How to Add Shine and Smoothness with Ease

Bridal stylist Sarah Malinda relies on the right products and tools to ensure her business, and her clients' hair, runs smoothly. She told MODERN that her recent tool must-have when creating her looks is the new Olivia Garden Ceramic + Ion Professional Flat Iron.

Featuring high performance dual-ceramic heaters, a super-fast heat up and temperature recovery, the iron is ideal for the professional stylist. It also includes 11 digital temperature settings, an ergonomic thumb rest and a 30-minute piece-of-mind auto turn-off safety feature.

“The iron really does make my life easier; it’s so innovative,” she says. “I love that it automatically turns off and it glides through my clients where while leaving behind an intense shine. I also love it’s design because it allows me to easily smooth around the hairline and get up close to my partings.”

For this style, Malinda used her iron from Olivia Garden to add shine and smoothness to her client's finished look, which also features a dutch braid. 

 

How-to:

Step 1: Create a triangular parting on each side of clients part about 2 inches wide (if you want a smaller braid create a smaller parting)

Step 2: Begin braid at the very top of parting at the high point of headshape

Step 3: Take a horizontal parting and create three equal sub sections from parting to begin braid

Step 4: Starting with the outside strand cross under middle piece and repeat same process on the other side; this is your very first stitch of our Dutch braid

Step 5: Repeat step 5, but this time add in outside strands of hair to attach braid to scalp

Step 6: Follow braid patten till it reaches top of ear and secure with a clear elastic. Tuck and pin braid behind the ear. PRO TIP: When braiding, position and move your body so the braid goes in the direction you want it to live in your final result.

Step 7: Use Olivia Garden Ceramic + Ion Professional Flat Iron to smooth hair. Make sure you take sections no wider than the tool to ensure even heat distribution for a smooth, clean end result.