.png)
All About Hair...and So Much More.
Welcome to All About Hair—where education meets inspiration for stylists and hair lovers alike.
Whether you’re starting your career behind the chair or just obsessed with all things hair, this channel is your go-to spot for real tips, honest advice, and plenty of inspiration.
You’ll find pro techniques, career-building tools, and everyday hair hacks—plus the encouragement to grow with confidence and creativity.
Subscribe and join a community that’s passionate about great hair and even better vibes.
All About Hair...and So Much More.
Ep 315: Flatiron Fundamentals: Choose the Perfect Tool for Your Hair
Your tools matter just as much as your technique when it comes to hair styling. That $15 bargain flat iron might be the silent saboteur undoing all your careful hair care efforts, leaving you with dry, damaged strands despite using premium products.
Navigating the world of flat irons can feel overwhelming with countless options, confusing terminology, and misleading marketing claims. Should you choose ceramic, titanium, or tourmaline plates? Does plate size really matter? What temperature is safe for your specific hair type? As a salon owner and educator with years of experience, I've seen the devastating effects of using the wrong tools—and the transformative results that come from finding the perfect match.
Whether you're struggling with frizz, battling breakage, or simply looking to upgrade your styling routine, this episode will transform how you think about and use heat styling tools. Grab the free Flatiron 101 cheat sheet from the show notes to reference while shopping, and remember: when you know better, you do better. Your hair will thank you for listening!
YouTube Video: How to curl your hair with a flat iron.
Top Flatiron Picks for Every Budget:
- Under $25:
Conair Double Ceramic Flat Iron – Great for beginners, even heat, li
The Salon Success System: $97 Course
The Training Toolkit is your step-by-step roadmap to building a confident, high-performing salon team—without the overwhelm. Designed for salon owners, this course gives you proven onboarding strategies, easy-to-use training templates, and real-world systems that save time, boost retention, and drive growth.
Grab your FREE PDF of The In-Salon Training Toolkit today.
Level up your onboarding and education! This free toolkit gives salon owners practical, done-for-you templates and strategies to train new stylists quickly, consistently, and with less stress—so you can focus on growing your business, not reinventing the wheel.
______
Train With Confidence. Lead With Impact.
Running a salon is hard enough—training new stylists shouldn’t feel like a second full-time job.
If you're constantly pulled in a dozen directions, struggling to teach while juggling clients, and wishing your new hires would just get it faster—you’re not alone. And more importantly, you don’t have to keep doing it the hard way.
Download The Ultimate In-Salon Training Toolkit today and start onboarding your stylists with clarity, confidence, and zero guesswork.
_______
Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel as well!
Visit my Amazon Store for all my favorite products!
Grab your Ultimate In-Salon Training Toolkit!
Website: www.danisekeilitz.com
Instagram: danisekeilitz
Shop my favorite Eufora Products.
Did you know? You can have the best haircut in the world, but if you're using the wrong flat iron, you're working against yourself. In today's episode, I'll walk you through how to pick the right straightener, based on your hair type, budget and lifestyle. Plus, I'm sharing some of my favorite stylist-approved tools that won't fry your hair or break the bank. That won't fry your hair or break the bank.
Speaker 1:Welcome to All About Hair, where we talk, shop, share stories and spill the secrets behind great hair and a great career. I'm your host, Denise Kylitz, a former salon owner, educator and a lifelong hair crusader. Whether you're a new stylist, building your book or just someone who loves learning about all things hair, you're in the right place. Each week, we dive into real techniques, honest career advice and inspiration to help you grow behind the chair or just fall even more in love with the world of hair, because around here, it's not just about looking good. It's about learning, evolving and having a little fun along the way. So grab your coffee, your shears or your dry shampoo and let's get into it. Hey there, welcome back to All About Hair. I'm Denise and I just want to thank you for being here. I'm super excited. You guys.
Speaker 1:I have worked for the last two weeks. I'm converting everything over to a new website. I'm working on it right now. I've got my brand new course out there. If you're a salon owner and you are struggling to onboard stylists or train stylists or get your handbook together, I have you covered. I have a brand new course. You probably just heard about it in the intro, but it's only $97 and it actually walks you through, step-by-step, from the day one that you hire a new stylist, what you need to go over, how to set them up for success from day one, and then it'll unlock an exclusive offer that you can get templates for yes, my employee handbook, which I actually used in my salon, but, more importantly, the education notebook. This is the exact template that I used in my salons and I think you're going to love it. Anyway, I've got the links in the show notes. Just wanted to let you know how excited I am. I've worked pretty hard on this. Hopefully you like it. Let me know your thoughts If you want to see a different course. I am actually working on another course for a brand new hairstylist for foundational skill sets. I'm really excited about that one too. Again, thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 1:So let's get on with the episode about flat irons. Look, I'll never forget this one client. She had the silkiest, healthiest hair when she came in for her first visit, but six months later she came back. Her ends were dry, they were fried, they were breaking off. Turns out she bought a $15 no-name flat iron off a bargain site online, using it daily on the highest heat. Oh, you know how I feel about no heat protected on your hair. Oh, my goodness. So she had no temperature control and no heat protected.
