Quick answer

Straighten hair with volume by working in small sections, keeping the iron moving in one pass, and lifting the root as you go. Start on dry, fully detangled hair with a heat protectant, use the lowest effective temperature for your hair type, and finish with a cool shot at the roots. The goal is smoothness, not flattening, so stop before the hair looks pressed.

Prep hair so it can hold body

Volume starts before the iron touches your hair. Wash and condition as usual, then let hair dry completely, either air-dry or with a blow-dryer. Straightening damp hair forces you to repeat passes, which drains body and raises heat damage risk. If your hair is fine, apply a lightweight heat protectant and a root-lifting mousse; if it is thick, use a heat protectant plus a small amount of smoothing serum only on the mid-lengths and ends. Comb through with a wide-tooth comb to remove tangles, because snagging a section mid-pass creates creases that look flat.

Set the right temperature for your hair type

Temperature is the volume decision most people get wrong. Fine hair responds well to a lower setting, often around 300°F to 350°F, because high heat can make it limp and fragile. Medium hair usually sits comfortably between 350°F and 400°F. Thick or coarse hair may need 400°F to 425°F to smooth in one pass, but only if the hair is healthy and you use a heat protectant. Always test a small hidden section first. If the iron glides through without pulling and the hair looks smooth after one pass, the temperature is right. If you need three passes, the setting is too low, not too high.

Section and clamp with root lift

Divide dry hair into four sections: two at the front and two at the back. Clip the top sections out of the way and start at the bottom. For each section, place the iron close to the root, then rotate your wrist slightly upward as you close the plates. This lifts the root away from the scalp instead of pressing it flat. Glide the iron down in one smooth pass, following the natural fall of the hair. Do not clamp and hold in one spot, and do not start the pass at the mid-length and work downward, because that leaves the root area unpressed and the ends overworked. After each pass, let the section cool in your hand or on a clip before touching it; hot hair reshapes easily and will lose the lift you just created.

Finish with a cool shot and light hold

Once all sections are straight, use the cool-shot button on your dryer or iron and aim it at the roots for a few seconds per section. Cooling sets the cuticle in its lifted position and makes the volume last longer. Then mist a flexible-hold hairspray from about 10 inches away, focusing on the roots and mid-lengths rather than the ends. Avoid heavy pomades or oils at the root, since they weigh hair down and undo the lift. If you want extra body at the crown, backcomb a one-inch section underneath the top layer with a fine-tooth comb, then smooth the surface lightly with the iron on low heat.

Step-by-step: straighten with volume

  1. Start on dry, detangled hair: Wash and condition, then dry completely before applying heat. Work a lightweight heat protectant through the lengths and a root-lifting mousse at the crown for fine hair, or a small amount of smoothing serum on the ends for thick hair. Checkpoint: if hair is still damp at the roots, wait. Damp roots force extra passes and flatten the lift.
  2. Set the lowest effective temperature: Fine hair often smooths at 300°F to 350°F, medium hair at 350°F to 400°F, and thick or coarse hair at 400°F to 425°F. Test one hidden section first and adjust before working the full head. Checkpoint: one pass should leave the section smooth. If it takes three, raise the heat slightly rather than pressing harder.
  3. Section hair and lift the root: Divide hair into four sections and start at the back. Clamp the iron near the root, rotate your wrist slightly upward, and glide down in one smooth pass. Let each section cool before touching it. Checkpoint: if the root looks pressed flat, you clamped too long or started the pass too low. Re-lift that section with a short upward pass.
  4. Cool and set with light hold: Aim a cool shot at the roots for a few seconds per section, then mist flexible-hold hairspray from about 10 inches away. Keep heavy oils and pomades away from the root. Checkpoint: volume should last through the day. If it falls within an hour, your root products were too heavy or the cool shot was skipped.

From the product catalog

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