How to Use a Hair Straightening Brush

Sometimes, straightening your hair can be a pain. You likely find yourself going back and forth between your flat iron and hair brush, aiming to create a tangle-free, perfectly straight mane. But what if there was an easier way? You’ve probably seen a hair straightening brush on social media, but do they really work? Below, we’re sharing everything you need to know about this heat tool and how to use it. Read on to find out if the hair straightener brush lives up to the hype!

WHAT IS A HAIR STRAIGHTENING BRUSH?

First thing’s first, what exactly is a heated straightening brush? Essentially, this hot tool looks like your average hair brush, but instead of bristles, there are heated prongs. The pad of the brush heats up just as your straightening iron does, allowing you to simultaneously detangle and straighten your locks with a simple stroke of the brush. Pretty cool, right?

Now, do straightening brushes really work? Yup—they do! The thing to note is, they might not get your hair completely flat like a flat iron does. Instead, they’ll smooth your hair of any kinks and curls, leaving you with straight strands that still have volume.

If you’re wondering whether a hair straightening brush is good for your hair, it could actually be argued that a straightening brush is better for your hair than a typical flat iron since you generally aren’t holding it on your hair for as long and your strands aren’t sandwiched between two hot plates at once. That said, a hair straightener brush is still a hot tool—which means you have to apply heat protectant every time you use one to prevent damage.

HOW TO USE A HAIR STRAIGHTENING BRUSH

Ready to put your hair straightening brush to use? Follow the steps below, and you’ll be a straightening brush pro in no time!

STEP #1. MAKE SURE YOUR HAIR IS DRY

As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to avoid straightening wet hair. When your hair is wet, it’s in its most fragile state. Allow your hair to air dry completely (or blow-dry after applying heat protectant) before moving onto the next step.

STEP #2. APPLY HEAT PROTECTANT

Even if you applied heat protectant already in order to blow dry your strands, you’ll want to reapply it prior to reaching for your hair straightener brush. Look for one that will aid you in your mission to obtain smooth, sleek hair, like the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle SLEEK IT Iron Straight Heatspray. This heat protectant helps to calm frizz, seal in shine, block out humidity, and condition your strands—all while offering 450-degree heat protection.

STEP #3. SECTION YOUR HAIR

The key to getting perfectly straight locks with a heated straightening brush is to section your hair. The thicker your hair, the more sections you’ll need! This will ensure no strand is left untouched. Part your hair from ear to ear, then clip the top section out of the way. Part the bottom section in half, then work on each smaller section. When you’ve finished with the bottom, release the top and split that in half, repeating the process.

STEP #4. STRAIGHTEN YOUR STRANDS

This part is easy—just brush your hair! But, don’t brush it quite like you normally would. Instead of having the prongs of your brush point toward your head, have them point away. This means you’ll be brushing from underneath the section of hair you’re working with. Got it? This will give your strands a little extra volume—and who doesn’t want that? Start the straightening brush near your roots and pull it down toward the ends.

Make sure you don’t brush too quickly. If you’re pulling it through your hair just as fast as you would a regular brush, you probably won’t get your hair very straight. A hair straightener brush needs a bit of time to work its magic, so take it slow.

STEP #5. FINISH YOUR LOOK

After your hair is straight, there are a few final steps you should take to ensure your style is flawless. First, tackle any frizz and flyaways by applying a hair serum, like the L’Oréal Paris EverSleek Frizz Finish Oil-In-Serum. Then spritz hair with the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle LOCK IT Fine Control Hairspray to keep your straight strands in place. And now you're done!

Next: How to Curl Your Hair with a Flat Iron