Sometimes I need a break from my curls. As odd as it may sound, it is easier for me to protect my ends, and keep my scalp moisturized when it is straight. The hard part of course, is protecting my delicate and fine strands from heat damage. I have finally found my holy grail of heat styling products, thanks to Evo Hair.
I have made a major breakthrough with my styling process, and am able to achieve healthy, shiny, and voluminous straight hair that reverts with no heat damage.
Evo’s International Creative Director, Lauren McCowan, offers advice and tips on how to manage and use hot tools. The most important thing when using hot tools on the hair is making sure you have a good base to start on.
“Using a good shampoo and conditioner to build moisture and strength in your hair is the most important step. You need to fill in the gaps in the hair's health and then use your hot tools to seal that in. It will make your style last longer and give better shine and quality hair,” she says.
The Ritual Salvation Shampoo and The Ritual Care Conditioner from Evo have a repair and hydration factor as well as a UV/UVB factor without being heavy or greasy. They help to strengthen hair and prevent fading of color, conditions, and enhance shine. When I finished washing my hair my curls were hydrated, and defined without the usage of additional product. They were soft and bouncy, and almost made me not want to continue with my straightening process.
Once the hair is prepped, a good leave-in conditioner will create an even porosity and also add an extra layer of moisture to counteract against the heat. Day of Grace Leave In Conditioner spray is weightless and will give an extra UVA/UVB protection for all hair types. It helps to detangle and protects from uv and heat damage, while increasing the pliability and manageability of your hair.
This is the first leave in that i am comfortable using with heat tools. After separating into 4 sections, I used my blow dryer on high heat with a concentrator nozzle, and added tension to my hair using a round brush. My hair felt light, moisturized, and had a great shine to it.
I was really surprised by how straight I was able to get my hair with just the blow dryer. Typically I have to go to a salon for results this good. I was able to get each section straight, and in less time than my normal blow dry process. Had I not been in a rush that day, I could have simply wrapped my hair and still have been able to get pin straight locks without using my flat iron.
Next, I went on to use the Icon Welder hot tool shaper. While giving the hair amazing protection from hot tools, it has a hold and shine factor that will keep your style in place as well as being completely brushable. It helps to protect hair from humidity, adds volume and helps protect from uv damage.
I sprayed it all over each of my four sections, and combed it through to make sure my hair was evenly coated. I then flat ironed on 300 degrees, which is a major drop from my usual 450.
I was blown away by my salon quality results. My hair was pin straight on day 1, which I can never achieve on my own. It was especially surprising because I exposed my hair to less heat. My strands were soft, had great movement, and lots and lots of volume which I wasn't expecting. In the days to follow, I styled my in a variety of ways that didn't require additional heat. I did a beautiful goddess braid that was soft and full, and when I took it out I was able to wrap my hair, and got massive body with wispy curls going away from my face. Again, I did not have to add any additional heat to my roots, or to achieve curls in my hair, which is definitely uncommon for my texture.
“When the hair is dried out, it will attract what it needs on a base moisture level from the atmosphere around it - hence the reason hair that has had too much heat applied to it 'drops out'. By building a good foundation with product and using your tools on moderate to medium temperature, you will essentially 'seal' the moisture in the hair and your hair will look better and last longer,” McCowen says.
This was definitely the case when I used the products. I am going to 100% make sure they stay in my straightening regime forever!
To learn more about Evo and their complete line of face, hair, and body products, visit Evohair.com.