With so many types of hair tools on the market, it can be confusing to know which one is right for you. Because at the end of the day that is all that matters: which one can best achieve the objective you have for your unique kind of hair.
For most women, having the right type and size flat-iron is powerful weapon in your their beauty arsenal. They are compact in size, heat up rapidly, and excel at both curling and straightening. But one size doesn’t fit all. Like any tool, having the correct tool for the situation makes the job much easier. And having the wrong type of styling tool can oftentimes cause trouble, especially when it comes to your precious tresses. The last thing you want is to damage your hair. By following our advice in this flat iron buying guide, you will be with great hair.
An Explanation of Flat Iron Terms
To the uninitiated, all the different features may be hard to understand. However once you are armed with the proper knowledge, you will be able to choose the best tools for you.
Composition of Plate Materials
Ceramic revolutionized the flat iron industry, ushering it into the modern era. Ceramic is extremely popular at both the salon pro and consumer level because it is very reliable, heating rapidly and distributing heat uniformly across the surface of the plates. A big caveat though: there is a big difference in quality between 100% ceramic plates and inferior flat irons with plates that are merely ceramic-coated. The latter will wear away, causing trouble when it does. Tourmaline has come on the scene with a storm. An organic crystalline material, the advantage of tourmaline is that it produces even more negative ions than ceramic. That’s a good thing. Dry hair has positive ions, but is counter-balanced by the negative ions produced by tourmaline.
Flat irons that use ceramic and tourmaline technology provide an ultra-smooth glide with high resistance to product build-up.
Titanium has made its way into all kinds of tools, and the hair industry is no different. Because of its characteristics, titanium is used in many heavy-duty irons, which you need if you have very thick and curly hair. It also transfers heat the quickest of any plate material, so results are often more immediate.
Temperature Settings
Just like certain people crank up the heat on high when they cook on a stove top, many mistakenly think that very high heat is always better when it comes to flat irons- and that’s not true for certain hair types. For hair not built to handle the heat, excess temperatures can cause significant damage, breakage, and even affect your hair color.
It is essential that you choose a flat iron that has variable temperature settings so that you can start on the lowest setting and discover what works best for you. In general, hair that is coarse and thicker needs higher heat. You only want to apply heat to a section one time, and for this type of hair, higher heat is needed to do the job. Finer hair cannot handle higher heat, and you want to keep the temperature below 360 degrees. (see the quick guide below).
Plate Sizes
While 1” plates can be extremely versatile, they are not usually best if you have long, thick hair. 1” plates are meant for hair that is above shoulder length or if you are planning to curl your hair. Plates bigger than 1” are optimum for thicker, longer locks because it will keep you from having to administer the iron to each section more than once. Also, if your goal is wavy hair, then larger plate sizes will make it easier to get your desired look.
The Recommended Choice Depending by Hair Type
Thick, Coarse, Curly Hair
Plate Sizes:
- If your hair is shoulder length or shorter: 1” – 1 1/2” plates
- If your hair is shoulder length or longer: 1” – 2” plates
Temperature Setting
- Between 380 – 420 Degrees
Composition of Plates
- Ceramic
- Tourmaline
- Titanium
Medium (neither thin or thick, Wavy
Plate Sizes
- If your hair is shoulder length or shorter: 1” – 1 1/4” plates
- If your hair is shoulder length or longer: 1 1/4” – 2” plates
Temperature Setting
- Between 360 – 380 Degrees
Composition of Plates
- Ceramic
- Tourmaline
- Titanium
Medium (neither thick nor thin), Wavy Hair
Fine, Thin Hair
Plate Sizes
- Any
Temperature Setting
- Less than 360 Degrees
Composition of Plates
- Ceramic
- Tourmaline
Beauty Certain Tips to Make Certain You Get Your Desired Results
If you are like us, your hair is a super important component of your beauty identity. Therefore, this is no time to scrimp on tools. Not that you have to spend a fortune, because you definitely don’t. But please, do yourself and your hair a favor, and get a professional-grade flat iron. You owe it to your hair. That’s the reason why we only carry the best tools, regardless of budget, on BeautyCertain.com.
Some of the features to look for:
Top quality plates, variable temperature settings that maintain consistent temperatures, longer warranties, negative ion generation, professional swivel cords with hang up hooks, and dual voltage.
Protectants: Regardless of what type of hair you have, using our flat iron buying guide, reviews and a hair protectant is highly recommended. Hair technology has come a long way and protectants will help you keep your hair at the top of its game, which is exactly where you need it to be.