Last updated:
Last week, right before Social Media on the Sand…I almost chopped my hair. I wasn’t going to just trim my hair, I was going to chop it.
Like this.
And then I chickened out. I spent a lot of time growing my hair out. Was I really ready to not be able to put my hair in a ponytail or curl it?
I didn’t know the answer to my own question but I had a pit in my stomach. Something was telling me no, don’t do it. If you follow me on Pinterest, you know I’m always pinning hair styles and hair tutorials. Partially because I’m so terrible and doing my hair when it’s longer. Which is why I was going to go short, it’s easier for me to style.
Then I came home to a box and lo and behold it was a Remington® UV-Baked Ceramic Straightener to review. I won’t lie, I looked at it with fear. I can blow dry my hair, use Velcro curlers, put a hat on my head and throw it up into a clip or ponytail. I’m not well versed in using styling products for my shoulder length hair, which hasn’t been this long since 2002.
Okay, so what was I going to do with this new straightener, besides stare at it with fear? And what does UV baked ceramic mean anyhow?
In a nutshell, UV baked ceramic means that there’s less damage to your hair and less heat for a lesser amount of time means less frizz and healthier hair. Not that I know this for a fact, I read it from the Remington® UV-Baked Ceramic Straightener product page.
After reading more about the product, I felt confident that I could actually use the straightener without looking like a freak and doing all sorts of damage to my hair. First, I did some Pinterest and YouTube research to see how others were using their straighteners. I need some styling idea and tutorials, STAT.
I learned quickly from my first try after watching numerous videos online, that I needed practice. I couldn’t expect magic in 5 minutes. In other words, don’t try a new style 20 minutes before work.
3 Techniques for Styling Your Hair to Have Loose Beach Waves with a Flat Iron
For me, I really wanted to have beachy waves. Besides the fact that the style is in, each time I have my hairdresser style my hair this way, I love it and get compliments. Why not learn how to do it myself with my new flat iron?
Beach Waves with a Flat Iron Technique #1 – Twist or Braid
When your hair is dry, twist or braid and use the flat iron to heat the hair, creating waves. Super simple but I suggest using larger sections of your hair for big waves and spraying your hair with hairspray first. The Style Social has a simple and quick video for how-to. As you can see from my photo, it works but I‘d do thicker strands of hair next time.
Beach Waves with a Flat Iron Technique #2 – The Hand Flip
This is a little more challenging but it works. When your hair is dry, section it into parts. I like to divide my hair into 4 sections and then spray with hairspray to help the curl set. It’s hard to explain in words how to achieve this look using a hand flip technique and frankly, I’m still learning. Hey Kayli has a great video tutorial to help you learn how to achieve a loose beach wave look with a flat iron using a curl technique by flipping your hand. I also love Joanna Spicers how-to video. She’s so darn pretty!
Beach Waves with a Flat Iron Technique #3 – The Back and Forth
I’m struggling the most with this technique but I’m practicing and determined to have success. This technique is the back-and-forth technique. Think of a wave, you’re literally going back and forth with sections of your hair and the flat iron to create a wave. Brea Felton has this technique down to a science and yes, I want her hair. It is SO pretty.
Like I said, I’m learning but so far, so good and the videos certainly help. I will say, all these women need one of these straighteners, I bet they’d fall in love because I have! I’ve practiced a lot and luckily the Remington® UV-Baked Ceramic Straightener is gentle on my hair because of the new technology. I’ve also found that using a heat protector and not turning the flat iron up too high, makes a big difference. For me, the perfect temperature has been 360 degrees.