~~~~~Thanks for all the reads and rates, all appreciated.~~~~~I call in from time to time but just ...
~~~~~Thanks for all the reads and rates, all appreciated.~~~~~I call in from time to time but just haven't had a chance to sit and write a review for a while.
Member since:08.06.2004
Reviews:134
Members who trust:45
I have always had very thick hair, even when I was a young child. Up until I was about twelve I always had it long. I had the occasional trim but it was usually down to my derriere. Being so long and so heavy, it was always fairly straight.
Then the bob came into fashion, and in a spur of the moment decision (which I always regretted) I had it all chopped off. Suddenly I was spending an hour every morning trying to get my hair to curl under. It was very defiant and would always curl the opposite way. In fact I had even been banned from a hairdresser as they just couldn't style my hair.
I gave up with the bob idea and decided to grow it again, but I now noticed the weight more and only ever got to just below shoulder length before I ended up getting it chopped again.
Then the 80's came with those fantastic perms. I had a normal, a spiral and my mum's special home version (All curly but one strand!). It did help, but with already having lots of volume to my hair I would now spend a good half hour taming it each morning.
Time went on; the perms fell out, both out of fashion, and out of my hair. But for some reason waves stayed. To be honest I think they had always been there but the weight before had pulled them straight.
Then I discovered straighteners. So I bought some, they were useless. I tried another brand; they too hardly touched my hair.
Since being banned from one hairdresser I had always gone to the same one. Staff had changed, premises had changed, but they always seemed to be up to date with trends and were willing to stand for a couple of hours blow drying my hair straight.
Then one day they asked me if I would like to try the
new straighteners they had. They said it would cut my salon visit time in half. Oooh, yes please! And they were right. So for about six months I would regularly go and get my hair straightened whenever I was going someone special. But the problem was I was getting so frustrated in between and not being able to reproduce the same results at home.
So I decided to get some for myself. They looked easy enough to use. My salon was selling them for about £100, so I looked online for any cheaper.
At the time Ceramic plate straighteners were more or less unheard of. So this meant there was not much competition and prices could be high. I paid about £85 for mine. Although high, the way I looked at it, and still do, is that each salon visit was costing around £25-£30, so just by using my straighteners three or four times I had got my monies worth.
That was 2003. I am on my second set now, and still very happy with them. So what exactly are they, and what do they do?
~~The Technical Bit~~ GHDceramic stylers come in three styles, Professional (available in black or pink), Salon Styler and Mini Styler. I have the first type, though would go for the professional if ever I had to replace them. The salon is the more common due to it's price and practicality. The Professional Styler features wider plates meaning you can work quicker through larger sections of hair which makes it ideal for thicker or heavier hair. The Mini Styler as its name suggest is the smallest of the bunch and ideal for short hair. Each of the three models has ceramic heat plates. Ceramic plates not only glide smoothly through the hair but distribute the heat better. They also have a built-in microprocessor which conducts heat fast and retains it more successfully. When first switched on the stylers can be up to temperature in a matter of seconds.
~~The practical Bit~~
Firstly I will say that they do get hot and they can burn, so the most important thing is to be careful. The handle will always remain cool so provided you stay away from the plates you will be Okay.
All stylists will tell you to use special oils and sprays on your hair to protect it when using heat on your hair, but very few people actually follow this advice. It probably comes down to time and cost and it is no different from me.
After washing and conditioning my hair, my husband will blow dry it for me. Lazy, I know…but he enjoys doing it! Plus now that my hair has got some length to it again I have trouble reaching the end. For these stylers your hair must be dry or at least very nearly. Some brands will dry as well as straighten but these won't, or at least I assume they don't as they do not suggest it. If anyone is willing to mix electric and wet hair perhaps they can let me know the results.
The next thing to do is section the hair. Now in the salon they will divide it all up and do a small section at a time. Not being salon trained and not having as much patience my husband just gets me to diction of all but a small layer at a time. Starting from the back of my neck and working my way up to the top of my head. Each layer he does in about six sections which are about the width of the plates. He uses a normal comb, to go through the hair as he also straightens it. I usually do the finishing touches as he tends to rush and so not all of it goes perfectly straight. But with slow steady gliding down the hair it does just that. Altogether my hair takes around half an hour to dry and straighten, but remember I have very thick hair. Even the salon adds on time to my appointment because of the time involved. It is not uncommon either to have two people drying my hair at once to speed things up.
