One of the most essential hair styling tools of all time is theflat iron. As many, many women know, hair straighteners are the best way to get sleek, silky hair at home, quickly and easily. Before these tools came along, straightening was done chemically (putting your hair at risk of frizz and damage) or with a hairdryer (not always as easy to get dead straight locks). When the flat iron came along, getting straight hair was easier than ever. Although there is no doubt that this tool is one you will treasure forever, it does not always give you flawless results if you don’t use it properly.

Flat Iron Mistakes to Avoid

If you’re not getting the straight locks you’ve been wanting, you may be making one of these mistakes...

Not using thermal protection.

You are using extremely hot ceramic plates directly on your hair when you use this tool.Thermal protection sprays or lotions are made to coat the hair so that you can safely apply heat without causing damage. Not using thermal protection will burn your hair and leave it looking like a frizzy, damaged mess. 

Not separating hair into sections.

Unless you havevery short hair, you cannot expect to straighten all your hair in one go. You will need to separate your hair into sections and do small sections at a time. For fine hair, use a smaller sized iron. For thick hair, it’s best to use a larger size. Separating your hair as you go will smooth down each part until all of the hair is straight.

Not moving from the root down.

If you’re new to straightening, you may think that you can start anywhere and just go. Just as there is a technique to blowdrying your hair, there is also one to follow when straightening. This is why you need to work in sections. You will take a small section of hair, lift it up, bring the straightener over the section and then slowly and carefully move the iron from the roots to the tips. You can go over the section until it is straight and then move to the next section.