Dirty Confession....

[Kittee]

I bought a straightening iron and I LOVE it.

My hair is so awesome now that it's straight, I've fallen in love with it again. LOL.

I know that the iron is naughty but I do use the heat protection spray before hand.

Any other curlies find that they love their hair straight rather than curly?

[Coriander]

I don't think that's dirty at all. It's your hair and you do with it what you love. :)

Pics? :D

[maunaloa]

I admit that I flat iron about once a week. My hair is in pretty good condition and I use heat protectant. :cheese:

[alkaliberry]

I have a pair of straighteners. I used to love my hair straight but I can't get to grips with them so I just stay curly. Kittee do you have any tips?

[Kittee]

Well I've only used it twice now, but this morning was the easiest, my hair was towel damp (my straightener is for wet or dry hair!! don't' try this with a dry only one!!) and I just sprayed on the Nexus Heat Protex spray and then segmented my hair and went from root to tip straightening it out. I spent more time near the root, so I wouldn't fry my tips.

All in all only took me about 10 mins. My hair is vertical smile length when straight LOL.

Sure I can post pics later. I'm at work right now though so cannot atm!

[lora410]

When I used to straighten my hair I would use the heat protection as well. No harm in doing what YOU love.

[PurpleAshes]

About 2 years ago I fell in love with it too, and now I have straight parts that just WONT curl. I had to do a big chop because of this damage, and I still haven't got rid from them.

I guess you can use it some times, but being very, very carefull :)

[~GypsyCurls~]

I prefer mine curly, but there is nothing wrong with straightening if that's what you want. I like the way mine looks either way, but don't really straighten it since it seems like I can never get it totally straight. It gets frizzy and waves come back, even when I use products :(

[david]

Yeah I straighten my hair sometimes, it good to be able to change things up every now and then. Although I would never do it everyday as some people do due to damage etc, but I would probably do it a couple of times a month.

[Copasetic]

I straighten my hair about once a month, and yes, I love it! I think a big part of the reason i love it is because of the length. Curls make your hair feel so much shorter.

[Forever_Sophie]

Awesome! If I could give myself the same results my stylist does, my blowdryer and straightening iron would be getting a lot more use LOL I love straight, silky hair :)

[Kittee]

Yah doesn't it feel so much silkier? And HEY You can actually brush it when it's straight. LOL

[Euphony]

Oh no, now you have me thinking! Hubby is apparently taking me out to a nice dinner for Valentine's Day since that is the fifth anniversary of our first date so he's been going on about it being someplace very nice. I was just looking at Caruso's thinking I'd get one of those and curl all my hair. Buttttttt I bought my son a straightening iron (he begged me for it) and now I'm thinking perhaps I'll straighten my hair instead. But I've never used one. What would be a good protection to put on my hair? This is a wet or dry iron.

[Coriander]

My hair is vertical smile length when straight LOL.


I'm no longer going to be able to say "tailbone length" with a straight face ever again :rollin:

It's now "the verticle smile length" in this house!! :D

[Kittee]

Oh no, now you have me thinking! Hubby is apparently taking me out to a nice dinner for Valentine's Day since that is the fifth anniversary of our first date so he's been going on about it being someplace very nice. I was just looking at Caruso's thinking I'd get one of those and curl all my hair. Buttttttt I bought my son a straightening iron (he begged me for it) and now I'm thinking perhaps I'll straighten my hair instead. But I've never used one. What would be a good protection to put on my hair? This is a wet or dry iron.


I am no expert but the Nexus Heat Protex seems to be working. makes my hair super slick and shiny too.

(Warning, it also makes my tile floors slicker than snot. So I suggest that you spray it in your hair over carpet, like I did this morning in my closet. LOL. First time I used it it was in the bathroom and I went back in later in sock feet and slid about 10ft almost busting my rear end.)

[spidermom]

I won't risk it any more, but I did love that straightener! I'm tired of having to cut back because of bad ends, though.

[Eireann]

I don't have a straightener, but I confess I love the way my hair looks when I blow-dry. I figure the whole point of long hair is that it looks good (for me anyway. . .I know others have other reasons.)

[dearladydisdain]

My sister got one for Christmas and I am really tempted to try it. I have pretty straight hair but it gets weird wavies sometimes that I would love to get rid of. You are not alone! :p

[Kittee]

I don't have a straightener, but I confess I love the way my hair looks when I blow-dry. I figure the whole point of long hair is that it looks good (for me anyway. . .I know others have other reasons.)

I know what you mean. I'm starting to change my thoughts. I was growing just for lengths sake but now I'm kinda missing "enjoying" my hair.