Speaker 1:That moment taught me something pretty important your tools matter just as much as your technique. The wrong flat iron can undo all the good you're doing in the salon and at home. You could be using the most expensive masks, most expensive products, but if your flat iron is just frying your hair, ugh. And I do get this question a lot from people like what's the difference in flat irons? I mean, there's so many choices out there. So today we're going to walk you through everything, and you will want to make sure that you download my free PDF. You can print it off, easy peasy. Okay, here's the problem. Too many people choose their flat iron by price Number one. I've done that in the past myself the brand name or they've seen it on Instagram by an influencer, and most people don't even know what they're actually buying or what really works for their hair type.
Speaker 1:The wrong plate type or heat setting can cause dryness, breakage and long-term damage. A one-size-fits-all tool it's just not realistic. What works for coarse hair will ruin fine hair strands. So let's talk about all the options, because there's a flood of them out there. There's confusing terms, misleading marketing and there's also those influencers pushing tools they don't even use. It is super easy to get overwhelmed. This is a question I get all the time.
Speaker 1:Ceramic, titanium, tourmaline plates what's the difference? Do you even need to be concerned about that? Yes, you do. First off, the plate material Ceramic. This is really great for even heat distribution and is gentle on all hair types. It's great for smoothing and for shine. Titanium heats up super fast and it stays hot. This is ideal for thick, coarse or resistant hair. And then you have tourmaline, which actually helps reduce frizz with negative ions, and this is best for frizzy hair or damaged hair. Here's a pro tip. Don't want to forget this. If your hair is fine, fragile or color treated, stick with ceramic or tourmaline. Titanium is way too aggressive unless your hair can handle high heat, and most fine, fragile, color treated hair cannot.
Speaker 1:Something else you want to look for in a flat iron adjustable heat settings. This is essential for preventing damage, because not all hair needs 450 degrees. I kid you not. Most people turn on their flat irons and they turn it up hot and high and that's just going to fry your hair. Thin, fine or color treated hair. Just keep it under 375. You really don't need it any hotter. You're just going to fry your hair. You really don't need it any hotter. You're just going to fry your hair. Coarse or curly hair you can go higher, but always, always, always, use a heat protectant. And here's another tip for you Look for a flat iron that has a digital display, because you know those ones that have the numbers on them like turn up the numbers one through 30 or something.
Speaker 1:It's like a little dial. They aren't precise. So the digital display will give you a much more precise gauge on your temperature readings. What about the plate size? Yeah, plate size matters. The one inch plates those are typically the ones you see out there. This is a one inch wide plates and those are perfect for most hair lengths. You can also style with them so you can create curls or waves or just straighten your hair. The wider plates, that's an inch and a half or two inches. That's better for your long, thick or coarse hair and it really does cut down the styling time.
Speaker 1:So if you are actually traveling a lot, you might want to consider one of those little tiny flat irons or a dual voltage flat iron with locking features so you don't accidentally have it come on. But they do have little mini flat irons for traveling. In my opinion, I have found those don't get quite hot enough. They might be great for a bang, touch up or right around your face, but to do your whole head with a flat iron probably don't want to do it with one of those mini ones. Another feature you want to look for is automatic shut off. This is a major peace of mind issue. We've all left the house wondering if we've turned the iron off, haven't you? Yeah, it's a nightmare. I've even driven back home to see if I turned it off. You don't want to burn down the house. So this really does help prevent accidents and it does extend the life of your tool and it saves energy.
Speaker 1:So bonus features to look for infrared technology. This actually heats the hair from the inside out, it reduces surface damage and it preserves moisture in your hair. Now, those are going to be more expensive to buy, but if you are, if you have dry hair, that might be something you might want to consider. If you've got frizzy hair, you might want to consider ionic technology. This really does help tame the frizz and it smooths the cuticle for shine.
Speaker 1:I'm going to leave some links in my show notes for some of the products I recommend and I will link them over on my Amazon storefront so you can go take a look. And I have flat irons under $30 mid range and, yeah, even the more expensive. But it's all up to you and your budget. Now I want to take some questions. I will ask me a lot my clients mostly, but some of the newer stylists out there. I do remember recalling them saying well, what, what flat iron should I buy? Those are valid questions and um, and so I'm just going to answer some of the questions that I get. I put a little list together that I thought might be good.
