HSI Professional Tips: Choosing the Proper Heat Setting for your Flat Iron

Hair straightening is a styling technique used to give hair a sleeker, smoother appearance. Ceramic and tourmaline flat irons have been used extensively to tame frizzy hair with the use of heat exposure for sleeker and shinier results. People new to this hair styling technique may not have a general working knowledge of how the process works or the kind of results they should expect.

Understanding how flat iron works and how to use this tool effectively to achieve the best results puts you one step closer to having gorgeously straight, sleeker, and smoother hair.

Determine Your Hair Type from HSI

The HSI Professional tips we share with our consumers concern every aspect of hair styling from knowing how to prepare it for straightening to ideal products for them to use. Heat is the main component to straightening out hair effectively, but determining the right temperature depends on the hair type.

The rule of thumb to keep in mind when using a flat iron is the thicker the hair the higher the heat setting needs to be. Delicate, fine hair requires a lower heat setting to prevent the potential of damaging it when applying a flat iron to it.

What Temperature does HSI Recommend for Certain Hair Types?

The texture of your hair also determines the temperature you'll want to use for ideal results. The temperature ranges of our flat irons here at HSI Professional can be regulated between 200-450 Fahrenheit. The temperature range we recommend for certain hair types is listed below:

• Damaged or fine hair: 250-350 degrees
• Average or medium hair: 300-350 degrees
• Coarse or thick hair: 350-400 degrees

The material on the hot plates of your flat iron factor into the type of straightening results you can expect. The most trusted material for years has been ceramic since it distributes heat evenly and cuts down on the potential for heat damage when touching the hair. Ceramic can tend to chip or break over time, or even wear away after heavy wear and tear. Hair can get snagged or suffer extensive heat damage since there's no protective layer between it and the hot plate.

The proper care and handling though can make a ceramic flat iron last for years even with heavy use. Investing in a good ceramic straightening iron versus a low-cost one is usually the difference between whether it will last or break down over a short amount of time.

How Does HSI Recommend People Prepare their Hair for Straightening?

Hair straightening can be a lengthy process for any daily beauty routine, but that doesn't mean it has to be a complicated one. We have HSI Professional hair products available to fit in seamlessly with any daily hair care routine and to maximize the results for a long-lasting straightening. Shampooing and conditioning are the first steps to preparing hair so the straightening results will be sleeker and smoother. Let your hair air dry instead of using a blow dryer or use a towel to soak up excess moisture.

Once the hair is completely dry, brush it to ensure it's sleek and each strand will have equal access to heat. When the hair is brushed, apply a heat protector to decrease the potential of causing heat damage during the straightening process. Once these preparations are complete you'll want to split your hair up into sections to run through the flat iron.

This promotes even heat distribution and cuts down on the potential of causing any damage. Excessive heat can be damaging to hair and hard to reverse even with the best products available. Separating hair into sections allows for the heat to be distributed evenly so no single section is inside the flat iron too long.

What Products Does HSI Professional Have Available for Hair Straightening?

HSI has a vast collection of products and tools available to contribute to your beauty routine. Flat irons, heated brushes, products, and more are available to ensure you have the best results for your hair straightening experience. One of our most popular products is our Glider Elite professional flat iron straightener. The Glider Elite has ionic ceramic tourmaline coated plates that use our innovative HeatBalance technology with 8 micro-sensors to regulate the temperature. These sensors distribute the heat evenly so fewer passes are needed to straighten out hair.

The technology promotes silkier and shinier results and protects the hair cuticles from overheat exposure. Unlike other flat irons where you have to wait a few minutes for them to heat up, our Glider Elite heats up in seconds. The digital display can be set between 200-450 degrees Fahrenheit to fit your particular hair texture and type. Using our flat iron with its floating plates and curved edges provides extra flexibility to flip, straighten, or curl your hair.