[Wind]

(my straightener is for wet or dry hair!! don't' try this with a dry only one!!) and I just sprayed on the Nexus Heat Protex spray and then segmented my hair and went from root to tip straightening it out.K, question here, what is the big difference between wet or dry and dry only? I use a straightener frequently, and love it. I found a huge difference between the one from Walmart I used forever, and then a Cricket (professional) that I bought at my salon with solid ceramic plates. Heats much more evenly, and doesn't catch at all. It's for dry hair only, I believe.

[suicides_eve]

LOL you are not going to hell just because you sneaked a flat iron. :lol: I swear when i first started i thought i would burst into flame if i went near hair color, sillicones, and heat tools:D

:whistle: i use mine too i love it:love:

[AutumnSky]

I'm a "straight", and I have the greatest curling iron on the planet. Really. I love it. It puts curls in my hair that STAY...overnight even.

I always feel a wee guilty when I break it out, but I love, love, love what it does....so I try to save it for special, or when I need a pick-me-up...

The flat iron and blow dryer have been *mostly* retired for some time now, but believe me, I feel you.

"Naughty" or not....it sure feels nice to feel gorgeous!

[GlassEyes]

Though you won't be going to the underworld for using a straightening iron, I will point out that if heat protectant sprays could protect a 350 degree piece of heated ceramic from doing damage to something as easily broken as a strand of hair, we'd be using them for a lot more than just that. Covering the suits of firemen, maybe. :P

So that said, they're still going to do damage, but it is your hair. No one should care what you do with it as long as it makes you happy.

[Roseate]

Covering the suits of firemen, maybe. :P

Hey, that's what we need! Kevlar hair spray!:redgrin:

I used to flatiron once a week or so, but since I've been treating my hair better my waves have gotten nicer, so I haven't done it in months.

My SO really likes my hair flatironed, though, so I'm sure I'll do it again one of these days. My hair is nice and swingy when it's straight, but I have one big stubborn wave near my scalp that always comes back after a few hours, so it's a little frustrating to do anyway. It never looks like "straight hair", it just looks like "straightened hair", and that's not quite the same.

[ancilla]

I used to use a flat iron everyday. I have a CHI, which was really expensive, and sometimes I feel bad that I don't use it anymore.

I guess once my hair starts getting healthier, I will use it once in a blue moon.
I might use it for Valentines Day.

I can never find a good heat protector. I might try that Nexxus one mentioned earlier.
Most heat protectant sprays make my hair feel crunchy as if I've used hairspray. Either that or they make my freshly washed hair greasy and frizzy. I want something very light with no (or just a little) alcohol.

[ladora]

I've never used a straightening iron. Too scared to use it.

That said, i used to really love straight hair (still do actually), but nowadays i'm learning to love the natural waves in my hair.

[Honey39]

I have a GHD hair straightener, which does amazingly good things to the LOOK of my hair. I would say though, that having curly hair, the results after a year or so got less good, and my hair got badly damaged. I used it about twice a week, and yes, always used good protective spray.

The damage does show up if you use it regularly - it's hard to believe, because your hair looks so fab when you do it - but over time hair splits and dries out.

It is a great result, but when I do it now (rarely), after months of good care and no blowdrying etc, I can feel the difference in my hair afterwards straightaway - rougher, drier, less moisturised etc. But like I say, I have very wurly firzzy hair, and it takes a lot to straighten it. I keep it for special occasions - and you know, I've actually found I prefer my hair in its natural state!

Glad you enjoy though, your hair is lovely.

[Queenie]

I have a straightener and a curling iron lurking in my closet. From time to time they'll be calling my name, just like they did in the shop when I bought them (over a year ago). I haven't used them yet, but it's good to know they're there.

This makes me think of when I quit smoking, I felt safe when I carried my cigarettes with me - the thought that I COULD smoke when I wanted to, was very comforting. I quit because I wanted to, not because I had to.

Not sure where that came from :lol:

[mellie]

Oh you gals with naturally wavy and curly hair! Don't you know we straight-haired girls totally envy you??? :-)

[RavennaNight]

I gifted my straightener away. It is tempting, though, just to see how long my hair is when ironed out. Its totally at waist when wet in the shower.

[Mary <><]

I also have a CHI and I use it on rare occasion. I can quit any time I want to though. My name is Mary <>< and I am a straight -o -holic.

[Addy]

Okay! I'll admit I miss my flat iron! I did it every day and it'll be a year since the last time I've used one. I don't have it anymore because it started smoking one day and it hit the trash. Ds has been wanting me to buy another one because I did his hair a couple times. He's at shoulder length and has curlies at the bottom.

I also like how my hair looks blow dried too but I haven't done that for awhile either because my hair was getting to be fried from all the heat styling. I took a time out on all of it to save it and now that it's back, I do find myself wanting a flat iron after reading this thread! :D

My hair used to be poker straight and now, it has a definate wave pattern although not very strong, it's there, especially in the middle of the back of my head.

