Hair straightening and curling iron: reviews, popular models

Purpose and principle of operation of the hair straightener

Professional styling tools will help you straighten or curl your hair without ruining it.

A good iron will help smooth out curly hair, make it smooth and shiny, as well as remove the "puffiness" effect. When heated, moisture is removed from the hair cuticle, or rather from a certain layer of it, called the "cortex". It is the cortex that is responsible for the waviness of the hair. The more moisture in the environment, the more moisture it receives, and the more frizz the hair becomes. A high-quality straightener will allow you to make your hair smooth and straight, and will also make it possible to maintain this effect for several days. With the help of a professional iron, you can not only smooth the hair cuticle, but also curl it into curls. After all, a change of image for a woman is a way to a good mood for a woman, and sometimes a way to prove to him "what a beauty he has lost."

IMPORTANT!

For curling and straightening your hair, you must use heat protection products. This will help keep your hair from overheating.

Basic and additional functions of ironing

In addition to the standard leveling, professional irons can be equipped with some very convenient functions. We recommend paying attention to them.

Straightening and curling

All irons have a leveling function. But for curling it is important to choose a model with not very wide plates, with rounded edges. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient to form curls.

Auto power off

Imagine an ordinary situation: the iron is warming up, and you forgot about it and are talking on the phone with a friend, or you have gone headlong into social networks. Of course, modern devices will not allow a fire, but if the iron overheats, it may simply fail. It is for this case that the device is equipped with an auto shut-off.

Thermostat

In such devices, the heating temperature is regulated. This is extremely convenient, because different hair thicknesses and qualities have different temperatures. Colored hair requires a lower temperature for styling, because, despite the use of thermal products, it can be damaged when curling or straightening.

ADVICE!

It is necessary to straighten the hair in small strands, only in this case, in the end, you can get a neat and even styling.

Ionization

The principle of this function is to generate a large number of negatively charged particles (ions). They saturate the hair, under their influence, the hair scales are closed, and part of the moisture is retained in the structure. But the main and very convenient property of ionization is the removal of hair electrification.

Leveling with steam

Using steam will help smooth your hair faster and longer. This method gives additional smoothness and shine.

Types of coverings for hair straighteners

Tourmaline Coated Iron

A layer of tourmaline is applied to the surface of such plates - a mineral that is an additional source of ions with a negative charge. With the help of this spraying, cuticles are smoothed, which gives the hair additional smoothness and shine. And, of course, with the help of negatively charged ions, electrification is reduced. This is especially true in the winter when hats must be worn.

Hair straightener ceramic

Ceramic plates provide easy gliding and help to evenly heat the hair, which prevents hair damage. The disadvantage of ceramics is the excessive adhesion of cosmetics to the plates. To ensure that the device can be used for a long time, the cover of the plates must be wiped with a damp cloth after each use.

Iron with metal coating

The metal coating has a huge advantage - low cost. However, such plates often heat up unevenly, damaging and drying out the hair. Hair starts to split after using cheap metal-plate irons.

Teflon coated iron

Teflon coating on the ironing plates ensures uniform heating and easy gliding. Another advantage of such spraying is the prevention of adhesion of styling products.

Mixed coating

Currently, the latest technologies are developing at a tremendous speed. For new models of irons, special coatings based on ceramics and with various fillings have been developed.

Glass ceramics

Promotes the most gentle styling, which provides a perfectly even coverage.

Titanium ceramics

Long-term operation, uniform temperature distribution and smooth sliding with no sticking of laying materials are the main advantages of such spraying.

Titanium Tourmaline Coating

Increased wear resistance, smoothness and ionization are the main qualities of such a coating.

Antibacterial coating with silver nanoparticles

With the help of such a coating, antibacterial hair treatment is provided during the use of the iron. Whether this is necessary is up to you to judge.

Sol-Gel nanotechnology

It is a dusting equivalent in quality to silk. It helps to retain moisture in the hair and give it extra smoothness and shine.

Main technical characteristics

When choosing a professional iron, it is very important to pay attention to its technical characteristics. This will help you choose a quality model that is easy to use.

Power

For rapid heating, the power indicator of the device must be at least 30 watts.

Maximum temperature

A temperature of 180-200 ° C is sufficient for straightening and curling hair. Therefore, when choosing, it is necessary to be guided by an indicator of 200 ° C.

Heating time to maximum temperature

The heating speed of the plates is the most important criterion for those who are usually late for work and need to quickly get their hair in order. Some models provide heating in 15 seconds, while for others this indicator can fluctuate from one to several minutes.

