Flat irons and curling irons have recently become standard in every woman’s bathroom. If not straightened, many women blow dry their hair to get the look they want. However, heat can be very damaging to our loved locks. If not cared for properly over time, our hair can become dry and straw-like, we will see an abundance of split ends, or we can burn or damage the cuticle of our hair which is irreversible. But, how can we protect our strands from the heat?
Always remember to use a heat protectant. If using a flat or curling iron, spray the fluid into each portion of hair before applying heat. This task is tedious, but extremely important. A popular, inexpensive heat protectant is 425 Got2Be Guardian Angel and can be purchased at most stores and hair salons. Tip: Try only straightening or styling the top layer of your hair. This will cut down on time you spend using the heat protectant and also help to maintain the volume!
The less heat, the better. If you are going to be using a flat or curling iron, stay away from the blow dryer. Let your hair dry naturally. Also, use the lowest heat possible while straightening or curling. Higher heats can cause more damage and increase the possibility of burning your hair or damaging your hair cuticle.
If using a hair dryer, opt for one that is ionic. Hair stylists recommend that if you do not own an ionic hair dryer, simply use the “cool” setting on your current dryer. Ionic hair dryers use negative ions to break down water molecules in your hair. This results in faster drying time and the negative ions cancel out positive ions that are damaging to hair. The “cool” setting on your dryer is less harmful to your hair because it lacks the damaging heat that fries (and frizzes) your locks.
Use a leave-in conditioner or oil like Chi’s Silk Infusion. The conditioner will restore moisture that was depleted during your heated-styling process. Two to four drops should do the trick! Applying an excessive amount will result in a “gunky” look that is shiny, but unnatural. Not to mention that if the oil gets on your face, it’s like spraying Pam (Yes, the cooking spray) and asking for a pimple breakout!
Make sure to shampoo and condition your hair properly. Pay attention to ends of your hair as they are more easily depleted of moisture than the rest of the strand. If you have an oily scalp, concentrate on shampooing the scalp and conditioning the ends. Do as your hair stylist does in the salon: shampoo with hot water and rinse your conditioner with cold to close the cuticles (if you can!).
Use a hair mask at least once every two weeks. Tip: use your hair dryer to intensify the mask! The heat from your hair dryer will open the hair cuticle so that the mask can fully penetrate the strand. S Factor’s “Serious” Conditioner with Sunflower Seed Oil is an excellent, thick mask that only requires three to five minutes of your time!
