Smooth, shiny, seductive - straighteners give you the hair of your dreams. But use them frequently and it will turn into a nightmare. It’s time to go cold turkey on the intense heat. Let us suggest some alternatives.

Imagine spraying a plant with leaf shine, but forgetting to water it. For a while it will look a picture of health, but it’s gradually losing moisture and eventually it will wilt. That’s what straighteners and other styling tools that use intense heat are doing to your hair. The effect is merely cosmetic, but the damage is permanent.

We know how hard it can be to break the habit, but there are better ways to achieve the look you desire without getting into a vicious circle of getting damaged hair from intense heat and using intense heat to disguise that you’ve got damaged hair.

If you want smooth out coarse or frizzy hair permanently, the best treatment is a keratin blow-dry. There are now different types of this treatment, with options for greater strength, added waves and volume, or a smooth and sleek look. All will help to reduce your daily styling time, typically from 45 to 10-15 mins, and with much less use of heat. It’s not a cheap investment, but definitely worthwhile.

If you’re not ready to go for the keratin, at least transition from straighteners to a hair dryer and avoid holding it too close to your hair. If you find that tricky, we can recommend the Babylis Air Styler. This combines a hairdryer with a brush, which sounds like a gimmick, but is effective at achieving a smooth result with less heat.

Of course, you could go really crazy and try embracing your waves! Pick the right products to aid manageability and you may find it easier than you imagined. We often want what we can’t have, but making the best of our assets is less stressful and ultimately the easiest to live with. If you’d like some personalised advice, feel free to get in touch. We can advise on styles and products that will let you ditch those straighteners for good!