All About Straight Hair

If you have been blessed with fairly straight hair, then you are lucky and the envy of many women (myself included). Thick hair that is mostly straight, with maybe a slight wave is usually the easiest hair to style. 

Your natural wave loves to be curled and styled, and yet is easy to straighten and looks fabulous worn straight. Women with tight curly hair, or fine, dead straight hair that has little body and refuses to hold curl (yes, that's me!) struggle to style our hair at times.

If your hair is not quite as straight as you want it, you have some easy options to temporarily straighten your hair: straightening products, hair dryer or straightening iron.

If your hair is really not straight and you want to get rid of your curl permanently (well, at least 6 months), you have the option of professionally straightening your hair.

HOW TO BLOW DRY HAIR STRAIGHT

Blowdrying your hair straight is definitely the cheaper option to permanently straightening your hair - all it takes is a few tools and products and a bit of practice.

WHAT DO I NEED?

- A hairdryer
- A large round brush. The size of the brush will depend on the length of your hair - your hair needs to be long enough to wrap around the brush once.
- A large paddle brush for final smoothing.
- Clips to keep hair out of the way. Large flat clips that hairdressers use work best.
- Styling products - products that protect your hair from moisture and hold the style. Moisture is what reverts the hair back to its natural wave, so products like mousse protect hair from moisture as well as heat damage.
- Gloss or serum to smooth over hair, remove frizz and finish off the look

Start by washing your hair with a volumising range. Browse our Volumising range. 

Comb with a wide-toothed comb to remove any tangles. Partially blow-dry your hair to get rid of excess moisture. 

Spray a volumising tonic on your hair, or a handful of mousse spread from tips to ends for extra oomph. 

Pin hair up and take out small sections at a time to blow-dry. Hold the dryer in one hand and a styling brush in the other. 

Place the brush underneath the first section of hair and position it at the roots. Keep the tension on the hair (without tugging too hard) and move the brush down towards the ends, while directing the air flow down the hair, following the movement of the brush. 

Blow-dry using a large, round brush with a metal core. Wind hair completely up the brush, focusing on creating lift at the roots. Gently blast hair with a hair-dryer until dry.

Browse our range of Hairdryers. 

Curl the brush under at the ends to achieve a slight bend. Continue until the back sections are completely dry and then repeat on the top sections of hair.

Finish with a light, flexible hairspray. Browse our range of HairSprays. 

Remember, practice makes perfect! 

HOW TO USE A STRAIGHTENING IRON

WHAT DO I NEED?

- A temperature controlled straightening iron
- Styling products - products that protect your hair from moisture and hold the style. Moisture is what reverts the hair back to its natural wave, so products like mousse protect hair from moisture as well as heat damage.

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

Also start with clean, DRY hair. If possible, use a leave-in conditioning spray after washing your hair, but before starting to straighten.
Hair must be completely dry, as slightly damp hair will respond badly to straightening. Also using a heated appliance on damp hair causes the hair to "cook" from the steaming, swelling the hair shaft and forcing the protective moisture from the cortex of the hair.

Use a flat iron appropriate for your hair length. Wider irons are suitable for very long hair, but most women are better off using an appliance with heating plates 1" to 1 ½ " wide. These smaller irons offer better control and are lighter in weight.

Section your hair into small, manageable sections. If you try and straighten a big chunk of hair at once, you will get an uneven result. The hair on the outside might straighten but hair in the middle won't have been straightened. Work on smaller sections and you will get a much straighter look.

Use a small amount of styling product to maintain the style. Using a spray of hairspray on the straightened sections, or a small amount of mousse or gel when drying your hair, will extend the life of your hair style. Your straightened hair will last longer.
INSTRUCTIONS

Take a small section of hair. Starting at the roots, work the flat iron through the length of your hair slowly, but keep the iron moving.

After each draw, comb your hair smooth.

Continue, piece by piece until all of your hair is straight.

