How to Style Straight Hair – smartesthairstyles.com – Don’t settle for flat, lifeless, straight hair! Choosing the right haircut and revamping your shampooing routine can add volume, bounce, and life to your straight locks. If you blow dry, curl and straighten your hair properly, you can achieve anything. Master the art of adding volume with a blow dryer; Master the craft of curling your seemingly uncurlable hair; learn to turn your straight curls into smooth curls with a flat iron. With these skills, you can create a range of hairstyles, from tousled hair to elegant updos.
- Choosing the right haircut
1. Go for a pixie cut. A pixie cut can add a lot of volume and movement to short straight hair. To achieve a voluminous pixie, keep the sides short, the top long and add lots of layers in your short tresses. The pixie is a versatile haircut. You can wear it slightly tousled, with a slick back, or with edgy spikes.
2. Try a bob. The classic bob and its modern variations are chic, timeless and flattering. These haircuts are easy to style and maintain. By opting for a short to shoulder length haircut, you reduce the weight of your hair and increase your ability to add volume to your locks.
The severity of the blunt bob creates the illusion of fullness and volume.
When teased, the stacked bob adds movement and volume to fine, limp hair.
A lob or long bob is ideal for fine, thin hair — it allows you to maintain some length while getting rid of straggly ends.
3. Cut your long hair blunt. As straight hair grows, the ends can appear stringy and unkempt. To avoid that ragged look, opt for a long blunt cut. A blunt cut allows you to maintain the length of your hair while creating the illusion of full, thick hair.
If you prefer a less severe look, ask your stylist to add a few face-framing layers.
Too many layers will make fine, straight hair look thin and stringy.
- Shampoo and condition hair
4. Shampoo your hair less often. Shampoo strips your scalp of its natural, nourishing oils. If you shampoo your hair too much, it will become dry and lifeless. Those with fine straight hair need to shampoo their hair more frequently than those with thick straight hair.
Fine, straight hair quickly becomes greasy. Apply shampoo 3 to 4 times a week. Use a volumizing shampoo that doesn’t contain heavy conditioners.
Thick, straight hair benefits from your scalp’s natural oils. Apply shampoo directly to your scalp two to three times a week. Buy a product with natural oils like keratin and argan oils.
5. Take care of your hair according to your hair type. Conditioners not only moisturize, but also ensure a shinier, healthier mane that is less prone to breakage and damage. How many times per week you need to apply conditioner to your hair depends on your hair type.
If you have fine, straight hair, overconditioning will weigh down your locks and make your locks difficult to style. Apply conditioner sparingly after each shampoo. Don’t apply conditioner to your scalp, apply it from the middle of the hair shaft to the ends.
If you have thick, straight hair, the moisturizing properties of conditioners will benefit your locks. Apply a generous amount of conditioner after each shampoo. Don’t apply conditioner to your scalp, apply it from the middle of the hair shaft to the ends.
Consider conditioning first and then shampooing. Reversing the order of your shampooing routine will transform greasy, limp hair into bouncy, glowing locks. First nourish it with a rich conditioner. Then apply shampoo to remove excess oils and residue.
6. Use dry shampoo between washes. Dry shampoo is ideal for people with naturally oily hair. Applying this product between shampoos will absorb the oils produced by your scalp. Dry shampoo turns your lifeless locks into luscious curls in minutes.
Start with dry hair.
Spray the dry shampoo on your roots.
Massage the product into your scalp with your fingertips.
Brush through your hair to evenly distribute the product.
- Dry, curl and straighten hair
7. Blow dry your hair for extra volume. An excellent blow dryer and a quality round brush are the keys to voluminous hair.
Wrap a towel around your hair and squeeze the excess water out of your curls.
Avoid rubbing your wet hair unless you are using a microfiber towel. Doing this with a regular towel will result in frizz and split ends.
If you have long, thick hair, apply a tennis ball-sized amount of volumizing mousse to the roots. If your hair is thinner or shorter, use a smaller handful.
Dry your hair on medium heat until slightly damp.
Section off the top layer of your hair and secure it with a clip at the top of your head.
