Kara’s Question:
Hi, I’m in the market for a high-end straightening iron, and I feel completely overwhelmed by all the product choices out there! The major differences I see for most irons are the types of plates used, which include tourmaline/ceramic mix, ceramic, and metal plates. While I’m presuming it’s the high heat (some heat up to 450F) that helps straighten the hair shaft, how do these different plates benefit the hair? Are these newer kinds of straighteners with the tourmaline and ceramic healthier for your hair? I’m looking for an iron that works well, but doesn’t completely wreck and fry my hair shaft. Thanks so much for your time! I just added the RSS feed to my homepage, and I am absolutely loving it! Thanks again!
The Left Brain‘s Answer:
I agree, the number of choices for hair appliances is paralyzing! If it’s any consolation, you don’t have to pay too much attention to all the hype about the different types of ironing plates. While it’s true that more expensive irons can be made from higher quality materials, that really just means that the heating element is more rugged and the plates are built to take wear and tear. Cheaper flat irons may have inferior plates that can’t handle the heat and may snag your hair. This is bad for hair straightening.
But whether it’s tourmaline or ceramic, there’s nothing about the composition of the plate material that makes it intrinsically healthier for your hair. And don’t believe ANY of that crap about ionic straighteners. That’s pure marketing hype without a shred of scientific validation.
You’ll need to pay a bit more for high quality construction but you don’t need to pay extra for bogus scientific claims.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Very informative!
Along the same lines, can you tell me if home microdermabrasion kits work? I want to know if I’ll be getting a similar result I get at the aesthetician’s, or if it is one of those things were they are selling me something that is about half as potent as what aestheticians can buy and use (like with haircolor, for example – there is nothing we can buy at the supermarket that is as strong as what hairdressers can buy). Thanks.
it’s important to note that all CHI flatirons have a lifetime warranty! it makes it much easy to spend the money when they are backing the product!
in another respect, before i had my CHI, i bought about 4 metal-plated flatirons and worked my way through all of them (and yes, snagging, overheating and then frying the irons) which in total, were just a little less than the CHI. end of the day, my money goes to the CHI (have no experience with other irons, due to the aformentioned lifetime warranty).
I am with you BB, as a beauty journalist I have tried and tested every straightener around from wet to dry, to ionic, to ceramic, tourmaline and traditional and they all give the same effect and are ALL damaging to hair … but let’s face it, hair is dead and made to be tortured, so what the hell it’s about looking good. Just use a conditioner, a heat defense spray and get your split ends cut off regularly. XN
I am looking for the CHI 1 inch flat iron and cannot find places that sell them with the lifetime warranty. Could you tell me where to go?
All CHI irons come with the information for the lifetime warranty, you don’t need to buy it separately.
Does chi’s still have lifetime warrantys ? because everyone i look at said its like a 1 or 2 year warranty!
Is there a better follow up to this?
The original reply back in 2006 didn’t seem very informative but maybe I’m missing a part of the post.
I dont see any examples of what To look for. What to buy, names, why, etc. Any advice on it would be nice!
I know straighteners are bad but what’s the least bad option you would suggest or have seen best results with?
Thanks so much for any updates
Sorry Mel but we don’t have any updates at this point. Perhaps some of our readers have suggestions they’d like to share?