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Beauty

06th Jun 2019

This is the BIG mistake we’re all making with our hair straighteners

Katie Mythen-Lynch

When it comes to flat ironing your hair, hotter may be better if you want to get the job done quickly.

However, it turns out that the highest setting on many hair straighteners are only designed for in-salon use, ideally for sealing in a keratin treatment.

Using the maximum temperature setting at home on a daily basis could be frazzling your locks.

Stylist Jeanna Pizzollo told Teen Vogue:

“The 450-degree setting was designed specifically for in-salon, professional keratin treatments. It wasn’t meant for consumers. But now, everyone can use it, which makes the at-home process faster.”

“But fine hair and especially damaged or color-treated hair should stay in the safe zone of 300 to 350 degrees.”

The temperatures she mentions equate to 230C at the hottest setting and around 176C in the safe zone so adjust your flat iron now.

As it happens, we should be looking after our straighteners a little better too.

Moe Harb, a stylist at Moe Harb London in Harrods told Metro, that hair straighteners and curlers collect a bunch of grease and hair oils and sprays and just dirt in general.

Makes sense when you think about it.

Moe told the publication that it’s best to clean them when they’re still warm. After using one, let it cool down a tiny bit (obvs, it shouldn’t be scalding) and then follow his tips:

“There are two types of curlers: one ceramic and one metal. You can use kitchen cleaning products for ceramic and for the metal, use a wet towel and wipe over everywhere, being careful not to burn yourself.”