Although I am Chinese, I have very wavy/curly hair. It is unruly to say the least and the only way to keep it under control most days, is by tying it up in a bobble, and hoping that it doesn't try to take over the world! On the days I can be bothered (or if I am getting ready for a special occasion) I will straighten it. This used to be a real chore as it would take me about 40 minutes, and would rarely be completely straight. Thanks to my boyfriend, who bought me these for christmas, my hair is no longer unruly, and it takes me half the time.
What You Get: These slimline straighteners are made by Remington, a good and reliable brand in electrical hair care. They come in a really posh black suede effect presentation box which is supposed to be heat proof. I have not tested this out as I always let mine cool before I put them away. Inside the box are not only the straighteners and the normal paperwork (guarantee and instructions), but a nifty heat proof pouch which fits the straighteners snugly and has a velcro strap for keeping the cable tidy, and a DVD.
The
Instruction Booklet and DVD: You can learn how best to use your straighteners from either the instruction booklet or the DVD. The booklet is very clear, showing the different parts of the straightener and gives step by step instructions on how to curl and straighten your hair, and also how best to care for your straighteners. The DVD does the same, showing you how they can be used and the result. It is really 'arty' in presentation, which makes it quite nice to watch. It also gives you a couple of 'trade secrets'; another couple of looks you can create with these straighteners.
The Straighteners: These come with a 3 year manufacturers guarantee, which already says to me, "quality". They have digital heat control from 120 degrees to 200 degrees at 10 degree intervals, which is really great for any thickness (or thinness) of hair. It also has a 3 metre cable which has a 'swivel end', meaning that you can move your straighteners about freely, without running out of cable or getting it tangled/twisted/kinked up. At the hinge, there is a locking device which keeps them closed; not the best device I have ever seen, but easy to use and fuss-free.
There is a digital display which is backlit in blue, showing the temperature setting, on on/off button, a 'up arrow' button for hotter and a 'down arrow' button for cooler. Just above the display is a little green LED which indicates when they have reached the desired temperature. They also have an automatic shut-off after an hour, just in case you forget to switch them off. You switch them on by pressing and holding the on/off button until the display lights up. They always default to the lowest heat setting, so you just need to press the up arrow to choose your desired heat setting. The little green LED will flash on and off while it is heating up and will then stay on when it reaches the desired heat. I like to keep the straighteners closed when I switch them on as it speeds up the heating process. It only takes about 20 seconds to heat up to 120 degrees and about a minute to heat up to 200 degrees, which I think is super quick!
The plates theselves have Remington's '3X Protection'. This means that they are ceramic plates, coated with both Tourmaline and teflon. The ceramic plates evenly distribute the heat and prevent hot-spots, the Tourmaline coating has ionic properties, which basically means that it helps to prevent static and frizziness, and lastly the teflon coating ensures the plates are smooth and non-stick, which prevents your hair from snagging and breaking. The combination of all three makes sure that you achieve a perfect result every time. They also have a rounded edge, which is what enables your to create curls, waves and flicks (with practise and patience). On the outside of the straighteners are ridges in the plastic casing. These are extremely handy for when you are curling your hair as they act as a guide for your hair.
I would say that they are really quite light-weight, but that is because they are lighter than my last two. The hinge is sprung, so that they stay open when the catch is off, but not at all stiff, so they close easily, with little pressure as you straighten. This is good, as I have experienced hand ache from my old ones, which had to be squeezed quite hard. The shape of them overall, is pretty standard, similar to the GHD ones.
The results: I must say that I really am very impressed with these straighteners. I really wanted som GHDs, but couldn't afford them and when my boyfriend offered to get me straighteners for Christmas, I had to tell him the ones I wanted as second choice, as the GHDs are so much more expensive and I felt guilty asking him to spend so much.
When I want to have poker straight hair, I just whack the tepmerature up, and when I want my hair to be straight, but more 'natural' looking and with a bit of movement, I leave the heat on lowest setting. Curling your hair really does take a lot of practise and I get very frustrated with them when it doesn't turn out right. The DVD makes it look so easy. I invariably turns out better if you have a friend to do it for you. I think it is more of a 'two hands' job, but this is where the swivel end attachment comes handy, as no matter how many times you turn the straightener, the cable never gets twisted up!
I sometimes put heat protecter on my hair before I straighten, but I don't always do so. I don't feel that my hair gets frazzled by these straighteners. I almost always use some sort of finishing product, not because my hair is still 'fly-away', but to define the layers and add texture to the ends. The triple protection plates do seem to do their job. I do always make sure my hair is mostly dry as these are not really designed to straighten wet hair. Sometimes some steam comes off my hair, but I think this is normal for most straighteners to do this.
All in all, I think that this product is really very good and gives results that compare to GHD. I don't think that the plates are as smooth as the GHD ones, but then they are less than half the price, and are versitile. They always leave my hair looking shiny and healthy, with lasting results. If you buy these, you will also learn how to create flicks and waves, so you can create at least 4 different looks!
So... Go curl, straight away!
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
Great review. I can never seem to curl my hair properly with hair straighteners. The front and sides look great, but the back ends up looking a mess!! xx
perfectlypolished 25.02.2007 12:03
My daughter has these and she thinks they are great. Lin
BloodySpike 25.02.2007 01:29
Not that i need to buy a pair but still a good review.
Feb 25th, 2007
very helpful by (100%):
