How To Use A Straightening Brush – 3 Easy Steps

Before You Get Started

• Choose a brush with a long swivel cord for a comfortable and seamless straightening experience.
• Look for straightening brushes with a temperature adjustment that ranges from 150 to 250 degrees.
• Those with a sensitive scalp can invest in a straightener brush with silica gel-coated bristles.

The Basics Of A Hair Straightening Brush

As the name indicates, it is a brush that you can use to straighten your hair. But unlike your regular hair brush, it does not have normal bristles. Rather, it has bristles that have heating elements present in them. These bristles remain attached to the base, and the brush has a long cord or cable that plugs into a power outlet. As it is powered by electricity, this tool gently circulates heat through the bristles to untangle and straighten your hair as you brush it.

What Does A Hair Straightening Brush Do?

The basic function of a hair straightening brush is to produce and distribute heat through the bristles. Your hair absorbs this heat. On the application of heat, the hydrogen bonds located in your tresses break down. When these hydrogen bonds break, your hair loses its ability to retain its natural form. In other words, you can straighten your hair by steadily brushing it.

But remember that the hydrogen bonds are not permanently broken. They begin to reform when your hair comes in contact with moisture. This means your hair goes back to its original form when you wash it.

Now, let’s talk about what hair straightening brushes are made of!

What Is A Hair Straightening Brush Made Of?

A typical straightening brush has a paddle with bristles and a handle.

The bristles can be coated with different kinds of materials, such as metal, ceramic, or tourmaline.

• Metal heats up quickly but distributes heat unevenly.

• Ceramic provides an even distribution of heat.

• Tourmaline conducts heat better than the other materials. It also takes less time to straighten your hair.

Generally, straightener brushes feature two types of bristles – ball-tipped and straight-tipped:

• Bristles with ball tips are more suitable for curly or thick hair. They detangle your hair gently.

• Bristles with straight tips tug on your hair less and are better suited for fine hair.

The handles of hair straightener brushes can also be of different types. They can be lightweight or soft and cushioned.

Next, we will talk about the different shapes of straightener brushes.

Shapes Of Hair Straightener Brushes

Brushes for hair straightening are available in various shapes. They can come in a rectangular or oval shape with a flat head that enables the bristles to reach close to the scalp. A brush with a small paddle head is suitable for styling shorter hair. A large paddle brush is ideal for managing long hair.

Rectangular straightener brushes are also available in a double-clamp style. A double-clamp brush means a double-sided brush where the bristles are arranged to resemble a flat-iron. Such a brush is used to style fine hair.

Hair straightener brushes are available in three types. Find out more about them in the next section!

Types Of Hair Straightener Brushes

Hair brush straighteners are available in six primary types:

• Stationary Hair Straightener Brush: True to its name, this straightener brush has bristles attached to a stationary base. You need to move the brush manually while straightening your hair.

• Rotating Hair Straightener Brush: The rotating straightener brush features a round barrel that spins when the brush is used. This carries a risk of your hair getting entangled in the bristles. Generally, such brushes can be used without switching on the rotation feature as well.

• Dual-Rotating Hair Straightener Brush: The dual-rotating straightener brush comes with the ability to spin both ways, forward and backward. Due to this feature, the brush can be conveniently used by right-handed as well as left-handed people.

• Cordless Hair Straightener Brush: The cordless hair straightener brush offers hassle-free styling on the go. With its wireless design, it provides flexibility and portability, combining the quality of a straightener in the practical form of a brush, ensuring sleek and smooth hair anytime, anywhere.

• Steam Hair Straightener Brush: Harnessing the power of steam, this innovative brush effortlessly straightens and smooths hair, leaving it sleek and frizz-free. Enjoy a salon-quality finish while nourishing your locks with the hydrating benefits of steam and none of the side effects of extreme heat damage.

• Titanium Hair Straightener Brush: This brush tool with titanium plates helps swiftly transform unruly locks into silky, straight perfection. Achieve salon-quality results with ease, as the material ensures efficient heat distribution for optimal straightening and styling.

Now, let’s talk about the temperature settings of straightening brushes.

Temperature Settings Of Hair Straightening Brush

The type and quality of your hair determine the temperature at which you will need to use the straightener brush. Generally, straightener brushes offer a maximum temperature of 230°C.

If you have curly and thick hair, you may need to set the temperature on maximum to straighten it. When you have fine hair, you can use a much lower temperature to get effective results. Simply put, the thicker and curlier your hair is, the higher the temperature setting you will need to use. For damaged hair, a straightening brush with multiple temperature settings will be ideal. This will enable you to opt for lower temperatures and prevent heat damage to your hair.

Now that you know all about hair straightener brushes, let’s find out how to use them to get sleek tresses!

