Thanksgiving Hair: Three Looks You Can Do in 20 Minutes (That Last Through Dinner)

Thanksgiving is hard on hair. You're cooking, the oven has been on since morning, the kitchen is humid, and somebody wants a family photo right before the turkey comes out. The good news is that you don't need a salon appointment or a bag of tools. One flat iron does all three looks below.

Before you start: three rules that make any look last

1. Start with completely dry hair. Any dampness left at the root turns into frizz the minute you stand over a pot. Blow-dry fully, then wait a few minutes.
2. Use a heat protectant and the lowest heat that works. Fine or color-treated hair rarely needs more than 330–370°F. Thick or coarse hair can go higher. If you hear sizzling, the hair is still wet. Stop.
3. One slow pass, then let it cool. Hair sets as it cools. Touching, brushing or pinning warm hair is the fastest way to lose the shape. Give each section 30 seconds.

Look 1: Sleek and straight (about 20 minutes)

The classic, and the one that photographs best.

• Split your hair into four sections: two in back, two in front. Clip up what you're not working on.
• Take 1-inch-wide pieces. Clamp close to the root (not on the scalp) and glide down slowly in one steady pass.
• Finish the ends with a slight bend under so they don't look flat.
• Do the face-framing pieces last, when the iron is in your hand and your arm isn't tired.

Best tool: a 1.5-inch plate covers longer hair fastest. The CROC Classic Black Titanium 1.5" is built for exactly this.

Look 2: Soft flat-iron waves (about 20 minutes)

This is the one people ask about. Yes, a flat iron makes waves, and they hold better than you'd think.

• Take a 1–2 inch section. Clamp the iron near the top of the section.
• Turn the iron half a turn away from your face, then glide down slowly while keeping that twist.
• Alternate direction every section or two so the waves look natural, not uniform.
• Let everything cool completely, then break the waves up with your fingers. Not a brush.

Best tool: a 1.25-inch plate is the sweet spot for waves. Narrow enough to twist, wide enough to move fast. The CROC Rose Gold Titanium 1.25" has four heat settings and always starts at the lowest, 330°F, so you build up only if you need to.

Look 3: The smooth low bun (about 15 minutes)

For anyone who will be in the kitchen all day, or who wants their hair out of the gravy.

• Straighten just the front and the crown with one pass each. That's where people look.
• Brush everything back into a low ponytail at the nape, then twist and wrap it into a bun and pin it.
• Leave two thin face-framing pieces out and give them a quick bend with the iron.

Best tool: a small plate gets close to the hairline and through bangs. The CROC LED Black Titanium 1" is made for short pieces and edges.

How do I keep my style from falling in a hot kitchen?

• Style after the cooking steam, not before, if you can. Even 30 minutes before guests arrive is enough.
• Keep the oven door between you and your hair. Step back when you open it. That blast of heat and steam goes straight to the front pieces.
• Carry a small touch-up plan: a clip for the bun, or two minutes with the iron on the front pieces before the photo.
• Skip heavy oils before styling. A light finishing product after the hair has cooled works better.

What temperature should I use?

Start low and go up one step only if one slow pass doesn't hold. More passes at a lower heat is not gentler. One pass at the right heat is. There's more on this in the best flat iron for fine hair and for curly hair.

The short version

Dry hair, protectant, the right heat, one pass, let it cool. Pick the look that fits your day: sleek if you're the host for the photo, waves if you want something softer, a bun if you're the one cooking. Have a great Thanksgiving.

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