PROFESSIONAL HAIR STRAIGHTENING

PERMANENT STRAIGHTENING

What is it? It's a perm that improves the condition of the hair as it straightens it. There are a few names for it - Bio Ionic Professional Haircare System, Japanese Ionic Hair Straightening - yet they are all the same.

How does it work? First a treatment to prep your hair. Next, a setting solution. Then a rinse and light dry off before hours of flat-iron work. After this, you have straight hair. They rinse again and apply a solution so your hair remembers to stay straight. A quick dry off and iron and you're done. But no washing your hair for two days.

What hair types are (most) suitable? Those with thick, healthy, unbleached hair are the best candidates.

Which hair types are not suitable? Fine, weak or dry hair or hair that is overly processed/colored. However there are lotions that cater to variations in strength and thickness, meaning those with fine but strong hair can still get the treatment.

How long does it take? Usually about five hours. If the hair is very thick, curly or long it can take up to 10 or 11 hours.

How much does it cost? It can range anywhere from $150 to $1000 depending on the salon and the particular solutions being used (ie Bio Ionic is more expensive than Japanese solutions)

Some quick-fixes include using permanent straighteners and relaxers- most of which you can find in supermarkets and drug stores to apply in your own home.

A relaxer is best suited for people who have hair that is especially difficult to style. This usually applies to people of African or Caribbean descent who have coarse and frizzy hair. The relaxer is a strong chemical substance that is applied to dry hair and then left on the hair anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. The relaxer works chemically with the composition of your hair, weighing it down in certain areas and removing curls. Relaxers must be reapplied to new hair growth.

How-to create the new waved flapper bob

The cut:

To state the obvious, the tousled bob will not quite work if you have long hair, so this style is specifically for those who embrace short locks, or even those who like to experiment and surprise themselves. But, Mark Fast and his hair team did take the challenge and made it work for longer hair (see the styling steps below).

If we were to look back at the Flapper era, the traditional cut was always just where the ears ended or slightly above it. It was a clear bob cut. Flapper girls never had their hair long, which also added to androgynous feel of the look.

But when we translate the look in 2012, we want to make it look as modern, glamourous and effortless as we can. Since a very short bob demands high maintenance, make this look yours by keeping your hair shoulder length or an inch below the ears.

However, if you do want to experiment with your locks this New Year, then brave the scissors and go with an above the ear cut. But keep in mind that the styling will be a little more time taking and tricky.
The tools:


To style this look effectively, you’ll need the following tools: 

Tail comb brush
Wire rods (if available)
Curling tong
Flat iron
Curl enhancing cream
Working spray
Hairspray
Lots of hair pins

Styling it:
At the Mark Fast spring 2012 show, Tigi’s hair team is to be credited for creating the look on the runway. James Pecis shares his styling tips on ways to get the tousled bob at home and making it street-friendly.


With wire rods:


The styling for a textured, tousled bob works best on second-day hair. If it’s freshly washed then prep the hair with a working spray and run your fingers through it. Tigi used ‘Catwalk by TIGI Session Series Work It Hairspray’ for the runway show.

Create a side part and flip the hair on one side. Use a tail comb brush and backcomb the hair around the hairline and the parting. You need to create a cushion around the head for hairpins to grip on. Don’t backcomb around the crown.

If using wire rods (though not compulsory – see below), wrap small sections of hair in figure of eights around the wire rod. Spray some hair spray on the wire rod. Use a flat iron and set the rods in place. This will give a flat wave in the hair and adhere to the 1920s look. Do it all over the outer layer of your hair.

Leave the wire in for about 20 minutes. On removing the rods, use your fingers to soften and break the shape of the curls.

If you have long hair, take the ends of the hair and secure it underneath with bobby pins. This will create a U-shaped bob with very clean lines.

Spray some hairspray and set the curls in place. The team used ‘Catwalk by TIGI Session Series Finishing Hairspray’ for this particular look.

