For a long time, many women believed that it was betterhave straight hair than curly hair. After all, straight hair could be curled in any way. And even when only curly hair and elastic curls were in fashion, straight hair could be styled with curlers or electric curling irons, chemical hair perm was also popular. But when straight, perfectly smooth hair came into fashion, it was more difficult to cope with styling. Owners of straight hair had nothing to worry about, but straightening curly hair was a real torture. Nobody had heard of a hair straightener then, although this styling device appeared a long time ago, but it began to be widely used only at the end of the 20th century. Today, there are straighteners with various attachments that give strands of hair different effects - corrugation, waves, etc. According to their application, straighteners are divided into professional (called stylers) and household. Their differences are in power, durability, temperature control, and the number of different attachments. It would seem that there is nothing complicated in straightening hair with an iron, but styling done correctly will not harm your hair, and for this you need to follow certain rules. With the help of an iron, styling can be done not only on long hair, but also on short hair, and not only to straighten it, but even to add curls and ringlets!
A bit of history
In fact, the hair straightener waswas patented at the very beginning of the 20th century – in 1906. It was a device with metal teeth that heated up and combed the hair along its entire length like a comb. Later, hot combs appeared, in which not the teeth themselves, but the entire base heated up. However, such devices were of little help in straightening elastic curls. An analogue of the modern iron was patented in 1909. It consisted of two metal plates that heated up, pressed tightly against each other and straightened the hair. It is horrifying to imagine how this device damaged the hair. Perhaps this is why, and also because curls and curls were in fashion for almost the entire century, this device did not gain popularity. By the end of the 20th century, when straight smooth hair began to come into fashion, curls were straightened with a hair dryer and a brush, but this did not give the desired effect. The appearance of the hair straightener caused a real sensation, and was effective in straightening even the most stubborn curls. The straightener was similar to tongs, with a metal coating, which pressed a strand of hair and ran along its entire length. Straightening hair became no more harmful than curling it with metal tongs or a curling iron. Over time, the coating of the plates of the straightener changed, becoming more gentle. The most popular today is a ceramic coating, which does not harm the hair.
Choosing the right ironing
In hairdressing slang, a hair straightener is often calledstyler (this applies more to professional models), tongs, curling iron, straightener. To choose the right iron for you, it is worth considering many factors and characteristics of the device. Application If you are a hairdresser, then you should choose a professional hair styler. Such a device has a temperature controller, replaceable attachments for any hair length, as well as for various effects, fast heating, durability in use, but, of course, a high price. If you choose a hair straightener for home use, which will be used for styling every day, it would be best to choose a simpler household model. Such a device will heat up longer, will not have high temperatures, but will do less harm to your hair with regular use, and will also be much cheaper. Temperature controller Many household models of hair straighteners, like professional ones, are equipped with a temperature controller. It is needed to properly style your hair without damaging it, choose the right temperature depending on the type of styling, hair type, etc. Maximum heating will straighten a strand of hair in one movement, but will also dry out your hair a lot. But heating at minimum is much more gentle on hair, but straightening will take longer. Shape and width Hair straighteners can have a wide and narrow working surface. A wide one will straighten a strand of hair faster and more evenly, it is usually used to style long hair. But a narrow one will allow you to properly style your bangs and is suitable for short hair, it will allow you to straighten a strand from the very root. A narrow iron should be used to straighten thinner strands, but a wide one can grab thicker ones. The shape of the tongs can be slightly rounded, this is good when styling with curling the ends of the hair inward or outward. Coating This is the most important characteristic to pay attention to when choosing. If you only need a straightening iron for straightening, then additional attachments and functions will not play such a primary role as the coating of the iron plates.
- Metal coating
Irons with a metallic coating that waseven the very first models are distinguished by the lowest price. The metal heats up well, but unevenly, and in places of overheating it can simply damage the hair. Although, if you plan to use the iron 3-4 times a month, then such a device will be enough for you.
- Ceramic coating
The most common today.A simple iron with ceramic plates will not cost much more than a metal one. Ceramic plates heat up much more slowly than metal ones, but more correctly and evenly. With their help, you can style your hair every day.
- Teflon coating
The characteristics of this coating are similarceramic, but it is much more gentle on hair, causing virtually no harm to it. Such a straightening iron will glide well over hair, preventing styling products from sticking to the surface. Ceramic coatings can be supplemented with various plates made of other materials or by applying some kind of spraying to them. For example, thin marble plates over a ceramic coating prevent hair from overheating. Tourmaline spraying smoothes the hair cuticle, and the application of ionization restores and heals hair. Such straightening irons will be expensive, but they are ideal for styling damaged hair, in order to avoid causing additional damage to it.
We lay hair ironing
Regardless of what kind of styling you want to do on your hair, straighten it or curl it, there are a few general rules to follow for any type of styling with an iron:
- Pure hair
The iron should only be used on clean hair. Styling products left on the hair when heated can cause irreparable damage.
- Dry hair
Washed hair should be dried thoroughly with a hair dryer until completely dry.
- Thermal protection
On damp or dry hair, apply a special product for additional straightening and protection of hair from high temperatures. It is strictly prohibited:
- pull wet or damp hair, as they can simply be burned;
- Use an iron without thermal protection;
- when the plates are heated to the utmost, the iron should be retained for a long time in one place;
- Use ironing if your hair is too weak, or abuse the daily use of ironing.
Straightening your hair So, we have washed andDry hair, with a heat styling product applied to it beforehand. Divide the hair into several horizontal layers and pin the top ones up at the crown. Start straightening the hair from the back of the head. Take not too wide strands of hair, separate them with a flat comb, and iron them from the root to the tip. Move the iron not too quickly and very carefully, so as not to pull out the hair. If the iron temperature is at maximum, then it is enough to run over the strand only once, and if the temperature is lower, then it is worth moving the iron slowly and, perhaps, several times for one strand. Before running the iron over the strand, comb it with a comb. Move on both sides, from the back of the head to the face, gradually lowering the hair from the crown, separating layer by layer. The upper strands of hair should be styled especially carefully, as they will give shine and effect to the entire hairstyle. Lastly, style the bangs. There are usually limiters on the iron plates, but you should be careful not to burn yourself. Curling hair An iron can be used not only for straightening, but also for styling hair into curls and ringlets. In this case, the curls after using the iron will be more natural and organic. Hair should also be washed and dried, and a protective agent should be applied. Take a narrow strand of hair, also starting from the back of the head. Clamp it between the iron plates and make one turn around it. After this, slowly and smoothly move the iron down, from the root to the ends of the hair. The result should be a beautiful curl. We recommend reading:
