How To Get Poker Straight Hair!

by BR Amelia

As much as the trend right now is for hair to sport big curls and texture and mermaid waves, I will always have a soft spot for poker straight hair. There's something so pulled together about it, so controlled, so elegant. I envy those born with hair that falls in a soft, silky, shiny sheet down their back. Thankfully, there are steps that those of us with more temperamental locks can take in order to create that which some enjoy naturally.

So how can we create poker straight hair? Check out this step-by-step guide.

Step One

Blow-dry hair first for best results - especially if your hair is on the curly side! (If your hair is naturally quite straight or just a touch wavy you can skip this step.) Shampoo and condition your hair, then gently blot your damp locks with a towel until as much moisture as possible had been removed. Next, run a wide-tooth comb through it and apply a smoothing, heat-protective serum (I love the KMS Therma Shape Straightening Creme). Next, get your trusty hairdryer, attach the concentrator nozzle, and start blowdrying, doing your best to keep the angle of the hairdryer so that the air runs down the direction that your hair grows, ensuring a smoother finish.

Step Two

Your hair must be bone dry before straightening. If you detect ANY dampness you need to pick up the hairdryer again, if not... grab a sectioning clip, your straighteners and a can of light hold hairspray. Why light hold hairspray? Simply because anything heavier will leave your hair look weighed down and possibly even feeling crispy and crackly. Whereas a light hold hairspray will work to leave your locks straighter, longer, while helping to keep the frizzies at bay.

Step Three

As tempting as it is to simply grab chunks of hair and run your straighteners through it, the key to getting that salon straightness is to section off small amounts of your hair, give it a light dusting of hairspray, then pull the length of hair taut and run your straighteners down all the way from the roots to the ends. Creating tension will help make your hair straighter, while also ensuring you won't need to go over the area more times than necessary, which, along with straightening in smaller sections, will result in less damage. 

Step Four

Finally, once you've got your hair to a state you're happy with, give it a final light go-over with the hairspray, then you're ready to rock the world with your sensationally straight style.

One final word... As much as I'd like to enjoy this look on the daily, it does put a lot of stress on the hair, even if you do use heat protectants. So keep it for special occasions only. If you'd like your hair to be poker straight all the time, I'd suggest looking into having your hair chemically straightened.

So, is it your goal to get poker straight hair? Have you managed to do so? And what are your best tips and tricks to achieve it? Sharing is caring, so get chatting below!