How to Create Smooth Hairstyles for Natural Hair Using a Flat Iron

Creating the perfect hairstyle is essential for every woman, but it can be difficult to choose what type of hairstyle to wear every day. Different outfits go with different hairstyles, just like different events call for different hairstyles. While this may all seem very complicated, women tend to spend hours preparing for any kind of even and this also includes a time-consuming hair-do that will complement the entire look they are going for that day or for the specific event they are attending.

With a busy schedule, many women forget about taking good care of their hair and simply start styling with a flat iron right away. This could be bad for their hair, even when they are using the best flat iron for natural hair. Going the extra mile and taking some time to follow a proper hair-care regimen before plugging the flat iron in is essential if they want to maintain the health, shine, and sleekness of their hair.

Step 1: Start With A Wash

Before thinking about putting styling products in hair or taking out the flat iron, the first step is always to wash your hair. This step forms the foundation of any salon-quality hairstyle and should always be done before you start styling. People have different ideas about how they should wash their hair and often tend to overcomplicate the entire process, when, in reality, it is actually rather simple. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends a simple, yet effective regular wash that includes the following steps:

• Start by wetting your hair thoroughly. There should be no dry strands or parts. Everything should be wet.
• Use an effective shampoo that does not contain any harmful chemicals. Only squirt a small amount of shampoo into your hand.
• While applying the shampoo, use your hands to gently massage it into your hair and scalp. Be gentle as you can damage your hair if you are too rough.
• Once the shampoo has been massaged into your hair, rinse it off. Be sure to get all the shampoo out of your hair – rinse until there are no more bubbles coming out of your hair.
• Use a towel to gently dab away the water until your hair isn’t as wet anymore. Water shouldn’t be running down from your hair after you have dried it with a towel. Do not be too rough with the towel as you do not want to damage your hair.
• Finally, use a comb to carefully comb your hair. Do not yank at your hair as this may break it.

Step 2: Dry Your Hair

After thoroughly washing your hair, you need to follow a proper regimen for drying your hair. If you do not take care when drying your hair, then you can damage your hair, cause tangles and make your hair even more fragile. Many people consider air-drying to be the best solution when it comes to drying hair, but this can, however, be more damaging than using a hairdryer. Prevention reports that allowing natural air to dry out your hair means your hair will be in a swollen position for a long period of time (hair swells up when it comes in contact with water). This puts a lot of pressure on the proteins that keeps your hair intact and can lead to damage.

In order to properly dry your hair, you should use a high-quality hairdryer, but not at its highest heat setting. Try to keep the heat in the lower range and keep the hairdryer at least eight inches away from your head. If you have fragile, thin or fine hair, then set the air stream to a low setting in order to avoid damage. Schwarzkopf also recommends constantly moving the hairdryer so that the air is not focused on one particular location.

Step 3: Finish Off With A Flat Iron

Once you have thoroughly cleaned and dried your hair, then it is time to take the best flat iron for natural hair and complete your style. This step is an essential for many people due to the silky finish it gives you. There are, however, many factors that should be taken into consideration when using a flat iron in order to avoid damaging your hair.

All Things Hair explains that a higher heat setting should be used on thicker parts of your hair, while the temperature should be reduced when you get to the thinner and more fragile parts. They also explain that the heat setting on a flat iron should never exceed 450 degrees and that thin, fragile hair should always only use the lower range of temperature settings.

If you want to ensure your hair is protected from the flat iron, then you can apply a heat-protecting serum before you use your flat iron. Many serums also help to improve shine and leaves a silky finish when you are done ironing your hair.

To create the perfect hairstyle, you have to consider many factors such as your hair type and the type of hairstyle you want. No matter your decision, certain aspects should always be considered when styling your hair. Always start with clean hair, followed by a proper blow-drying technique. The style can then be finished off with the best flat iron for natural hair.