontally and place it near your roots. Place the top edge of the panels close to your base. Clamp tightly, being careful not to hold your fingers on the ends of your hair.
The smaller your straightener, the easier it will be to get close to your hair roots.
Follow the curve of your head with the flat iron for an elegant look. After closing the flat iron near your roots, release your hair and slide the flat iron all the way down to the tips. While doing this, rotate the straightening iron so that it stays parallel to your head up to the ends. This will help your hair look more naturally straight instead of the straight look you sometimes get with a flat iron.
If you want your hair to be flipped up at the ends, once you get to the bottom, twist your wrist outward. If you want it to fold down, twist your wrist inward at the ends. Just do this in one gentle motion so you don’t end up with a kink in your hair.
This is a great way to tame a swirl—much like you might brush it off with a blow-dry. Just focus on the roots and remember that you may need to turn up the heat on your straightener or go over the section a few times.
Pull the straightener away from your head to add more volume. If you want a style with lots of volume, instead of holding the flat iron close to your head, hold your hair outward as you straighten it. When working the back and sides of your hair, hold the hair so it’s parallel to the floor and then lift it straight up towards the ceiling as you smooth down the top of your head. When you’re done, use the hair straightener to smooth out any parts that seem out of place.
To add volume only at the roots, start by keeping the section away from your head. As you slide the flat iron over your hair, rotate your wrist so the flat iron follows the curve of your head.
Spray and straighten small sections until you’re done. Continue smoothing 1-1.5 inch strands of hair from the bottom section that you left down. Then unclip the section of hair directly above the one you just straightened – again, it should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Spray that with hairspray just like you did in the first section, then smooth out small pieces.
Continue doing this as you work your way all the way up into your hair.
If you wish, spritz your hair with a finishing spray to give it an extra sleek look.
- Messy Curls
Mist your roots with dry shampoo if your hair doesn’t usually curl. If your hair is fine, you may notice that your curls fall out quickly. A quick spritz of dry shampoo will add texture to your hair that will help keep the curls in place longer.
This will also help your curls last longer as it will absorb oils that could be making your hair look limp. You can also use this to add hold to freshly washed hair.
Section your hair with pins or clips. Since you’re working from the bottom up, use a clip to hold your hair up so you can reach the bottom. If you have smaller pieces that won’t fit in the clip, use bobby pins to keep them out of the way. The bottom section should be about 1-1.5 inches wide, but since this is a messy style, it doesn’t have to be perfect.
If the bottom section of your hair is too short to curl, start with the first section that is at least 2-3 inches long.
Spritz the bottom section with hairspray and then comb through. Hold the hairspray at an arm’s length from your head and lightly brush the entire section. However, do not saturate it – this will make the hair clumpy. Then comb your hair with a fine-toothed comb to make sure it doesn’t get tangled.
By holding the can or bottle farther away, you’ll get a more even coat of hairspray.
Take a 1-1/2 inch section of hair and hold the ends. Take a section of hair about the width of the flat iron and hold it away from your head. Grasp the hair firmly at the ends to keep it taut.
This will make it easier to clip the straightener onto your hair.
You can make bigger curls if you want, but with short hair, it’s best to stick to smaller sections.
Clamp the straightening iron vertically directly under the hair roots. Hold the flat iron straight up and down as you place it on your hair. Don’t start the curl right at the root – this creates more of an old-fashioned, formal curl. Instead, start about 1/2 – 1 inch below the roots for a messy, modern look.
This is especially important on the top layer of hair, where the extra volume will be more noticeable.
Holding the straightener horizontally will just make your hair look like it’s twisted up or down at the ends.
Twist the flat iron and then slide it over your hair. Once you close the flat iron on your hair, rotate your wrist as far as you can — it doesn’t matter which way right now. Then slowly pull the flat iron all the way down to the ends.
If you want even more relaxed curls, pull the ends of your hair firmly as you release them from the flat iron. You can also go over the ends with the flat iron for a beachy look.
Continue curling your hair, alternating directions. Take the next section of hair and curl it in the same way, but this time twist your wrist in the opposite direction. Do the same all the way along this section, changing direction each time. Then unclip the next section, spray it with hairspray and do the same again. However, when you get to the front pieces, roll them away from your face for the most flattering look.
Alternating the direction of the curls gives the look a livelier, more natural look. Curl your hair all in the same direction to give it a “done” look.
Let the curls cool so they become firm. When you’re done curling, wait about 5-10 minutes. Once they’re cool, you’re ready to style them – but check the temperature with your fingers first.
If you style the curls while they’re still warm, they’re more likely to fall flat.
Work a pea-sized amount of pomade through your hair. Take a small amount of styling product and rub between your fingertips. Then scrunch it into your hair, being careful not to separate the curls too much.
This will add texture to your curls and also help give them a little extra hold.
If you’re happy with how your curls look, there’s nothing else you need to do! If you want a messier look, tousle your hair a bit with your fingers while applying the pomade.
For even more volume, spritz your hair with a little more hairspray and then scrunch it up.