Things You'll Need:
- Paddle or large roller brush with plastic bristles.
- Hair dryer with 1750 watts.
- 1 1/2 inch barrel curling iron.
- Paul Mitchell Wax Works.
- Good, layered hairstyle.
- Patience as you learn.
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Step 1
Start with your hairstyle. The key to straightening otherwise curly hair is to have a good, layered hairstyle that will enable you to straighten a section of hair at a time. This works best if your hair is shoulder length or longer, but if you do have shorter hair, try a bobbed hairstyle with minimal layers. Make sure you have your hair trimmed every 8-10 weeks to keep it healthy and strong. This is particularly important if you have thinning or aging hair.
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Step 2
Next, use a good conditioning shampoo and conditioner. Redken makes a very good product that will keep your hair healthy while you are training it to straighten. This is very important, as you will be applying different methods to drying and straightening your hair that are not typically good for your hair.
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Step 3
Once you have used a towel to take the dampness out of your hair, try doing other things while your hair air dries. You want your hair to be on the verge of halfway dry before you start the straightening process. Don't worry that it is curling up on you--you will be taking care of that next.
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Step 4
Stand with your head upside down and dry as much of the dampness out of it as possible. Use your hand to tossle your hair; this will help get the water out more quickly. Then, stand up and right yourself before beginning the next step!
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Step 5
With hairdryer in one hand and your choice of hairbrush in other (I have used both types with equal success), begin with your underneath layers, drying your hair from root to tip using the paddle and/or roller brush. You can start with one side of your head and go all the way to the top, then the other, then the back, or you can work your way around evenly.
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Step 6
Since the top of my hair is the straightest, I tend to pull my hair straight up, starting at the front and working my way back, drying as I go along.
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Step 7
Once you have finished drying your hair with the brush, take your curling iron, which should already be hot and on the highest setting, and reverse to drying it, start with the top layer to give your hair back its body. Take the curling iron, start with the top layers, and go from the root to smooth your hair. Once you get to the tip, curl it under and hold for about 10 seconds. This will give you back the body and will give you a fun, bouncy hairstyle that is straight all over.
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Step 8
Once you are finished, add a pea-sized amount of Paul Mitchell's Wax Works to the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. Then, starting at the thickest part of your hair, run it through your hair, scrunching it a little as you go. This will give your hair a natural texture and hold your hairstyle in place. If you need to add a few curls afterward, go for it. The wax works well with your curling iron.
