Hair straighteners: how to use them.
Among women's accessories for hair care, one of the most used is definitely the straightener: an essential accessory for a perfect hairstyle on every occasion.
The plate is a small, very functional tool that is available in different models with different features and is able to give a unique and customizable styling. The main function is to straighten hair, but some can also be used to create curls.
The invention of this accessory dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century and over time it has evolved to the point of having a truly vast number of models: steam plates, infrared plates, plates with ionizing function, and many other types.
Choose the straightener based on the characteristics of your hair.
Obviously everyone has a type of hair and you have to choose the right straightener. As for the prices, they can vary based on the type of product, for this reason it is good to consider the type of use you want to make of it and in particular how often you think you will use it.
If we have unruly hair or simply live in a particularly humid place, which makes it frizzy, we will probably use it often.
In these cases, the type of hair must be considered :
- for long hair you will need a large straightener, on the contrary, if we have short hair, smaller straighteners will be easier to handle
- for delicate or thin hair you need to pay attention to the maximum temperature that the straightener can reach
- For hard-to-treat hair, a good purchase is a professional or semi-professional straightener.
Using the plate is very simple:
it turns on and sets the right temperature based on the type of hair: for those damaged, fragile and thin it is recommended to use the lowest temperatures (around 140 degrees – 160 degrees), very curly and thick hair instead can be treated with much higher temperatures, up to 235 degrees;
there is no need to wait for the straightener to reach temperature, it can also be used 5 minutes after turning it on for softer and more delicate styling;
use the appliance on dry hair, perhaps treating it first with a protective conditioner ;
To start straightening, you need to separate your hair in tufts and insert one into the clip of the straightener starting from the root and straightening the hair slowly and delicately downwards towards the tips .
For a good result, it is not necessary to pass over the same section several times, the important thing is to use slow movements so that the straightening is impeccable from the first pass;
we can, with the straightener, create many hairstyles by directing the movement as desired.
How to get a professional result
Usually, professional models are those that allow temperature regulation, use ions or keratin treatments and are much more efficient than cheap straighteners, without damaging or attacking the hair too much, thanks to the different settings possible.
Obviously not everyone can afford a professional straightener, but it is possible to find good compromises on the market, with a very good quality/price ratio.
To obtain professional results even with a mid-range product, as if we were at the hairdresser, we give some suggestions:
- prepare your hair for the heat it will absorb by applying protective products ;
- comb your hair and divide it into sections;
- start from the nape of the neck and move up the sides;
Finally we can fix the style with modelling wax or hairspray.
Characteristics
There are many models of straighteners for home use but with features that have nothing to envy of the professional straighteners found at the hairdresser.
One of the most prestigious brands also present on the site is Corioliss, which has been producing hair care accessories since 2002.
Winner of prestigious awards thanks to its plates, one of which is the model C1 Titanium Platinum Zebra Edition which, thanks to the titanium technology it features, is the ideal product for treating any type of hair, managing to tame even the thickest and most robust. The surface of the plate is designed for a quick passage of the hair, so that it is not attacked too much by the heat emitted.
C1 features a dual voltage circuit, this feature makes it ideal for travel.
The Zebra design makes this plate a very beautiful accessory aesthetically, but the most important feature is precisely the titanium technology , in fact while the first models of hair straighteners had the sole purpose of straightening without caring about the health of the hair, today different coatings have been developed, such as titanium but also ceramic, often enriched with tourmaline and nourishing oils : the aim is also to not damage the scalp even after frequent use.
In addition to the material used, another important feature for choosing a quality product is the temperature it can reach, the maximum that can be reached is 230 degrees and it is necessary to pay attention to manufacturers who claim to reach a higher temperature that, without particular professionalism, risks burning the hair.
For good hair hydration you can choose a steam straightener such as Steam Pod by L'Oreal , which styles hair safely and professionally using advanced steam technology. This straightener manages to straighten hair without damaging it too much and creates a smoother soft fold and more durable.
Size is also important, in particular a plate must be long enough to collect as much hair as possible, but there are also models for other needs, such as Plum Flat of the Labor brand which also develops in width.
You must then consider the ergonomics of the plate, the GAP (when closing both plates of the iron there should be a slight gap on the handle side), any accessory functions, such as the ionising function which helps to obtain better ironing, any special features such as, for example, the model Wet Two Dry by Corioliss which can, despite what we said before, even be used on the wet hair .
