HOW TO STRAIGHTEN YOUR HAIR THE CORRECT WAY!

Straight rules - How to use hair straighteners the correct way...Trade texture for a polished performance by learning to straighten your hair like a pro. Hair straighteners at the ready...Curls might rule the catwalks at the moment, but our love affair with straight locks could be rekindled if girl of the moment Katie Holmes is anything to go by. If this is the case, simply cutting the crusts off your sarnies isn't going to be enough to encourage a Roman-road-type finish: you need the inside track on sleek techniques to give you the edge over those ubiquitous boho babes.

The gospel according to Antoinette Beenders, British Hairdresser of the Year and Aveda's global style director, goes like this:

1. Hair straighteners are designed for occasional, not daily use, as they work at a high temperature and can cause damage.

2. Don't rely solely on straightening irons blow-dry hair smooth first.3. Always use a styling spray before heat straightening this acts as a barrier between hair and heat.

4. Steam straighteners add moisture to the hair, allowing for glossy, silky results.

5. Don't try to straighten too much hair at once keeping the sections small will avoid ridges forming at the roots.

Wearing pin-straight styles should be reserved for special occasions, such as a job interview, where hair needs to ooze polished professionalism, or a date where you likewise want to shine. It's the flat surface, reflection ratio for all you Eva Longoria-type science lovers out there - aquaholics on a beach holiday shouldn't even think about it!

Remove some of the hard slog involved in taming rogue locks with products specifically for straight finishes, such as L'anza's Strait-Line salon-quality quartet of smooth operators, from 8.95. Post-towel-drying, detangling tamers TRESemm Silk Shine Straightener, 3.99 or Wella High Hair Sleek Wonder, 7.45 and Aveda Hang Straight, 14, each encourage wet hair to straighten up and lie right.

Don't rely solely on straightening irons blow-dry hair smooth first

With the crucial blow-dry the correct hairbrush is key. Medium or large radial brushes with natural bristles and flat paddle brushes with rubber pins are best. Comb through first and then roughly blow-dry for a couple of minutes. The ETI Thermal Straightening Brush, 6.99 in our ebay shop is a heat retaining brush, which heat up to dry and straighten simultaneously. Clip the top sections of hair out of the way and select brush-wide underneath sections, starting from the back of the head and working forwards. Ensure each one is completely dry before moving on to the next. Do it right and you should only need to use straighteners through the top sections, leaving your style with more vitality. Use a heat-protection product, such as Our Kodo Thermal Protector spray or our Gorgeous thermal Spray (also in our shop) as they work on damp hair, converting water into steam and actively increasing moisture content compared to locks that have been left to dry naturally. Use a smooth action from root to tip and two or three strokes each time and go straight to gorgeous.

Ultimately, if you are unsure, just ask us, as we are here to help!