Root Lift

Q: I have naturally curly hair, and I have found that the use of the flat iron after blow drying is the best way to straighten my hair.

However, the flat iron tends to make my hair look flat on top. Is there anything I can do to give my hair a bit of volume after using the flat iron?

A: The best recommendation I can make is for you to make sure to use a lot of "root lift" when you blowdry the hair and follow it up by passing the hair through the flat iron in an upward motion as opposed to the traditional downward or horizontal passes.

Keep the starting point of the passes approximately an inch from the scalp and slide the flat iron along the hair straight out from the scalp. Allow the segments being ironed to cool before combing through them. This should keep the hair full at the scalp area, yet allow you to have a smooth, straight finish to the style.

There are a number of products that are designed for "root lift" that you can use to help keep the hair from going flat on top. These are generally "spritzes" or "sprays" that are applied directly to the scalp area of the hair shaft before blow drying. They give the hair added structure and create a fuller look.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Hair straightening

Hair styling techniques

How to blow dry hair