Hair challenged-need specifics on flat ironing - Beauty & Cosmetics Message Board

rubydoo63 · 10-29-2004, 05:14 AM

HI ALL

I need some ceramic ironing help.....

Ok, I have the technology and tools - I just can't seem to put it all together! I have medium-long hair, sort of coarse and tends to frizz out through the day.

I use Matrix Smooth down shampoo and conditioner, then put on Super Skinny (paul mitchell i think), blow dry my hair, then flat iron. After I flat iron, I put a small amount of another smoothing serum. But it still seems very dry. I have also tried redken heat glide and silk therapy.

Am I using it wrong? Do I put it on dry hair before I flat iron? If so, how? with my hands? Someone said they put some on their brush, then brush before they iron?

I know I sound like a complete moron......Anyway......any helpful tricks would be greatly appreciated!

Rubydoo....

Peekaboo971 · 10-29-2004, 06:09 AM

Hiya!

Wow... you are using quite a few products! But I guess when all is said and done, I do the same if I'm ironing my hair. I have course hair, a LOT of it, and it's colored. The natural texture is wavy.

First off, it sounds like dryness is an issue. Look at the products your using and look at the ingredients. Do you see alcohol listed anywhere? I was SHOCKED when my hair stylist told me to look at the ingredients of some of the products I was using and alcohol was the 2nd or 3rd ingredient.

Very drying on the hair! Avoid it if possible. Do you deep condition your hair once a week or so? It sounds like you could be overprocessing your hair. Between the heat of the hair dryer, and the heat of the straight iron, you're putting a lot of stress on your hair. Do you straight iron every day? Do you blow dry every day? Do you wash your hair every day?

I don't know if you're going for a real straight look all day, but my hair does do the same thing. I live in a pretty humid climate, and I had mentioned on another post, that if you're going for Jennifer Anniston "straight" Friends hair, well, keep in mind they had to flat iron her hair every 20 minutes to maintain that look she had.

Also, when blow drying, I dry from the top down to the cuticle remains smooth. Blowdrying towards your head will just rough up the cuticle.

I don't know if I've helped with any of the suggestions, but I have a deep conditioner that I absolutely LOVE. It's not cheap, but it works ten times better than anything I've ever bought before. It's from Nexxus, but it's from their organics line called Phyto-organics. I use a very concentrated shampoo called Hydruss and a conditioner called Enphuse. I only know of one place near where I live that carries it, so if you have a stylist, ask them if maybe they can order it special for you. Just a thought.

Good luck!!! Hope you get the look your going for.

rubydoo63 · 10-29-2004, 06:44 AM

Yes, my hair does seem dry.

I wash it usually every other day. I don't use my creamic flat iron much because I can't seem to get the look I am going for.

If I use silk therapy or heat glide, do I put it on dry hair before I flat iron?

just_imagine · 10-31-2004, 08:14 PM

I actually use silk therapy when my hair is damp, and then again on my dry hair before I flat iron it!

A word of warning though, and I really hate to be a bum about Biosilk since I know tons of people like it, but lately I haven't been too impressed with it. I used to be a diehard fan of the stuff, it worked like a dream in my hair for the first 5 months or so. I was obsessed with it, thought I'd found my dream hair product. Lately however, I think it's actually doing more damage than good. I think it's actually making my hair dry. Maybe I overused it and my hair as built up a tolerance, I have no idea...

Anyways I'm trying to make a switch to a new product, probably something by Kerastase since that is my new favourite product line (though extremely $$...yikes). They have a leave-in treatment that is supposed to be amazing, so I might try that one out and see how it goes.

armadillo pie · 10-31-2004, 09:10 PM

I have been using the biosilk for about a month on wet and dry hair. I stopped flat ironing it because it was so damaged from coloring and heat and now let it's natural wave/curl take over ( which looks good). Anyway, I noticed that biosilk has alcohol in it and was told at the beauty suppy that is can be very drying to hair. I do like that it eliminates frizz and makes my hair so shiny, but I am wondering if it is worth it considering it also is probably drying it out.