*half tempted to go wet hair and blow dry* :eyebrows:

[Euphony]

Oh boy I'm so indecisive as to get a Caruso and curl my hair the nice way, or straighten it. I miss being able to straighten it, but I've only ever straightened it with a blow dryer. I straightened with a blow dryer over a year ago and my hair felt like straw. It's so funny because when I straightened it all the time, my hair felt the best when it was freshly straightened. I guess now I know what healthy hair is supposed to feel like.

Well either way I go, I need to remember to get a picture. If I straighten it I know it'll be a very long time before I do it again, so I'd love a pic of it straight. If I curl it with a Caruso, it'll be a very long time before I do that again simply because I have way too much hair for it and I'm lazy :D

[smilinjenn71]

Oh you gals with naturally wavy and curly hair! Don't you know we straight-haired girls totally envy you??? :-)

I was going to say the same thing!:wigtongue

Us straight girls use a curling iron every now and again for curls too though.:bigtongue:

[Allegra]

I feel your pain. I am seriously considering investing in a GHD straightener.
I hate my hair wavy and adore it when it's straight, but for the past 4 months i haven't straightened it. I miss liking my hair.

[Alley Cat]

I use a hair straightener on my fringe which I am growing out it's the only way it looks decent. :shrug:

[Euphony]

I was going to say the same thing!:wigtongue

Us straight girls use a curling iron every now and again for curls too though.:bigtongue:
I'm beginning to wonder if it's more the wavies that like to straighten more than the curlies. I know curlies like to straighten on occasion, but there almost seems to be a need for wavies to straighten on occasion. Curlies look nice with their curls/spirals, straighties look nice with their straightness. Wavies are in between. If my hair spiraled more I probably wouldn't think about straightening it, if it was straight it would be neater looking so I wouldn't think about curling it much. But this big wavy, messy mass I have on my head can look so deshevled.

[Carolyn]

There is nothing wrong with having fun with your hair. You know the dangers of heat styling appliances and you know how to minimize it with a protectant and not styling too often. I use not hot air round brush maybe 2 or 3 times a year. I love the results. I'm a 1C which is just enough wave to annoy me.

[ImperfectBrat]

I'm beginning to wonder if it's more the wavies that like to straighten more than the curlies. I know curlies like to straighten on occasion, but there almost seems to be a need for wavies to straighten on occasion. Curlies look nice with their curls/spirals, straighties look nice with their straightness. Wavies are in between. If my hair spiraled more I probably wouldn't think about straightening it, if it was straight it would be neater looking so I wouldn't think about curling it much. But this big wavy, messy mass I have on my head can look so deshevled.


This sums up exactly why I flat iron !!

I'm so glad this was posted since I felt, like the OP, that it was a dirty secret. While I like my slight/moderate wave, I air dry on wash days and then protect the heck out of it and flat iron it. I have fine hair and for the most part, the flatness will last the better part of the week.

Nice to know I am not alone :joy:

[Moiraine]

I am happy again now that my hair is longer and I don't have to do nothing much but wash and air-dry it. With the curly, frizzy hair I have when I was younger and working in the office in Bermuda (where there is always 100% humidity in the summer and the hair-challenged feared the SE wind) it was necessary to get a chemical straightener, wash and put your hair up in brush rollers and sleep in sponge rollers so your hair would look decent in the am. It does seem strange doesn't it that I'd pay to have my hair straightened and then roll it up!
I don't think it was the curls that bothered me the most just the frizzy mess that didn't look good at all (and no one wants the evil people at work to talk about you behind your back do you,lol)

I straightened my hair and put in the curl pattern that I wanted. Chemically straightened hair doesn't mean you will turn into a 1a with bone straight hair that behaves and looks good. It means you have bone straightened hair that looks dry and bushy unless you do something with it.

I fought my hair right up until I went 50, with blow dryers and Frizzease and curly-perm solution combed straight in my hair.

The thing is, like everybody else said, this all damages the hair when used to excess if you want to grow your hair long. If you want to keep it styled short you just cut the damage out when you maintain the cut. Maybe this is the difference between keeping long vs short styled hair. But I can't imagine the odd flat-ironing would do much damage for a special evening or whatnot 8D

[Sissy]

I bought a straightening iron and I LOVE it.

My hair is so awesome now that it's straight, I've fallen in love with it again. LOL.

I know that the iron is naughty but I do use the heat protection spray before hand.

Any other curlies find that they love their hair straight rather than curly?

I LOVED my straightening iron when I used to use it. I gave it up for hair health but I wish there was a way I could have both :)

I say definitely do what you like.