How to straighten curly hair without damage
If you don’t know your hair type, it can be really easy to mess up your hair. For curly girls, this can be a dire mistake. It's very easy to wreck a curl pattern and can take months or even years to recover.
When you figure out your curl pattern, any style is possible–even if you want to straighten your curly hair!
First things first, determine your hair texture. Your curl pattern may be hard to figure out, especially if your hair is damaged. Figure out where you are on the spectrum and care for your hair. If your curl pattern continues to tighten up, care for it accordingly.
HOW TO STRAIGHTEN CURLY HAIR–AND NOT WRECK-IT IN THE PROCESS
Mitigate the damage–because there will be damage.
Get to know your hair type–and texture
It’s not enough to know which type of curl pattern you have. You need to know if your hair is fine, normal, or coarse. It’ll give you an idea of how much heat styling your hair can take and how often you can straighten your hair without damaging your curls. Need a primer? We’ve got you!
Prep curly hair properly
Don’t straighten hair that isn't healthy. If your hair is healthy, make sure it’s washed and conditioned. To avoid frizz, squeeze excess water and pat dry with a towel. Apply an anti-frizz hair serum like Kerastase's Nutritive Oil Serum when hair is fully dry.
Straighten your curly hair
Straighten curly hair with the right tools. Our titanium hair straightener is especially great for coarse, thick hair. The titanium will heat up quickly and retain the heat better than other materials. Straightening with titanium is not only efficient but likely to last.
Make sure to set the temperature to something that won't singe your curls. This will depend on your curl pattern, hair type, and condition of your hair. The rule of thumb is to go for a Goldilocks level of heat: not so hot you fry your hair, not so cool that you need multiple passes to straighten your hair. When straightening your hair, don’t tug!
Curly hair is typically dry, so avoid multiple passes on sections. Work in stages and clip curls back to avoid getting frustrated. Spray heat protector before each swipe of the hair straightener.
Once you're happy with your look, set with hairspray!
Aftercare
Take some time off from heat styling to repair your hair. Rock your natural curly hair and take a break from heat styling from time to time.
Moisturizing is important. Co-washing, hair masks, and leave-in conditioners are your friends! Styling is everything when it comes to keeping your curl pattern looking in tip-top shape, so remember to use a clarifying shampoo on occasion!
Air dry your curls if you can. If it's not possible, use a diffuser and use the dryer in combination with air drying. Plopping may reduce frizz. And if you need to tie your hair up, use elastics that won’t tug!
