Hair straighteners have been around for a long time, but as the fashion in long, sleek hair has become more popular, the use of pro flat irons has increased. It’s essential to own a best flat iron in 2019 if you want to have straight, smooth, sleek, and awesome looking hair. But it isn’t straight forward choosing an awesome one. As there are many self-proclaimed top rated hair straighteners in the market; all of them offering various functionality, at different prices of under 50, 100 or more expensive.
If new, we recommend you to have a look at our ultimate buying guide to know everything you should need to know and understand what kind of hair straighteners are available in 2019-2020. This will help you to make a more wise decision when making a purchase as per your demand and hair type including; thin, thick, natural, fine, curly, coarse, black, African American hair, etc..
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Buying Guide
The demand for flat irons has increased tremendously in the last few years. With straight hair being the “cherry-on-top” of your “oh-so-perfect” outfit for the night, flat irons are not only bound to women now. Instead, men around us are also using them to style their hair the best way! Keeping in view the increased demand for flatirons, many of the renowned manufacturers have put in keen efforts to enhance the technology and come up with new features and added benefits every time.
1. Power and Heat
The very first feature that you need to look for in a flat iron is its power and heating ability. Similar to fabrics, like cotton and velvet requires a different amount of heat to be ironed perfectly. Similarly, different types of hair call for different heat consistency to turn them into a straight and sleek look.
Before adding one to your cart, consider your hair type and select the one with the suitable power and heating capability. Here is how you can do it!
- If you have normal hair then 360-380F/180-190C would do good for you.
- If you have bleached, damaged or fragile hair then you must opt for the one with below 360F/180C heating.
- Lastly, if you have a thick and curly hair texture, you must consider flatirons with high heating capability i.e., 380-410F/190-210C.
Temperature Control
Best is to buy the one with the adjustable heat setting for easy usage on different heads with no damage at all. This is because people misinterpret that higher the temperature, the best would be the result. In real, daily exposure of high heat destroys the health of your hair in long-term. Still, in case if you are opting for the fixed temperature one instead of the adjustable one, try getting the one with a maximum of 450 degrees heating capacity. Markets are full of flatirons with 500 degrees fixed temperature setting. Trust me; these flat irons are only good for thick and curly hairs, and for other types of hairs they do nothing except burning!
2. Ceramic or Tourmaline
Ceramic and tourmaline are two different types of professional flat irons available in the market today. Ceramic flat irons are characterized by prompt heating and minimum damage. These flat irons have pure ceramic plates coated with a hard ceramic coating that prevents your hair from snagging.
On the other hand, tourmaline flat irons are ceramic & tourmaline infused. These flat irons are a bit expensive due to their prime feature of ejecting negative ions to cut down the frizzy texture of your hair and leave them smooth, shiny, and sleek.
One may opt between these two types of plates considering two factors:
- Price; ceramic plate flat irons are cheaper as compared to the ones infused with tourmaline.
- Type of hair; if you have very thick and curly hair, then ceramic irons will not do well for you. Tourmaline irons tend to be more suitable for stubborn hair as compared to the ceramic ones.
3. Plate Size
Flat irons have typically either narrow plates or wider plates. If you have short hair then narrow plates will be feasible to handle them. However, if you have long or thick hair, try picking the one with wider plates for easy straightening.
4. Weight
Weight is one of the most important yet the most over-looked feature while buying a flat iron. No offense, 1 pound, and 1.5 pounds don’t seem to stand far away, but trust me, when it comes to long hours of straightening, the 1.5 pounds flat irons are a pain in the neck!
The standard weight for flat irons is 1 and 1.5 pounds. If you have short hair, having a heavy 1.5 pounds flat iron will not be a big problem but in case, you have thick and long hair, it can do worse to your arms. Moreover, there are also flat irons as light as 10 ounces only, like the Solia professional ceramic. Best is to hunt for the ones weighing in ounces only!
5. Price
Price is the only constraining factor affecting the buying pattern of many consumers. Markets are stocked with a vast range of flat irons, ranging from very cheap to some of the very expensive ones. However, being low on cost doesn’t mean low on quality too. One can even find a good one within a strict budget.
With brief research of the market, it is best suggested to buy the one with price of around $75. This is an average price range for above-average flat irons. However, you are not restricted to buy a $200 one too!
How To Use a Flat Iron?
There are some key instructions that are meant to be followed to have the best out of your straightening chores.
- First, always read the manufacturer’s instruction regarding all the basics of the product.
- Try practice handling your new flat iron on your hair while it is cold.
- Try using a silicone-based serum, anti-frizz spray or lotion on your damp hair before straightening to make the texture soft and silky.
- Before ironing, Make sure your hair is completely dry until and unless you are using a wet-to-dry flat iron. Using a normal flat iron on your wet hair will burn them out ridiculously.
- Divide your hair into sections of 2-3 inches for best result.
- Glide your flat irons downward in a slow pace and avoid sticking on one place for more than 5 seconds. Otherwise, you will burn your hair.
- Last but not the least; remember brushing your hair in the desired direction with a wide bristle brush while straightening.