Straight Hair (Type 1): Care & Styling

Straight hair (1a–1c) is smooth and reflects light well, so it always looks shiny. Its two real challenges are going flat and getting oily fast — because oil slides straight down the strand with no curl to slow it. The whole game with straight hair is adding volume and texture, then making it last.

Washing & care

• Wash 2–4 times a week with a lightweight shampoo. Over-washing makes the scalp produce even more oil.
• Condition the ends only — keep conditioner off the roots so hair does not go limp.
• Use a clarifying shampoo now and then to remove buildup that dulls and flattens hair.
• Pat dry with a towel — rubbing roughens the cuticle and kills shine.

How to style

• Blow-dry from damp (not soaking) hair. Lift at the roots with your fingers or a brush against the direction of growth — this is where 90% of the volume comes from.
• Use a matte clay or texture powder for a natural, separated finish. Skip heavy gels unless you want a stiff, wet look.
• Sea salt spray on damp hair adds grip and that lived-in texture before you even add product.
• Great cuts for straight hair: the textured crop and textured fade — they build movement into the cut itself.

Pro tip

For fine 1a–1b hair, tap a tiny bit of texture powder directly onto the roots before styling. It grabs the strands and holds volume far longer than product applied to the lengths. And on day two, dry shampoo doubles as a styling product — it soaks up oil and brings the texture back.

At Taper Shop

Ask us about a textured crop or a textured fade with a styling or blow-dry finish — that combination gives straight hair the most volume and the easiest daily routine.