Best hair straightening products to use with your straightener

Whether you straighten your hair religiously, or you just like to smooth your tresses every once in a while, you should be using some sort of hair straightening products, not only to help boost smoothness and shine, but also to help make those ultra sleek results last longer. Unlike a serum, hair oil or cream that you may use post-straightening, hair straightening products are designed to be used before the straightening process to help you achieve better results, and, in several instances, in less time, too.

Of course, with so many multi-functional formulations out there, it can be hard to differentiate between products that you can use with any heated styling tool and ones that have been formulated specifically for use with a straightener to achieve optimum results. Which is why we thought we’d lend a helping hand by compiling a handy list of the best hair straightening products, as well as give you a breakdown of which to use depending on the results you’re after. All you have to do is keep on reading and get ready to reap the benefits of the smoothest, sleekest-looking locks you’ve ever had in your life.

Our favourite hair straightening products

To help protect your hair…

Whenever you use heated styling tools on your delicate tresses, it goes without saying that a heat protectant is an absolute must (it’s our number one hair rule!). These don’t necessarily have to be in spray form (although most are), they can be creams and oils, too. Of course, you’ll find that most heat protectants can be used with all manner of heated tools, be it straighteners, curling wands or heated rollers. But if you’re after ultra sleek results, surely it makes sense to opt for a heat protectant that’s been made specifically for use in conjunction with a hair straightener, right?

Try: TIGI Catwalk Haute Iron Spray (£15.95*), which will help to protect your hair from heat up to 230°C (the highest setting on most hair straighteners). Spray onto dry hair and distribute it by brushing your hair through, before straightening your hair as normal.

To help reduce frizz…

Is there anything worse than frizz ruining your super sleek hairstyle? Probably not. So what if we told you that by using a hair straightening treatment product, you could help tame frizzy hair for more than just one wash?

Try: TRESemmé Keratin Smooth: 7 Day Smooth Heat Activated Treatment (£6.99*), which features a breakthrough, non-damaging smoothing system that helps to combat frizz for up to 7 days**. How? With a heat-activated formula, of course!

To use this treatment, follow the below steps:

• Divide your wet hair into several equal sections.
• Dispense two pumps of the product into your palm and rub your hands together before applying the treatment evenly to each section.
• Use a comb to evenly distribute the treatment through your hair, from root to tip.
• Blow dry your hair.
• To activate the thermal technology, use a hair straightener, like the Toni&Guy Flawless Finish Straightener to go over your hair in small sections. Straighten over each section around 3 times.

To help add shine…

Fact: straight hair looks sleeker and silkier when it’s shiny. But if you haven’t been blessed with naturally shiny hair, don’t fret: you can fake it! All you need is a shine-boosting hair straightening product to help boost that healthy-looking sheen.

Try: TIGI S Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray (£17.45*), which when sprayed onto hair, helps to add a lustrous, shimmering shine. Apply it to wet or dry hair before you begin straightening.

To achieve smooth and sleek hair…

If ultra polished results are what you’re after, it may be worth investing in a straightening lotion to help smooth your hair and transform it into luxuriously sleek-looking locks. Most of these products work like an inexpensive, non-permanent straightening treatment, by helping to keep frizz and flyaways at bay for a number of washes.

Try: VO5 Smoothly Does It Straightening Lotion (£5.99*), which has been made with a special Kerafix Technology that’s activated when the lotion comes into contact with the heat from your straighteners. How very scientific!

So now that you’re all clued up about hair straightening products, why not get acquainted with some tips on straightening hair?

*RRPs are Unilever suggested retail prices only, it is at the discretion of the individual retailers to set the actual price.

**Or up to 3 washes.