To straighten while blowdrying...you're looking for a serum, that you put in your hair after towel drying but BEFORE blow drying.
2 good ones: (not to be used together, just 2 options)
- Paul Mitchel Super Skinny Serum
- Kerastase Oleo Relax (this one comes in 3 versions, mist-light/pump-med/serum-heavy)
The paul mitchell one you used several pumps for shoulder length hair...the Kerastase just a few drops of the serum, OR a pump or two of the lighter one, or just a light mist. Kerastase is WAY expensive, but lasts for ages...so it's kind of 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. One tiny bottle of serum lasts for about 6 months. The mist and the lighter pump version last less if you should be using the heavier version...otherwise they last for ages as well. Kerastase smells spicy, Paul Mitchell is kind of watermelony. Paul Mitchell you can get at various places (including amazon), Kerastase is harder to find...but all the Gene Juarezs (including the one in Redmond) has it.
For hairdryers...it depends on your hair. I'm super super curly, so I need lots of heat and lots of air. And then I finish up with a straightening iron (3/4 inch...more on that in a minute). The curlier your hair the more heat and wind you want...because the heat denatures the protein chains that form a twist and allows you to reform the protein bonds in straight line...and the wind gets the water out. The better the dryer, the faster your hair will dry. If you don't have a lot of curl, it matters way way less what kind of dryer you use. You can buy a really really GOOD hairdryer at Sally's for between 30-60 dollars. If you drop them a lot, I drop mine at least once a month, expect to replace it every 2-3 years. Highend (1875-2000 wats) Con-aire is very good for heat+wind (apx $40). There's the GVP version of the Chi, which is okay (apx $40). At Sally's they also have a red on (forget the brand) that's $60 and fantastic. Like I said though, the less curl you have the less you have to stress about a really good dryer. ALSO the ionic ones are about the only ones you can find these days...but they DO do weird things to curly hair. Makes it feel almost brittle, versus a non-tourmaline dryer which doesn't do the brittle thing.
When you're straightening your hair with a hair dryer, make sure you have a boar-bristle (or imitation boar-bristle) round brush. Saves tons and tons and tons of time, versus a regular prong style round brush.
For straightening irons (LOVE these)...go with GVP. My 3/4" one I got for 25 bucks (ceramic and all that jazz)...versus the namebrand one of my friend's that she got for $130. OUCH. (and mines better!) Also...if you go for a smaller width...you can shape your hair as you iron it...the wider it is the less control you have. It's better to go on high heat (like 400-600) and go fast than on low heat and go over and over and over. Make sure the heating plate has rounded edges. If you have straight edges it will bend right angles into your hair from time to time, catch, and also cause a lot more breakage.
Whew! Overwhelmed yet?
Okay...here's the easy part.
1) Go to bartells or other well stocked drug store. Go to hair products (gell and the like). Grab a bright green bottle of Garnier Fructis Wave Shaper OR Curl Construct MOUSSE for $3. After the shower, shake and foam out about an orange sized ball into your hand. Work through your hair. Air Dry. Easy.
-or- for a little more money
2) Bumble & Bumble "Get Straight Gel" ... Tons of salons carry it. $20-$25
After the shower us a 50 cent sized squirt through your hair from roots to ends. It will feel really slippery. Air Dry. Easy.
Neither of these will make your hair straight...but they define curl or wave, and add a TON of control. If the mousse make your hair crunchy...scrunch the crunch out of it...sould only take a few seconds. If it's not soft almost immediately, use a little less the next time. If your waves or curls are frizzing, use more. The bumble and bumble will never make your hair crunchy, you tell by whether your hair looks oily or frizzy. If it looks oily after it's totally dry, use less...if it's frizzy, use more.
Good Luck!