The irons do not have a way of changing the temperature but to be honest I don't see why you need this. If you want them cooler just switch them off. I have found they lose heat quite quick when switched off and will not straighten effectively after about 30 seconds to a minute, but again this could be just down to my thick hair. But with this in mind I would hardly want to adjust the temperature as I clearly wouldn't get the same results.
I have experimented with the Styler as they also curl hair as they have rounded edges, which is why they are called styling irons rather than straighteners. This actually takes some mastering but when done correctly can produce some lovely tumbling curls. I went to the website and requested a free DVD which gives very good instructions on how to use the Styler to the full.
Although I do not use any protection on my hair, other than the conditioner, I do not seem to have damaged my hair in any way, though maybe the thickness protects it a lot.
However the people at GHD to claim that the iron emits negative ions, which reduce static and create shine by closing the cuticle and that infra-red heat actually protects your hair by sealing in its natural oils, moisture and hair colour, so it could be that also!
The irons come in a box, but you must let the irons cool before putting them back in. You can buy special mats or bags that are able to cope with the heat meaning you can put them away straight after use. The mats are useful too for protecting any surface you put the irons on whilst hot.
~~My opinion~~
To me they are very good value for money. I use them at least three times a week and my second set I have had for two years now. The initial £100 might be a bit steep, but it would have cost me around £8000 at the salon so the saving of £7900 makes it worthwhile.
My hair will stay straight until I next wash it, unless of course I have tied it up inbetween, but a quick going over with the irons usually sorts out any lumps and bumps.
I mentioned before that my first set blew up. It wasn't actually that dramatic they just went bang and had sparks coming out for a second or two. I think the problem was caused by the fact that the cord was fixed. On the newer versions like I have now the cord swivels round so that as you turn the irons the cord does not get twisted.
I know there are a number of competitors about and most likely a lot can do an equally good job. They probably cost half as much too. However, most are still around the £50 mark and to pay that much and find that they didn't actually produce the exact results would be quite a bit of money to lose so for now I will stick with these ones. I know they can manage my thick hair and I know that I can handle them, well, hubby can! If they are good enough for the professionals then they are good enough for me.
www.ghdhair.com
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
(+) Funky pattern, quick to heat up, adjustable temperature, slim, lighweight (-) Have to prise them away from mum when I want to use them in the morning
ghd IV Salon Styler has all the same advanced features as the IV Styler. This is all ... more
you'll ever need to create perfect curls, movement, volume and straightness, thanks to its advanced technology and smart features. Has 4cm wide plates, making it ideal for thick or Afro hair types. It has a rounder barrel, making it so easy to create waves curls and flicks, that you'll never need to have the same look twice! Has an auto sleep mode and will automatically switch off after 30 minutes. Has a 'shiver' function: if the room temperature drops to less than 5°C, the IV Salon Styler will automatically shut itself down to prevent internal condensation, and will work again when the temperature increases again. Universal voltage so that you can use them wherever you travel to.If this wasn't enough reason to buy the new IV Salon Styler, it also has improved temperature control for better styling, and advanced ceramic and aluminium plates for the smoothest, static free shine.Click the video tab on the left to see how to get the best results from your ghd styler
ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler straightening iron with wide plates is perfect for thick, ... more
coarse and afro hair Improved temperature control for even better styling, feel more confident with ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler New sleep mode safely turns the heaters off of the ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler if left unattended for 30 minutes The ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler comes with ultimate surface for the static free sheen The ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler conveniently allows you to turn your styler off without unplugging
Postage & Packaging:free Super Saver Delivery Availability:Usually dispatched within 24 hours......
ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler straightening iron with wide plates is perfect for thick, ... more
coarse and afro hair Improved temperature control for even better styling, feel more confident with ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler New sleep mode safely turns the heaters off of the ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler if left unattended for 30 minutes The ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler comes with ultimate surface for the static free sheen The ghd 4 Professional Salon Styler conveniently allows you to turn your styler off without unplugging
Postage & Packaging:£5.00 Availability:Usually dispatched within 2-3 business days......
Advantages: Poker straight hair for days, seems to keep hair clean for longer and they look very smart and expensive Disadvantages: V.expensive. Would hurt SO much if you accidentally touch the irons
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