Buying The Best Flat Iron
Owning a flat iron is essential if you want to have straight, smooth and sleek hair such as celebrities like Jennifer Aniston. But how to choose the best flat iron for your hair type isn't straight forward. There are many top rated flat irons on the market; all of them offering different functionality, claiming to be the best hair straightener, and saying they offer the best flat iron at the best price.
So, what is the best flat iron? What are different types of flat irons? Hair straighteners have been around for a long time, but as the fashion in long, sleek hair has become more popular, the use of flat irons has increased. Many of the top flat iron manufacturers have taken note and have put in a tremendous amount of research and development into 'out-doing' their competitors. This has been fantastic for the consumer, as today's flat irons are better than ever.
What are the different types of flat iron for different hair types?
Flat irons come in all different shapes, weight, materials and sizes. However, it is what the actual plates are made of that essentially differentiates the types of flat irons. Traditionally, flat iron plates were made of metal. These were then superceded by gold-tone metal plates. But these days ceramic - and lately tourmaline - flat irons are the most popular. If you're buying a flat iron, you should only buy a ceramic or tourmaline straightening iron.
A ceramic flat iron is far better than the gold-tone metal flat irons that came before. There are two reasons for this. The first is that ceramic is incredibly smooth so hair is not tugged, caught or pulled, which makes using a ceramic hair straightener easier and the end result much better. Secondly, heat is distributed evenly over ceramic - not so with the older metal plates - and there is less chance of hair being burned when using a ceramic straightening iron.
Most manufacturers now produce tourmaline flat irons. Tourmaline is a silicate - a type of crystal. Manufacturers now 'infuse' tourmaline into the ceramic plates and other parts of the flat iron. Tourmaline produces up to 6 times more negative ions than does ceramic.
So why are negative ions important when using a tourmaline flat ion? Negative ions close the cuticle layer to create a smooth , silky hair surface and seal in the hair’s natural moisture. This provides ultimate shine, color and moisture protection for hair. Negative ions also eliminate static electricity on the hair surface so hair is left silky and frizz-free!
Some flat irons come with something called Far Infrared Heat. This new technology penetrates the hair to heat it gently from within, creating a different type of heat that doesn’t heat the air. Instead, heat is delivered directly to the hair shaft so hair becomes more supple and can be worked quickly and easily. Because less heat is delivered to the surface, hair is not damaged.
Finally, most flat irons should only be used on dry, clean hair. However, some flat irons are now designed to work on either dry or wet hair - often referred to as Wet-to-Dry flat irons; so hair is not further damaged by first blow-drying it.
Many flat irons come with different settings for different types of hair. Basically, the more curly the hair, the more heat is required to make it straight. Also, the ceramic plates come in different widths, from 3/4" to 3-inches. Thinner plates are more suitable for thin hair, whereas thicker plates are more suited to thick or curly hair.
How to use a flat iron?
- Always read the manufacturer's instructions. By using the flat iron as the manufacturer has specified you will lengthen the life of the appliance and will get the best results.
- Practice using the flat iron while it is still cold. Every brand of flat iron handles differently, so even if you've used one before, you should still take it for a test run.
- Use an anti-frizz spray, lotion, or serum - usually a silicon based product. This should be applied while the hair is still wet. If done correctly on wet hair, the lotion will soften hair as it dries - don't put it on dry hair or it may become "greasy".
- You should make sure you hair is completely dry before you use the flat iron. Use a blow-dryer and don't worry about trying to straighten it - that comes next.
- Only use the flat iron on small sections of hair. Use sectioning clips, if you have them; sections of around two inches usually works best. The thinner the sections; the flatter and lighter your hair will be.
- Remember: flat irons are very hot. Apply pressure evenly and move the flat iron in a downward direction, at an even, slow pace. Never stop moving the flat iron! You will burn your hair.
- Use a wide bristle brush on your hair while brushing your desired shape into place.
Take some time to read the flat iron reviews of each manufacturer on this web site. There are many top rated flat irons. The best flat iron is the one that has the functionality you want, the weight and feel you want, is easy to use, at the price you can afford, and that straightens your hair to perfection.