Pull a few loose pieces out to make the look more distressed and sexy. Finish off with some shine spray, if required.

However, if you’re using a curling tong to create the 20s tousled bob, then follow the steps below.




Prep the hair by following steps 1 and 2 above.




Curl relatively large chunks of hair strands on medium heat.


When the hair has come down to room temperature, use a paddle brush to comb out the curls.



Take a flat iron and flatten the area around the hairline by pressing the hair on medium heat. Don’t run your iron over the curls; it’ll loose its shape. Spray some hairspray and set the curls in place.



Finish off with some shine spray, if required.

Oil doesn't have to give you that greasy look.

So what’s the product like? The texture is not greasy. If you rub it on your hands, it actually moisturises without feeling  sticky. It also acts as a water repellent so your hair dries quicker, plus, it helps to fill in the gaps on your hair shaft, and thus evens out the damaged areas of your hair, increasing shine.

After applying a Moroccan oil hair mask and using some of the oil treatment before blow-drying, hair feels soft and not weighed down or dried out – even after an intense blowout. It doesn’t get flat or oily by the next day either. Turns out this Moroccan Oil craze might be catching on for a reason.

How to use it? Hair can get limp quickly so the idea of oil can turn people away.

Here’s what we learned:

First, wash hair and towel dry.

Use about a quarter-sized dose before combing out your hair as it will help detangle it. Rub the product in your hands and apply from roots to ends, but concentrate on the ends especially if your hair is very fine.

It’s great to put on before using hot styling tools as it protects hair from up to 400-degree heat.

Another great tip: Use it before swimming. Wet hair with tap water, apply the oil and then throw on a bathing cap. This is a trick that protects your hair from drying chlorine and definitely recommend to use it the next time you head to the pool.

Drop by a salon near you to check out the product line.

MOROCCANOIL® Treatment $39/100ml.

Dry Shampoo Basics

Think of those mornings when you hit the snooze button a few too many times, and you wake up with barely enough time to pull on some clothes and rush out the door to the office. Thanks perhaps to some perverse joke being played by the goddess of coiffures, those frantic occasions also tend to coincide with your worst cases of bed head. When the-sebaceous glands attached to your hair follicles have unleashed an oil slick worthy of the Exxon Valdez. Your 100,000 to 120,000 or so of hairs weighted down with that oil—which is really a combination of accumulated cell debris, chemical components of sweat and various tiny pieces of dirt picked up from the air- are protruding every which way, creating a look reminiscent of the lead character in the Calvin & Hobbes comic strip. Of course you don’t have time to shampoo and rinse your rebellious locks in the shower, and then dry and reshape them.

Well, don’t go to pieces. Hair care technology has an ingenious solution for you: dry shampoo, a water-free way to freshen and restyle your hair when you don’t have time for a leisurely scrub. Just sprinkle or spray the preparation on your hair, wait a few moments for it to absorb the oil, and other gunk then brush or blot it out. Dry shampoo enthusiasts, of whom there seem to be a growing number, insist that some of their favorite designer brands will give your hair a shiny, bouncy volume that’s nearly as good as what a stint under the shower nozzle would accomplish. Beyond that, the latest pearl of wisdom from hair care gurus, is that a daily wash-and-rinse with a detergent shampoo may strip away too much natural oil from your hair. Follicular fashionistas are reverting to the once-a-week hair-washing regimen of decades ago, when stylish dames went to the salon. Between salon visits, shampoos are enough to keep you looking good, according to proponents.

We would say try it. It does help, and there is nothing wrong with letting your hair stay un-washed for a couple days.

Three Totally Different, Super Sexy Weekend Hairstyles

Getting bored of your  go-to hair looks already this winter?Thankfully, these three celebs were out this weekend showing off some totally covetable styles to inspire you to switch things up a bit.