Plate width

The ideal option for straightening and curling hair would be an iron with an average width and length of the plates, as well as rounded edges:

1. For long hair and in the absence of bangs, it is worth choosing an equalizer with wide and long plates, this will significantly speed up the process.
2. With a short haircut or bangs, it is better to choose an iron with narrow and short plates, it will be convenient to work with such a device, and the ends of the plates will not overheat.
3. Irons with very small heating elements are positioned as travel models, but with their help it is very convenient to create a hairstyle for short hair.

Form and type of plate attachment

If your iron will be used only for straightening hair, feel free to take straight wide plates. But if curling is your goal, you need to choose rounded and not very wide heating elements, such that it is convenient to wind curls on them. Some models are equipped with floating plates. Do not be alarmed if, when pressed, such straighteners have a small stroke, this allows you to adjust the compression force, which is necessary to align strands of different sizes.

Clearance between plates

The distance between the plates can only be with a floating mount, in other models it should not be, since the presence of a gap will not allow the strands to heat up evenly and will minimize the effect of high-quality spraying of the plates. And with the distance between the plates, alignment and curling are much slower.

How professional models differ from household

Professional irons are distinguished by great functionality, high-quality workmanship and ease of use. These rectifiers are used for many hours on end and must be reliable and practical, as well as quickly heat up and have a temperature control. Household models are much cheaper, most often have iron plates and a minimum number of functions. They are not designed for constant use, so they can be made of less quality.

Which is the best to choose a professional hair iron - editorial advice

When choosing an iron, pay attention to the following options:

• auto-off function;
• coating, size and width of the plates;
• the gap between the heating elements;
• the presence of a display or regulator with temperature indication;
• the length of the cord and its fastening;
• additional nozzles;
• heating rate.

It is better to buy a device from a well-known manufacturer, since in this case the likelihood of a high-quality assembly is much greater. Companies that have been producing rectifiers for a long time have already established themselves in the market and are responsible for the quality and performance of their products. Sometimes you need to pay a little more, but be able to use the iron for a long time.

Review of the most popular manufacturers

Vitek, Maxwell and Scarlett produce models of irons included in the budget line. Such devices often lack additional functions, but the cost is very affordable for a wide range of consumers.

Rowenta - these are popular models of medium-cost hair straighteners, from little functional and simple to fairly advanced straighteners that have all the options of professional devices. Philips, Bosch and Braun are well-known and popular manufacturers of household appliances and household goods. They produce models for every taste and budget.

BaByliss since 1960 (since its foundation) has been producing electrical appliances for styling and drying hair. The BaByliss hair straighteners are quite interesting and equipped with many additional features. The BABYLISS Pro line is a line for professional use.

Valera, Moser, Parlux and GAMA - manufacturers of professional devices for hairdressing services. These companies are known among professionals and, judging by the numerous reviews, produce very high quality equipment. The models of these firms can have from the minimum number of necessary functions to super-functional.

Review of popular models of hair straighteners

I would like to present an overview of the most popular professional and semi-professional models of irons.

Rowenta SF3132

In this model, an affordable price is perfectly combined with German quality. Mixed spraying of the plates will allow you to gently level the hair without damaging its structure.

BaByliss BAB2073E

Thanks to a special coating, the hair is heated evenly, which contributes to quick and safe straightening or curling.

Philips HP8344

Iron with maximum heating power and ionization function.

BaByliss BAB2654NTE / EPE / ORCE

The model is simple and easy to use. With the help of 5 modes, it is possible to set the temperature mode. That allows you to adapt to any type of hair.

Braun es2 satin hair

With these curling and straightening irons, you can create your own style. High-quality manufacturing guarantees long-term operation of the device.

Rowenta SF 7640

5 modes, maximum heating up to 200 ° C and a long cord allow you to straighten and curl your hair in comfort.

Maxwell MW-2201

A fairly inexpensive model of the iron, equipped with elongated heating elements, easily fits in the hand.

Philips HP8321 / 00 EssentialCare

Extra long tourmaline-sprayed heating elements for gentle styling. The voltage switching function is extremely convenient for using the device when traveling and traveling.

GA.MA Urban (P21.URB)

The iron glides perfectly through the hair thanks to the ceramic coating of the tourmaline-coated plates. The addition of silver provides antibacterial protection.

GA.MA IHT Tourmaline Slim (P21.IHT.SLIM)

The latest technology used in this model ensures uniform heating of the hair. Tourmaline spraying ensures gentle smoothing.

Conclusion

The necessary criteria for choosing an iron are its power, heating rate, size and spraying of plates. With the help of a quality model, you can make your hair smooth and shiny in a very short period of time. The presence of many additional options will make the styling process as comfortable as possible.

If you have any questions or clarifications, we are always glad to receive feedback.