How To Straighten Short Curly Hair - smartesthairstyles.com - If you want to straighten your curly short hair, there are simple methods that will help you do it without taking too much time. Start by washing your hair with shampoo and conditioner that contain straightening effects, then brush out your curls to keep your hair tangle-free. Use a blow dryer to start the straightening process and finish with a hair straightener for super smooth curls. If you'd rather not heat straighten your hair, use the wrap technique by wrapping sections of hair around your head and securing them with pins.
- Wash curly hair
Use shampoo and conditioner that straighten your hair. When you wash your hair, look for shampoos and especially conditioners that say they have smoothing effects. This will help your hair straighten more easily, giving it a smoother, shinier appearance.
Visit your local supermarket or grocery store to find shampoos and conditioners marketed as "smoothing" or "smoothing."
Using a post-shampoo conditioner will add moisture to your curls so they don't frizz as easily.
Pat your hair dry with a microfiber towel to prevent frizz. Aggressively towel drying your hair by rubbing the towel back and forth across your hair will frizz your curls. Instead, use a soft microfiber towel or t-shirt to gently blot your hair. This absorbs extra water without activating the curls or causing unnecessary friction.
Pat your hair in small sections to get the most moisture out.
Brush your curls with a paddle brush or comb. Do this right after washing and conditioning your hair so it is still damp. Removing any knots or tangles before drying will help create a smoothing effect that makes smoothing easier.
Take the time to brush out your curly hair to make sure you detangle each section.
Apply a smoothing cream, smoothing balm, or leave-in conditioner to smooth your hair. If your hair is super curly and you're worried about frizzing if you blow dry or straighten it, squeeze out a dollop of straightening cream or spritz on some leave-in conditioner. Apply the product to your hair, rub the cream into each strand or spray the product evenly.
Look for a leave-in conditioner or smoothing cream at your local supermarket or beauty salon.
Pay special attention to the hair around your face, as these areas are often the most frizzy.
- Blow dry hair
Cut your hair back into sections for easier drying. Divide your hair into 2-4 tufts depending on whether your hair is thin or thick. For example, you could clip the top section of your hair up so you can blow dry the bottom section first if your hair is thinner. Use large hair clips or hair ties to section your hair into manageable strands.
Thicker curly hair may need 3-4 sections, with the top half of your hair divided into 1-2 sections and the bottom half divided into 2 sections.
Set your hair dryer on a cold setting to reduce frizz. Avoid the heat setting on your hair dryer and instead set it to "cool" or "cold" air. Cooler air may take a little longer to dry your hair, but it will help ensure your hair doesn't get frizzy and instead stays straight with no curls.
Brush out 1 inch sections of hair with a round brush. Place the round brush under each section near your roots while running the brush down the length of your hair. Having the round brush under your hair while blow-drying allows you to create volume while drying and straightening your hair.
Consider using a round boar bristle and nylon brush for best results.
Point the hairdryer nozzle downwards while drying your hair. While pulling the round brush down each strand of hair, straighten the blow dryer and blow cool hair down each hair length. This prevents your hair from frizzing and creates a sleek look. Run the blow dryer down the length of the hair while also moving your brush down.
Pointing the blow dryer up at each section encourages your hair to curl and frizz.
Make sure you blow dry each section thoroughly as a damp section can also lead to frizz if allowed to air dry.
- Using a hair straightener
Dry your hair thoroughly before using a hair straightener. Using a flat iron on your hair while it is still damp can damage and burn your hair. Touch your hair to ensure it is completely dry before straightening.
If you hear a hissing sound when using the hair straightener, it means it is still damp and needs to be dried further.
If you are unsure whether your hair is completely dry or not, it is best to use a blow dryer on your hair for a few minutes, just in case.
Spray a heat protectant on your hair to avoid damaging it. Thoroughly apply the heat protectant to your hair before straightening, otherwise the flat iron may damage your hair. Lift the top layer of your hair as you spritz to make sure you cover all of your hair evenly.
Consider brushing your hair again after spraying on the heat protectant to distribute it evenly.
Divide your hair into 2-4 sections for easier straightening. Put the top section of your hair in a bun on top of your head so you can easily smooth down the bottom layer, or cut your hair into different sections to make it more manageable. Start with the bottom layer to make sure you straighten each section of hair.
After you've finished straightening one section of hair, you can easily detach the next strand for straightening.
Run the flat iron over sections of hair while pulling the hair taut. Take a 1-2 inch section of hair and pull it down with your fingers to make it stiff and straight. Clamp the heated flat iron around the section of hair, starting at your roots, and slowly run the flat iron down the length of the hair. Do this 2-3 times per 1-2 inch section of hair so each strand is super smooth.
Avoid holding the flat iron on your hair for more than a few seconds without moving it as this can burn your hair.
Keep the temperature of your straightener below 350°F (177°C) to avoid damage.
Straighten a pixie or men's cut by starting near the roots. If your hair is very short, you should try to start straightening as close to your roots as possible. Run the flat iron over each strand of hair a few times, curling the flat iron towards the bottom to give your hair a softer finish.
If your hair is long enough, clip the top section away from the hair in front of your face to slightly smooth the front.
If necessary, use a set of mirrors so you can see the back of your hair while straightening.
Apply a finishing product to your hair to keep it smooth. This could be something like an anti-frizz serum or spray to add shine and nourishment to your hair, or even a hairspray to keep stray hairs in place. Spray or rub the finishing product evenly over your hair and comb it through your hair with a brush or comb, if desired.
Spritz on hairspray and use your hands to smooth down any flyaways, or squeeze out a coin-sized amount of anti-frizz serum and rub it through your hair.
- Wrap your hair to avoid using heat
Dry your hair on a cool air setting until it's mostly dry. Plug in your hair dryer and set it on a cool air setting. Use this to dry your hair strand by strand until it is almost dry but still slightly damp. Brush your hair while blow drying it with cool air to start the straightening process.
Oftentimes, using a blow dryer on the cool setting while continuously brushing through your hair will straighten your hair.
Brush through your hair to make sure it's untangled. Once your hair is mostly dry, brush or comb through for a minute or two to ensure there are no knots or tangles in your hair. Keep it as straight and smooth as possible while wrapping it around your head to ensure your hair dries smooth.
Use a boar-bristle comb or brush to smooth your hair as much as possible while brushing.
Wrap sections of hair around your head and pin in place. Take a damp strand of your hair and wrap it around your head as much as possible and pull tight. Use a large bobby pin (or more) to pin the section of hair in place to keep it from moving. Do this with the other sections of hair until all your hair is wrapped around your head.
To keep your hair from getting frizzy when you sleep on your wet hair, cover your head with a silk scarf or sleep on a satin pillowcase.
Use a headscarf to cover your hair if it's too short to pin it up. If you have a pixie or men's cut that's too short to hold bobby pins, brush your hair thoroughly with a boar-bristle brush. When you have straightened your hair with the brush, cover your head with a satin headscarf and secure it with a bun at the back or at the bottom of the head.
Make sure the satin scarf fits snugly against your head so it doesn't move at all.
Wait for your hair to dry before removing the pins or headscarf. The next morning or a few hours later if your hair is very short, carefully remove the headscarf and pins. Once all the bobby pins are removed and your hair is brushed through, it should be straight!
If you remove the bobby pins and bandana and find that your hair is still damp, wrap it around your head again and cover it with the bandana to let it dry.
