15 Ways to Style Your Hair With a Flat Iron
We think that you should embrace your natural curls, but sometimes a girl’s just gotta go sleek. So we’re making the case for splurging on a straightener. Here’s why: A high-quality straightener works faster, makes hair smoother and causes less damage than lower quality tools. Plus, it can do WAY more than just straighten your hair. Here are 15 ultra smooth celeb styles (both straight and wavy) along with the all-star straighteners you need to get the same looks.
1. Flipped Out Ends: Julianne Hough’s chin-length bob is straight and polished, but not too perfect. Blow dry your hair with a medium-sized round brush and then use a low heat iron like the GHD 2″ Styler ($225) to add a slight bend at the ends. (via Daily Makeover)
2. Change the Temp: One thing we don’t love about flat irons is that most don’t allow you to change the temperature — which can result in a lot of hair damage. But Cloud 9 Straighteners ($140) have an innovative temperature control, which means you can style from a mild 100 degrees to a steaming 200 to keep your locks looking healthy like Anne Hathaway’s. (via Just Jared)
3. Crimp It: To get a cool crimp like Jennifer Hudson, twist your wrist back and forth as you glide the iron all the way down to your ends. The Corioliss C3 Gold Leopard Hair Straightener ($90) not only look glamorous, but it’s also capable of tackling course and fine hair. (via Cosmopolitan)
4. Matte Bangs: If you’re rocking blunt bangs like Kate Beckinsale, try flat ironing them with a narrow iron like the GHD V Emerald Styler ($235), then spraying them with a dry shampoo to counteract the shine brought on by heat styling. (via Red Book Mag)
5. Create Beachy Waves: Curling with a straightener may seem counter-intuitive, but it gives an edgier curl than a curling iron and it totally works on shorter hair. Use a narrow flat iron like the Chi Ceramic Iron ($99) to get Nicole Richie’s perfectly edgy ringlets. And if you’re as obsessed with purple hair as we are, check out these killer looks. (via Glamour)
6. Long and Straight Drama: If you want to go sleek like Kelly Rowland, check out H2D MK4 Wide Salon Hair Straighteners ($50) which are particularly popular with thicker haired ladies, as the lightweight wide plates make easy work of styling. (via Posh 24)
7. Show Off That Ombré: Straight hair shows off ombré highlights beautifully. The Remington s8500 Shine Therapy Straighteners ($43) feature a digital display and ceramic-coated plates that glide effortlessly through your locks, leaving them with a glossy Ciara-approved finish. (via Daily Makeover)
8. Carefree Curls: When you curl your hair with a flat iron, it makes more natural looking curls and adds more volume without going full bombshell (though we’ll take any style good enough for Scarlett Johansson!). The Hana Professional Flat Iron ($130) is just the tool you need to do it. (via Smart Girl Consulting)
9. Lock Out the Frizz: If you have fine hair that gets frizzy from time to time, you will not need a straightener with very high heat output. Instead, opt for a ceramic model with super smooth plates like the John Frieda Smooth and Style Finish Straightener ($43) that can help you fight frizz like a gladiator (hear that, Kerry Washington?) without damaging your hair. (via Stylist)
10. Sophisticated Side Part: Tourmaline plates like the Remington T Studio Wide Plate Straightener With Tourmaline ($22) make negative ions to reduce frizz and create additional pressure on your hair so that your tresses are shiny and sleek just like Drew Barrymore’s glam down ‘do. (via Cosmopolitan)
11. Don’t Overwork Thin Hair: If you have thin hair like Naomi Watts, straighten your hair with a blow dryer and then use a very low heat iron like the Rusk Professional STR8 Iron ($95) to keep your volume. (via Cosmopolitan)
12. Add Some Shine: If you want an affordable, but quality tool that protects hair, the Babyliss Pro Nano-Titanium Flat Iron ($100) gives you a super smooth surface that adds Tyra Banks-level shine. (via HairstylesDB)
13. Rock a Sleek Lob: If you decided to make the cut like Emma Stone, style your long bob with a Sedu Ionic Ceramic Flat Iron ($129) for ultimate sleekness. This iron gets really, really hot and you can adjust the temperature. Although it’s a bit expensive, this iron will last you through years of frizziness. (via Popsugar Beauty)
14. Keep Your Ends Clean: Straight hair can actually highlight all of the imperfections in your haircut and color, so use an iron that won’t further damage your hair like the Paul Mitchell Protools Express ($82). It’ll also shorten the entire styling process by heating up and styling your locks quickly, a real bonus for long-haired girls like Kaley Cuoco. (via Cosmopolitan)
15. Straight and Short Styles: Emma Watson proves you don’t have to have long hair to rock the super straight look. If your hair is short, try the TS-2 Millenium Professional Flat Iron ($99), which will help you get in close to your scalp and ears, where normal flat irons may be too bulky. (via Hairstyles Weekly)
What is your favorite straightener? Let us know in the comments below!