How To Use A Straightening Brush In Three Easy Steps

An electrical straightener brush is a handy tool that you can use to achieve the desired straightening results. But, there are a few things that you need to follow so that your hair remains protected when you style it with heat. Here is how to use a hair straightening brush:

Step 1: Prepare And Protect Your Hair

It is good to avoid using your straightener brush on wet hair. If you plan to wash your tresses, you need to do it a few hours before you straighten them. This will enable your hair to remain straight for longer. Also, you need to provide protection and guard your hair against heat damage.

• Wash and condition your hair as you normally do.

• Apply a heat protectant to your hair. Depending on what suits your hair, you can opt for one in spray, oil, or serum form.

• Blow-dry or air-dry your hair completely before you reach for your straightener brush.

• Comb your hair with a regular hair brush or a wide-toothed comb to remove all tangles and knots from it.

Ensure that all the hair care steps are followed to the T before you proceed further. On using heat protectants, Jessica Shults says, “I usually brush a heat protectant throughout my hair so that it is evenly distributed and it makes brushing easier during the blowout.”

Step 2: Straighten Your Hair

To straighten your hair uniformly, you need to split it into sections before using a straightener brush on it. If you have thick hair, you will need to divide it into more sections to ease the task of straightening.

• Divide your hair into sections and pin it all up on top of your head with hair clips while leaving a small section free to work on.

• Switch on your straightener brush and set it to the right temperature. It is a good idea to start at a low temperature and then increase it as needed.

• Once the brush heats up, begin brushing the section of hair slowly and steadily.

• Slide your brush from the roots to the tips of your hair in a single motion.

• If you want to give your hair a bit of a voluminous look, brush it with the bristles facing outwards.

• If you want to brush the same section of hair again, wait for about two to three seconds for your locks to cool down before brushing it again. This is to avoid damaging your hair.

• Unpin the next section and follow the same process until all sections of your hair have been straightened.

“I always make sure the section worked on is completely dry before moving to the next section. If it’s not bone dry, that curl can come back with frizz,” Jessica Shults adds.

Quick Tip

Keep your straightening brush around 3 cm away from your hair roots, and avoid placing it directly on your scalp.

 Step 3: Provide Finishing Touches

Once you have straightened your hair, it is time to apply finishing touches to it and set the look. But before you do that, remember to switch off your straightener brush.

• To set your new straight hairstyle, you can use a suitable hairspray. Allow your hair to cool down a bit before you seal it using the hairspray.

• If your heat protectant serves as a hairspray as well, you can use that too instead of opting for another product.

Bryana, a YouTuber, shares her personal experience with using a straightening brush in her vlog. She talks about the satisfying results in her video, “It actually got really straight, like I wasn’t expecting it to get that straight (i).” She further states, “So does it work? I think it does!”

Touching Up Your Hair

Your newly straightened hair will go back to its normal texture after a couple of days. If you do not wash your hair every day, the straight look will hold a few days longer. But eventually, you will notice that the straight texture will begin to lose its form. At this point, you can touch up your hair with the straightener brush once more. You will not need to apply high temperatures when touching up your straight hair. Just set the brush to the lowest temperature. If you find that the result is unsatisfactory, you can then increase the temperature to the next level.

It is important to clean your straightening brush to make it function properly for a long time. Find out how to do this in the next section.

How To Clean A Straightening Brush?

You need to clean your straightener brush whenever you use it. Once you unplug the brush and it cools down, you can start cleaning it.

• Start by removing any hair strand stuck in the brush.

• Gently wipe the brush with a damp, clean, soft cloth to eliminate any residue.

• Make sure that the brush is totally dry before putting it away.

Quick Tip

When the brush hasn’t been cleaned in a while, the piles of hair and buildup can be too difficult to remove, so a simple water wash won’t be sufficient to remove the grime. Instead, you can buy and use a safe cleaning agent explicitly made for styling products or prepare your own using water and shampoo.

Does Electric Hair Brush Straightener Work For All Types Of Hair?

While there are several types of hair, all of them display common characteristics as far as molecular structure, morphology, and chemical makeup are concerned. This indicates that all types of hair exhibit a similar response when you apply heat through an electric hairbrush. Many manufacturers of electric hair brushes also claim that a straightener brush is effective on all hair types.

An electrically powered straightener brush works well in most cases when it is used to straighten slightly wavy or curly hair. It is also suitable for taming unruly or frizzy hair. But, it may not be the best hair tool for straightening short hair. This is because you may not be able to hold the hair in a taut position while straightening it.

Hair Straightener Brush Vs. Flat Irons – Which One Should I Use?

Hair straightener brushes and flat irons are popular styling tools. Each of them has several beneficial features. Due to this, sometimes users are confused about which one will be ideal for straightening their hair. Here is a quick comparison between the two hair straightening tools:

• Flat irons are suitable for very curly, thick, dense, and difficult-to-style hair. Straightener brushes are ideal for fine to average hair as well as damaged hair.

• Flat irons are a better choice than straightener brushes if you want pin-straight hair or smooth hair ends.