Pull your hair strand by strand over a round brush while running your blow dryer down the length of your hair. Do not remove the brush immediately when the hair is dry. Letting it sit while your hair cools will help maintain the shape and volume of your curls. You can also run your blow dryer over the curls on the cool setting to help set the shape.
Repeat this process with the top layer of your hair.
8. Take your time curling your hair. When curly, straight hair tends to fall flat within minutes. With patience, time, and attention to detail, you can overcome your hair’s inability to hold a curl.
If you intend to frizz your hair, do not apply conditioner in the shower.
9. For fine hair, set your curling iron to 300°. For thicker hair, set your curling iron to 350°.
Apply a coin-sized amount of volumizing mousse to the roots of your damp hair. Find one that also doubles as a heat shield. Otherwise, spray your hair with heat protectant spray before straightening.
Blow dry your hair for extra volume.
Divide your hair into 2 to 4 layers. Secure the top layers with staples and leave the bottom layer down.
Take a 1 to 2 inch section of hair and lightly coat it with hairspray.
Wrap the section around the shaft and pull tight to distribute heat throughout the hair.
After five seconds, without releasing the curl, lift the clip and slide the barrel out. Use a metal duck clip to secure the curl to your head.
Repeat this until all of your hair is curled.
Once you’ve curled all of your hair, remove any duck clips and shake out your hair.
Spray your hair with a light texturizer instead of hairspray.
10. Use a flat iron to achieve a sleek look. Flat irons aren’t just for people with curly or wavy hair – using them on your straight hair will give you sleek, chic, shiny curls.
Set your flat iron to an appropriate temperature for your hair type:
If you have fine hair, set your flat iron between 250° and 300°
If your hair is moderately thick, set your flat iron between 300° and 350°
If you have thick hair, set your flat iron between 350° and 400°.
Apply a heat protectant before straightening your hair. Heat protectants coat the follicle and lock in moisture. They prevent a range of damage such as split ends and fried hair.
Divide your hair into 5 to 7 sections. Secure the top layers with staples and leave the bottom unstapled.
Divide the bottom section into 1 to 2 inch subsections of hair.
To maintain volume, place the flat iron ½ inch below the roots of the first subsection. Quickly slide the straightener down the hair shaft. If you have thick hair, place a fine-toothed comb under the flat iron while straightening your hair to achieve a straight look.
Repeat this process until you reach the top section.
Divide the top section into 1 to 2 inch subsections of hair.
Place the flat iron as close to the roots as possible and quickly slide the flat iron down the hair shaft.
Repeat until you’ve straightened the top section.
Spritz your straight hair with a shine-boosting spray.
- Experimenting with different hairstyles
11. Backcomb your hair for extra volume. When you tease your straight locks, you turn your flat hair into bouncy curls.
Part your hair down the middle or to the side.
Use a comb to create two layers of hair on your head: an upper layer and later an under layer.
Secure the top layer with a duck clip.
With a tail comb, start backcombing the layer below 2 inches from your roots. Remove the comb completely from your hair after each downward stroke. Gradually increase your distance from the roots until you have created the desired volume.
Unclip the top section and gently brush over the backcombed layer below.
Spritz your teased locks with hairspray to lock in the look.
12. Add texture to your straight hair. Achieving the perfect textured hair is especially difficult when you have straight hair. Try adding texture to your straight tresses through one or more methods:
For a beachy look, only curl the middle section of your hair.
To achieve a wavy look, first braid your hair into one or more even braids. Slowly run your straightener down the length of each braid. Remove the elastic, loosen your braid and watch your subtle waves.
To achieve waves without the heat, braid your hair while damp and apply a sea salt spray.
For a perfectly tousled look, spritz your hair with dry shampoo and scrunch up your curls.
13. Wear your hair loose and natural. One of the advantages of straight hair is that it requires very little maintenance and effort to style. Leave your tools and products in the drawer or under the sink. Simply run a brush through your hair and apply for the day.
14. Wear your hair up Updo hairstyles are suitable for every occasion. Tie your hair in a simple ponytail or a classic chignon. Backcomb your hair and pull it back into a half ponytail. Experiment with different braids – try a fishtail braid, a crown braid, or a series of small side braids.
