In this day and age we are seeing Flat Irons used for all types of things besides hair - namely making popcorn and ironing shirts in a pinch. However, when it comes to hair, your flat iron can also be your best friend. It can give you curls, create volume, perform a straightening treatment, and give you a sleek straight look. As we learn more and more ways to use our flat irons we also have more tips to prosper from! Fuel Educators Raquel deAnda-Wyatt and Kelly Higginbotham share some of her favorite tricks for hot tools!
“The beauty of sleek, shiny, healthy, touchable soft ‘silky’ hair has never been an option with my genetics until this magnificent tool hit our industry,” - Raquel deAnda-Wyatt
Like most things, though, there can always be too much of a good thing, and there are certain times and guests you should avoid using irons on.
- Never reach for an iron with over-processed, weak, stressed or damaged hair.
- Avoid using it on hair that has recently had a chemical process such as, newly highlighted or permanent colored.
- Never stress out our hair with too much heat. It can be extremely damaging – just like using a (clothing) iron on a denim setting to remove wrinkles from that precious silk blouse.
Fortunately with today’s products and treatments we are able to replenish our lovely strands and reverse a lot of the damage we may cause to our hair.
RAQUEL’S TOP TIP FOR USING FLAT IRONS
Slightly wrap the hair towards the outer side of the flat iron in a ribbon-like technique while passing it through the floating plates. The key to whether you create waves or curls is the tension (think ribboning for a balloon or gift when you use a sharp edge to get the ribbon to curl).
Kelsey Higginbotham, from our Fuel education team, says the secret is to ask the right questions to really get to know your guest’s hair. Since there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to iron usage, there is no excuse not to tailor the setting of the tool to your client’s needs.
“The most important skill to master when it comes to using irons is knowledge—and that knowledge needs to come from a thorough consultation.” -Kelsey Higginbotham
A stylist must discover the history of the hair they are about to create on. You need different settings for different hair types so you can – without question – create very different results. With the proper tools you are able to take the guess work out of choosing the correct temperature, Fuel’s Pro Flat Iron is complete with preset Damage Control options that range from Fine, Colored, Thick and Coarse.
As a stylist or client, it is extremely important to know the importance of heat protection; it’s a hair’s lifeline, so please take care of it properly.
KELSEY’S TOP TIP FOR USING FLAT IRONS
I like to hold the hair in the crown area, where everyone craves volume, straight up from the scalp and do a pass or two at the root. The heat gives the hair a pick me up and creates volume.
Are flat irons your favorite styling tool? We’d love to hear your top tip for getting the best results with yours.