• Flat irons operate at high temperatures, which increases the risk of hair damage. Since straightener brushes function at lower temperatures, the risk of hair damage is also low.

• You can use flat irons to just straighten your hair but not detangle them. Straightener brushes can detangle your hair while straightening your locks.

• With flat irons, you cannot add volume to your hair. Straightener brushes can make your hair look a bit more voluminous.

• Flat irons are not suitable for frequent styling purposes. Straightener brushes can be used more frequently than flat irons to style your hair.

But, the biggest question remains – what are the side effects of using a straightening brush? Find out below!

Side Effects Of Using A Hair Straightener Brush

While a hair straightener brush is a great tool for styling your hair, it can have some side effects.

• If you use a hair brush straightener at a very high temperature, you run the risk of damaging your hair.

• Regular use of a straightener brush means frequently exposing your hair to heat. This can damage your hair follicles and lead to hair loss.

• When your hair follicles are damaged, it can negatively impact the natural oil production of your scalp. This can result in a flaky, dry scalp and itchiness.

• The lack of natural oils in your scalp can rob your hair of its shine. In other words, you may be left with dull and lifeless hair.

Infographic: Negative Effects Of Using A Hair Straightener + How To Use It Right

Hair straighteners come to your rescue on days when your hair just doesn’t seem to act right. They help tame stubborn hair and make it presentable in no time. However, these tools come with a price. There are certain side effects associated with regular use of hair straighteners, which could possibly be minimized by using them right. In the infographic below, we have listed the side effects of hair straighteners you need to be aware of, along with the right method to use one. Take a look.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a heated brush every day?

Yes, the heated element does not touch your hair directly and operates at a lower temperature. This makes it ideal for daily use.

Can you burn yourself with a straightening brush?

No, straightening brushes contain cool tip bristles and operate at a lower temperature, making them highly unlikely to burn yourself.

How do I use a straightening brush to smooth out frizz and flyaways?

The straightening brushes use ionic care technology that helps smooth out frizz and flyaways.

Can a straightening brush be used to create waves or curls in my hair?

Yes, it is possible to curl or create waves on your hair using a hair-straightening brush. Simply wrap your hair around the brush and hold it for a few seconds to curl it or make it wavy.

How can I incorporate a straightening brush into my hair care routine for optimal results?

Use the hair straightening brush after each hair wash to keep your hair straight until the next wash.

Can a hair straightener brush be used on synthetic hair or hair extensions?

No, synthetic hair fibers are not able to tolerate heat during the straightening process. Hence, a heat straightening brush is going to cause irreversible damage to it. The brush can be used on hair extensions made with human hair, but avoid using it on synthetic hair.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when using a hair straightener brush?

Make sure your hair is rinsed thoroughly and does not have any residual shampoo or conditioner left and work in small sections rather than large to avoid damage when using a hair straightener brush.

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Unlock the secrets of a hair straightener brush with 5 expert tips for achieving stunning hairstyles. Discover new techniques and unleash your creativity with this video.

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Jessica ShultsLicensed Hairstylist

   

Jessica is an expert hairstylist with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in all areas of hair color and is exceptionally skilled at balayage and best-in-class gray blending techniques. After two decades of hairstyling, she launched Twisted Scissors Salon, a full-service hair salon. Jessica loves creating elegant, beautiful hairstyles, and she cherishes the friendships she has made with her...more

• Jessica ShultsLicensed Hair Stylist

  Jessica Shults is an expert hair stylist with over 20 years of experience in hairstyling and coloring. She completed the cosmetology program at New York State BOCES and specializes in balayage and best-in-class gray blending techniques. She has also launched Twisted Scissors Salon, a full-service hair salon.
  
  Jessica Shults is an expert hair stylist with over 20 years of experience in hairstyling and coloring. She completed the cosmetology program at New York State BOCES and specializes in balayage and best-in-class gray blending techniques. She has also launched Twisted Scissors Salon, a full-service hair salon.

Arshiya SyedaSenior Editor

 

Arshiya Syeda is a senior editor at StyleCraze with 7 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer and combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care. She holds a bachelor's degree in literature and psychology from Osmania University, Hyderabad, and a post-graduate diploma in psychological...more

Shatabdi BhattacharyaAssociate Editor

Shatabdi is an associate editor and an alumnus of Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata, where she honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of the world of literature and expression. She has worked with various organizations and websites operating in different industries, ranging from education to lifestyle, showing her adaptability and drive to learn. Her creative mind excels in crafting...more

Anu PallaviBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Anu is a beauty and lifestyle writer and a graduate of Amity University, Noida, where she refined her writing skills and cultivated her deep passion for the field. She pursued the Beauty Technician Training Program at Maquillage Beauty Institute, which has equipped her with practical skills in various beauty treatments. This enables her to offer valuable insights and recommendations to...more