Camilla Belle wore a totally twisted up-do that we can’t take our eyes off of. Since it’s meant to look messy, you can easily recreate it by twisting up different sections with pins.

The always-adorable Carey Mulligan rocked a teased-on-top hair bump that, as she proves, looks hot on any hair length.

Odette Yustman shows us that super shiny soft waves are always a sexy choice for a night out. Copy her deep side part for extra drama.

Which look was your favorite?

How Hot Should Water Be to Clean Hair?

Use Hot Water For A Deep Cleaning

• Hot water breaks up oil and product build-up on hair

  Using hot water--as hot as is comfortable--will open pores and break up oils near the scalp. The warmer the water, the more oils will break down and be carried away with a rinse. If the hair has extra product or oil on it, hotter water may be the best choice for a thorough cleaning.

Too Much Hot Water Can Be Harmful

• The ends of long hair need protection from heat

  Using hot water on a regular basis is generally not recommended. If too much of the natural oil is stripped away, then the skin of the scalp could become dry. Also, too much heat--whether from hot water, hot curlers or hair dryers--will eventually cause damage to the individual hairs, causing breaks and split ends. This is a greater concern for those with long hair that is not trimmed as often.

Bottom Line

• The temperature used at most salons for shampooing is lukewarm to warm. For everyday washing--or every other day, as some recommend for preserving natural oils--warm water allows much of the dirt and oils to be carried away, without adding enough heat to dry out the scalp or damage the hair. For extra shine, follow with a cool-water rinse to "lock in" moisture from conditioner and close up hair follicles on the scalp.

Source: Ehow Style

What is Hair?

Hair forms part of the integumentry system of the body, consisting of hair, skin, nails and sweat and oil glands that act as a barrier to protect the body from the outside world.

Humans are covered all over in hair, except on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the lips. Hair is most obvious on the head and face (including the nose and ears in some people), the armpits, the groin, legs and in men, the chest.

Humans have much less visible hair than do other primates like apes and monkeys. Surprisingly, however, a square centimetre of human skin carries a greater number of hair-producing sites (called follices) than the same area of the skin of other primates. We have lost the requirement for insulating our bodies, and presumably the hair which animals need for this.

Hair is a remarkably tough material. It can stand up to considerable abuse, but over time this can wreak havoc with its natural properties. In particular, its porosity can be badly affected, so that it breaks easily and cannot be styled satisfactorily.

Hair is Tough But....

On the other hand, we can recognize hair that is in good condition. It shines, it is easy to manage - it just looks good. Even though the hair shaft is technically 'dead', in that its cells are no longer dividing, we may describe it as 'healthy'. So why can its properties change so much that the hair loses this 'healthy' appearance?

Sometimes this may be due to a medical condition such as poor nutrition: starvation or anaemia due to a lack of protein in the diet can damage the hair. In famine conditions, some people's hair changes as it grows from black to gingery-red if they cannot get enough protein.

We have seen that in older people hair may not be able to grow as long as it used to, and may become thinner and lose its pigmentation. It might be thought to be less healthy. But it can still maintain its structure, and indeed many elderly people have beautiful hair.

Probably the most obvious aspect of healthy hair is its shine - its ability to reflect light. This property depends mainly on the cuticle of the hair shaft, and how intact it is.

The appearance of the hair is the one feature of the body over which humans, unlike other primates, can have direct control. You can change the length, shape, color and style of your hair (including, for men, facial hair) according to the age you wish to appear, and the economic and social status you want to claim.

The style, length and condition of hair all play a part in how we perceive the people we meet.

Hair care - Preventing damage

Hair is 'dead', and we cannot permanently repair any damage that happens to it. You only get one chance with your hair! This is why it is so important to treat your hair properly, so as to prevent damage. Adopt a good hair care routine.


If you are to get the best possible results from your hair care routine, you need to choose the correct shampoo and conditioner for your hair. These products should contain natural ingredients.