A sad lesson all millennials will have to learn in real-time: not everything on the Internet is true. (Nooo!) Even scarier, this reality isn’t limited to blog posts by Food Babe — it also applies to *shudder* hair tips on Pinterest about how to flat iron your braids.
The struggle is REAL, y’all.
Luckily, my generation of Oregon Trailers know to question what we hear. So when many of us read the popular tip to flat iron your braids to make hair waves, we were skeptical. A few tried it and confirmed that its efficacy was matched only by Cara Delevigne’s morning-interview congeniality. Which is to say, it doesn’t work.
Actually, you CAN create perfect waves with a flat iron:
Obviously, the bigger the sections, the wider the wave, just like when you curl. Let them unfurl naturally to keep them polished, or brush them out for a beachier wave.
It can help simulate that tennis-shoe-loosening thing we all do where we tug out the braid to add volume, but without losing the polished look.
Straighteners can also help with crown braids and the like that are meant to lay perfectly flat against the curve of your skull.
Seriously, try it. You will be flopping around your picture-perfect ultra-smooth flat Pollyanna plaits.
Try it with your mer-braids!
Need a flat iron recommendation? I’ve been playing with this Revlon rose gold plated one (only $28!), which not only looks classy as heck but has some interesting science behind it. Use your go-to fave straightener, e.g. the CHI.
Of course, more important than your choice in flat irons is that you use a thermal protectant. Heat hurts hair, honeys! (Check that alliteration!) My picks:
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Ok i HAVE to try this... I love big, pretty perfect braids. So hot right now!
-- Cheyenne
For sure Cheyenne! Now I just need more hair to braid. Thanks for reading!
I'm going to give that twisting technique I try!
I had never heard of this technique and was wondering how everyone gets those perfectly coiffed crown braids! Will def be trying soon - thank you!
Danielle
http://twentydollardate.com/
Genius! I'm going to try the twist for waves and flat ironing braids for a polished look! Awesome. Thanks!!
Cute, cute cute!!!! Can't wait to try!
This is awesome! I had no idea you could do this. I'm definitely trying it out with my hair. I'm always looking for great ideas like this to freshen my look.
I never thought of flat ironing a braid! I think I will try it out on my super curly hair and see how it goes.
I want to try a braid too, my hair is just getting long enough now - thanks for your tips!
This is so interesting. I can't wait to try both on my hair and my daughters. I never thought of flat ironing my braids at all. Glad I read this first ;)
If your braids are too tight you can slightly pull at them to loosen them up a bit. You want to do this by closing your flat iron on different parts of your braid.