How to blow dry hair straight?

[laura888]

Just got back from the salon where the stylist really did a number on my hair - blow-dried it beautifully straight.

I am afraid I won't be able to duplicate this. I heard something about a ionic blow dryer? Any ideas on how to do this?

[davidinalameda]

1. was it gay before

just asking

[laura888]

4. LOL

probably should have seen that one coming.

[MissMillie]

2. I think it involves a very large round brush

But I stopped trying years ago. I have naturally curly hair, and I get to sleep in an extra 10 minutes if I don't try to mess with it too much.

[WildClarySage]

6. Yep large round brush

and preferably a metal barrel which when used while blow-drying your hair will help it straighten out.

I have very curly hair too, but sometimes for a change I'll mess with it and make it straighter. Good luck!

[jeff30997]

3. Call the ionic woman to the rescue!

[Lavender Brown]

5. It's best if you have someone to do the back, since its hard to reach

But you get the ionic dryer with the special pointed attachment on the end, and a hair product meant for blow-drying (Aveda has a good one). And you dry in small sections with a large, round brush. My hair is very curly and I can usually get it pretty smooth if I have the time.

[laura888]

8. wow - thanks!

I'll try that!

[RevolutionaryActs]

7. Big barrel brush

Flip upside down, and brush all of your hair forward, dry it from base to tip, then flip back up and brush out your hair while pointing the stream of air down from the roots to the tip.

If all else fails, I recommend getting a flat iron, or something that like. :)

Good luck! :)

[laura888]

9. beautiful!

thanks!

[Jessica]

10. A straightening hair brush & a ceramic flat iron ...

Speaking from years of experience with unruly hair, this is the only answer. :D

[laura888]

11. thanks! where can I purchase these things?

hair salon?

[Jessica]

16. You can find these ...

pretty much anywhere - Target, if you have a Sally Hansen Beauty Supply, drug stores, etc. Conair makes one of the straightening brushes - and I bought mine at Target. Good stuff.

[CatBoreal]

13. Seconded from a Curly Sue!

Also use a straightening product before blowdrying.

[leftynyc]

12. Just use a hair straightener

I got one at the drug store for $17 (Revlon) and it works wonders on long, thick wavy hair. To ward off damage, I use a shampoo with conditioner and another conditioner on top of that.

[MissMarple]

14. Well, my daughter uses a flat "paddle" brush, not a round one..

You might call the person who styled your hair and ask. The type of brush might differ according to hair type. :D

Also, sectioning the hair can help with the blow drying process.

[LiberalEsto]

15. Back in the 60s

before blow driers became available,
we used to cut the ends off big juice cans and use them as hair rollers, with lots of bobby pins and a heavy spritz of hairspray.

Then we started ironing our hair (on a low setting) so we could have long straight hair like Cher, when the Sonny and Cher show was popular.

I think I would have killed for a blow-drier back then, if they existed.

[Sydnie]

20. Been there - done both

And if you had really long hair (as I always have) we used one pound coffee cans instead of juice cans. We also used to wrap our hair to help straighten it by literally wrapping it around your head.


I recommend using a shampoo and conditioner that is meant to assist in a straight set do (the Physique products by P&G work well for that, but they are discontinuing so many of them). Pantene makes several. When drying your hair, always start at the roots and hold the dryer so that the air blows from the root to the tip. Keeping the air flowing down the shaft will help to keep it from curling. Use a brush (I find any brush as long as I keep it moving down the shaft along with the air) will work. Always dry your hair in front of a mirror so you can see if it is working well. A Frizz-ez type of oil based product works well to help smooth the fly aways (I use one called Laminates), as well as add a nice shine to your hair.

Good luck!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

17. Like the others said: large round brush and some hair products

I have curly hair and blow dry it straight. Here's what I do:

Get all the excess water out of my hair with a towel. Spray in some leave-in conditioner (so it doesn't dry out too much) and work with a round brush one section at a time. The back is the toughest, and I can never really get that right.

I finish by flat ironing a small section at a time. Then I take a handful of Biosilk (makes it shiny) and run it through to kill any frizzies/flyaways.

Total time: 45 minutes.

[laura888]

19. thanks! I'm off to the drugstore!

I'll try yours and some of the other posters' methods.

I really appreciate the advice!

[curlyred]

18. sometimes a silicon product will help smooth things out

They tend to be drying if used on a long-term basis, but as long as you shampoo and condition well, it should be fine.

On the other hand, have you ever been to naturallycurly.com? They have lots of product and hair care recommendations from real people with curly hair. Some of the posters there are "curly nazis" who would NEVER straighten, but most are a little more reasonable about changing things up a bit.

[4_Legs_Good]

21. My co worker uses something called "frizzles" I think.

Anyway, she's got slightly less than shoulder length hair which is naturally quite curly (actually I think it looks better naturally, but I'm all for mixing it up), and she wears it utterly straight most of the time.

It always looks healthy, so whatever she's doing to it isn't causing massive destruction.

Anyway, I need advice on getting my wife's straight thin hair a bit more body, and at the same time a bit less fly-awayey? And possibly stickier so that stuff she does with it will hold better.

david

[JI7]

22. i got one of those ionic brushes from sharper image

but my hair is naturally straight and fine so it probably makes my hair look worse .

it might work well for hair that is more thicker or wavy/curly though.

i see people at shopping malls selling the ionic stuff and they let you try it out there also.

[HeyManThatsCool]

23. Heres what I have found works..... for me

I use Matrix Sleek Shampoo & Conditioner and then use a LITTLE bit of the Sleek styling creme.


Then I use and ionic hairdryer & divide my hair in to 4 sections.
I start from the back underneath & work my way up.


It looks great & I love it. If I want it poker straight I use a hair straightner. I got mine from Sally Beauty Supply for $35.00


Happy Straightening!