How to choose a hair straightener? Learning how to choose the right professional hair straightener

There are several proven criteria for choosing a hair straightener. First you need to study what types of irons there are, then step by step familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics. This and other useful information for choosing is described in detail and clearly in the presented article.

Types of devices

To properly understand how to choose a hair straightener, you should first familiarize yourself with the types of tools. One of the most important criteria is the type of plates:

1. Nippers with flat-shaped plates are the most common type of device. It is not so convenient to work with it, because it is necessary to twist the curls or separate them, and then pass several strands between the heating elements.
2. Thermal brushing is a comb with heating teeth. It is completely safe because it does not burn your hair or hands. If you are considering which hair straightener to choose, you should focus on models of this type. They straighten and comb hair, and also give massages. However, the tool will not help make them smooth and shiny, or create curls and waves.

Another classification criterion that helps you understand how to choose the right hair straightener is related to the characteristics of the impact.There are “dry” instruments that produce heat, as well as steam instruments that produce water vapor.

Next, you need to consider how to choose a straightener from the group of “dry” irons. Among them there are 3 types of models:

1. Standard – classic tools that may differ from each other in the coating of the working surface, the width of the plates and functionality.
2. Multistylers – equipped with handles on which you can put different attachments. When considering how to choose a good hair straightener, you can choose this option. Thanks to the large number of attachments, the functionality is as wide as possible, but the cost also increases.
3. Straightening comb - another way to choose an iron. Allows you to work with hair in 2 stages: first they are combed, and then directly straightened. Thanks to this you can get a very voluminous hairstyle.

If you study more deeply the question of which iron to choose, you can pay attention to steam devices. Such models affect the hair with streams of hot steam generated by the evaporation of water (it is first poured into a small container).

Since the curls receive moisture, they not only take on the desired shape, but also become shiny and soft. But you need to understand how to choose the right hair straightener. If you buy a steam model, you can only fill it with filtered water of moderate hardness.

There is also a division of devices into professional and household. Tools for home use are more affordable, although they are not always of high quality. Professional models from trusted manufacturers are more expensive, but have their advantages:

• durability;
• fast and efficient heating;
• high-quality coating that prevents hair burning and damage;
• wide functionality, set of attachments;
• additional useful options, such as ionization or automatic shutdown when idle.

Main technical parameters

Choosing a hair straightener is not so difficult if you know what parameters you need to pay attention to first. Among the important technical characteristics are the following.

Coverage type

Heating elements can have coatings of different compositions:

1. Metal - inexpensive, heats up quickly, but because of this it can harm the hair, even partially burn it. This method of choosing a professional hair straightener will not work.
2. Ceramic – eliminates burning, is safe for hair, gives it smoothness and shine. But cosmetics can stick to the surface, so regular cleaning with a damp cloth is required. If you are considering which coating to choose a hair straightener for use at home, you can choose this option.
3. People often choose a hair straightener with a tourmaline composition. This is a very high-quality material that protects curls and also neutralizes electric current.
4. Titanium is more expensive, but its consumer properties are similar to tourmaline. It is durable and low maintenance.
5. Sericite – based on the mineral of the same name. Helps hair remain shiny, silky, and pleasant to the touch. This is a good way to choose a straightening iron. But instruments with such a coating are more expensive.
6. Finally, there is a galvanic coating with a protective outer layer. It also protects hair from harmful influences and is durable.

Power and temperature mode

Another criterion for choosing a straightening iron is related to power. It can fluctuate in the range of 30-120 W, with the “average” option of 60-70 W being optimal.

As for temperature, in modern models you can set different levels from 75 to 230 degrees. When considering how to choose a hair straightening iron, it is better to purchase a model with several temperature settings. As a rule, their number ranges from 3 to 7. Moreover, the settings are set depending on the hair type.

Plate width

When analyzing how to choose a hair straightener, you should pay attention to the width of the plates. They can be in a wide range of 15-70 mm. If the hair is of a standard shape (the so-called Slavic type), it is better to choose the value “in the middle”, i.e. 35-40 mm. If they are thicker, the width should be larger, and if they are thinner, correspondingly smaller.

Additional options

There are additional criteria that help you understand how to choose a hair iron. This is, for example, a set of attachments for different functions. It is also worth paying attention to the type of thermostat:

• mechanical - switching using a regular wheel;
• electric - using buttons on the screen (usually a sensor).

Another method on how to choose the right hair straightening iron is the auto-off option. Many models have it, so we can confidently say that they are safer. After a few 30-40 or 60 seconds of inactivity, the device automatically turns off, which is very convenient.

Choice depending on hair characteristics

Hair can be thick and relatively sparse, more or less thin, with or without natural curls. These indicators also greatly influence what kind of hair straightener should be:

1. Sometimes the curls are too stiff and difficult to handle.Then choose a tool equipped with sufficiently wide plates.
2. If your hair is very curly and long, you can also buy a device with wide plates. Moreover, the coating should be based on titanium or its mixture with the mineral tourmaline.
3. Another tip on how to choose a hair straightening iron is dedicated to those with short or medium strands. In such cases, it is recommended to buy a model equipped with narrow plates. You can consider a compact tool (if you plan to take it on the road).
4. Finally, when the strands are quite weak, thin and split, it is worth considering a steam iron with the ability to “finely” adjust the temperature, i.e. with a number of modes of at least 5. As a coating, you should choose a tourmaline or sericite composition.

Now it’s clear how to choose the right iron. On the one hand, this is not an easy task. But if you study the technical specifications in advance, this greatly simplifies the purchasing process. In this case, you must take into account the characteristics of your hair when choosing a device specifically for yourself.