Fashion

Why You Should Never Flat Iron Wet Hair

by Sienna Fantozzi

Styling your hair can take way more time than it should — between washing it, blow-drying it, and then flat ironing and/or curling it, your routine can end up taking an hour or more, and let's be real, who has that kind of time to waste? Skipping a step or two and saving time where you can is always a plus, so if you're wondering if you can flat iron wet hair, you might want to find out what will actually happen to your hair before you heat it up while it's still damp.

I'm all about efficiency and being as low-maintenance as possible when it comes to my beauty routine, but there's something to be said for taking extra time or precaution to make sure your hair is healthy and protected — and unfortunately, that means you should never flat iron your hair while it's wet. "Hair should be bone dry when you straighten," celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh told Teen Vogue.

So what's the reasoning behind it? Straightening (and therefore, applying heat to hair that is still wet) can steam it and sizzle it — and that sounds all kinds of bad. As a result, your hair will crack, split, and become rough, loosing all it's shine and smoothness. Yikes — that is definitely not worth saving some time in the morning.

If you want to make sure your hair is extra protected once it's dry, shop one of these heat protectants before you flat iron.

1. Phyto

PHYTO, $32, Amazon

This paraben-free spray will help fight breakage in addition to protecting your hair from heat.

2. Aussie

Heat Protectant Shine Spray; (Pack of 3) $30, Amazon

Need a boost of shine? This product will help smooth your strands.

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3. John Frieda

Frizz Ease Heat Protectant ; $8, Amazon

Fight frizz with this two-in-one product.

Images: Leandro Crespi/Stocksy; Nordstrom; Walmart