Speaker 1:Are titanium plates bad for fine hair? Okay, not necessarily, but they're too much for most fine hair types, titanium plates. They get hotter faster and retain heat longer, which is great for thick or coarse hair. But for fine, fragile or color-treated hair, titanium can lead to unnecessary damage. Your better options are ceramic and tourmaline plates. They distribute heat more gently and evenly, making them much safer. All right, another question Can I use a flat iron to curl my hair?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, it works great. It just takes a little bit of practice. A one inch flat iron is probably best for this. Make sure your iron has rounded edges and floating plates so it glides without creating harsh bends or creases. And they do actually have a new kind of flat iron curling iron device. I actually made a video of this on how I curl my hair with it. You might want to go take a look again. I'll leave the link so you don't have to go hunting for it.
Speaker 1:All right, what's the difference between drugstore and salon flat irons? Okay, to tell you the truth, it just really comes down to the materials, the consistency and the longevity. Salon quality tools often are higher grade ceramic or titanium and they have better internal heaters and they offer more precise temperature control. The drugstore irons, on the other hand, they'll get the job done for casual use, so if you're not using them every day. Maybe you're on vacation, you just need to pick one up at the drugstore, but they often have cold spots, they're made out of cheaper materials and they're less durable. So you get what you pay for. That said, there are affordable options like what I have in my show notes, the Remington Pearl Pro that actually perform pretty well Pro that actually perform pretty well. Go check it out.
Speaker 1:Here's a good question. How do I clean my flat iron? Yeah, over time, product can build up. I've seen some gunky flat irons and curling irons in my time. So make sure you unplug it, let it cool completely, of course. Then you want to just get a cloth wet with a little bit not wet damp with a little bit of rubbing alcohol, or you can mix up water and white vinegar 50-50. And then you just gently wipe the plates, make sure you avoid getting moisture in the edges or the electronics of the flat iron, and you definitely want to do this, probably monthly, especially if you're using heat protectants or styling with sprays, which you should be using heat protectants. You sense a theme here. Yes, you need to use heat protectant. And that leads me to my next question Do I need a heat protectant. Every time I flat iron, what do you think I'm going to say yes, every single time, heat protectants form a barrier between your hair and the heat, reducing damage, breakage and dryness. Think of it like sunscreen, but for your hair. And plus some of these protectants, they actually add shine, they reduce frizz and they help your style last longer. So those are bonus things.
Speaker 1:Here's another question. Oh, my goodness, I actually somebody just asked me this the other day why does my flat iron make my hair smell like it's burning? Hmm, why do you think? Hopefully you're not burning your hair, but sometimes that's what it is You're using too high of a heat setting for your hair type and you're actually burning your hair. It could be also the product residue left on the plates of your flat iron, and it also could be that you're holding the flat iron on your hair too long. So what do you do? You lower the temperature, you clean the plates and you make sure your hair's 100% dry and product protected before styling. You don't want to smell your hair being burned.
Speaker 1:Okay, another question why does my hair still get frizzy after flat ironing? Well, it comes to a couple of these reasons. You didn't dry your hair completely before you use your flat iron. And can I just say, when you do that, when you put your flat iron on any dampness on your hair, you're causing it to actually boil the water that's on your hair. And what is that doing? Destroying your cuticle of your hair and breaking your hair. Not good, not good. You don't want that.
Speaker 1:Another reason your hair might still be getting frizzy is you're actually using too low of a heat setting. You're smoothing it, but you're not sealing the cuticle. Also, using a heat protectant or a smoothing serum will help your hair from going frizzy. I know it's springtime. Well, it's summertime and the humidity's up, especially here in Virginia, and I mean I've been wearing my hair curly, curly and blow drying it with a round brush. Typically, I can keep my hair smooth, but in the summertime, if I really wanted my hair to be smooth, I have to use either a curling iron or a flat iron just to smooth that cuticle down and seal it. Another reason it might be frizzy is your flat iron. You might have a cheap flat iron and it's not distributing the heat evenly. That's what we call cold spots and it just means that the temperature fluctuates on your plates. So try using an ionic or an infrared technology. If you have frizzy hair, this will help smooth the cuticle and lock in moisture for longer lasting results.
Speaker 1:Hopefully, I've answered some questions that you may have had. These are just some questions I put together that I could remember people asking me. So whether you're just learning to style your hair or you've been straightening for years, the right flat iron can completely change your results. So don't forget to grab my free downloadable Flatiron 101. It's a cheat sheet and is packed with everything we talked about today, so just click the link in the show notes, grab it now and remember when you know better, you do better. Thanks for tuning in to all about hair. If you loved this episode, hit, subscribe, leave us a review and share it with a fellow stylist or hair loving friend. You want more tips, tools and behind the scenes goodness? Follow me on YouTube or head to my website at denisekeilitzcom. Yes, I know it's hard to spell, so don't worry, the link is in the show notes. Until next time, keep learning, keep creating and keep loving what you do.
