Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Feeling gorgous ! |
| Disadvantages: |
Burnt fingers if you're clumsy like me . |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
Right then the round and about story of how I got my new straighteners. I hate getting my hair cut, not like most women I know but I wear glasses and I'm blind as a bat without them so taking them off and letting someone go mad with wild abandon and a pair of scissors so close to my face is a bit of a trust issue. A couple of weeks ago I bit the bullet and went to the hair salon. When I came out again it did look good but not really massively different to how it did on the way in and once the effects of their super human
straighteners had worn off and I was back to my usual unruly fluffy mess, no-one could even tell it had been cut......great!
I did already have some hair straighteners, bought them ages ago. They were also Babyliss and were solid ceramic ones which I got for £50 which was a bargain at the time. I'd been using them at their highest heat setting for ages and while it did get rid of some of the undesirable volume I was experiencing, they really didn't cut the mustard. They were also the narrower type that are really suited to shorter hair but as mine is just past shoulder length a change was needed.
I was discussing my predicament with a friend, fretting over the fact that only GHD seemed like they would be good enough and at around £100 a pair I couldn't justify a splurge on what is essentially a vanity tool (sorry ladies). It seems I had it all wrong, my friend advised that it's not about the
price you're paying, it's about the heat the straighteners go to. I have no idea what temperature my old pair went to but it obviously wasn't hot enough. She disappeared into her bedroom and came out with her straighteners, I think they were Remington but the important thing was that they
heated to 230 degrees. She helped me with them and low and behold, poker straight!!! I was so happy she said she wanted to give them to me! And they only set her back about 30 squids.
Well anyways, a few days later, once again fluffy headed I headed to Argos on a mission. I was in luck in that they had their sale catalogue out, a quick flick through and I though the Babyliss Pro 230. They hit the right temperature and were reduced from £59.99 to £29.99, we have a winner!
The packaging-
I can be a bit of an environmentalist now and again and think that they could have been a bit more sensible about the box. It had all of the details you would need but one feature that I feel was a little unnecessary. The front of the box was actually a Velcro down flap that could be lifted to reveal the straighteners encased in plastic. I can see why they would do something like this, so you can see them on the shelf, but I only discovered this feature by accident and really don't think it is needed. I would rather they had a smaller box without the plastic display case on the inside, it's easier for disposal and
better for the planet. However, the design of the packaging is quite slick in a matt slate grey colour with all the features listed clearly, a picture of the straighteners and a photo of some glorious looking poker straight blonde hair down the edge of the box.
The features-
• They heat up to 230˚C and do so in 30 seconds
• They have Tourmaline-ceramic plates (Tourmaline is apparently a silicate mineral, a complicated one….who knew!)
• 25% longer plates
• They give a poker straight high-shine finish
They also claim to be used by the world's leading hairdressers and best of all have a 5 year guarantee!!!!!
Inside the box-
• You obviously have the straighteners themselves.
• A free heat proof matt which you can also wrap the straighteners in to put away.
• 4 free dividing clips.
The straighteners themselves-
They're great, everything you need them to be. The design is sleek, they are black with the brand name in a bronzed gold colour the same as the plates themselves. The on and off buttons are sunken into the top of them and are very easy to use. The heat dial is hidden just behind the plates on the inside of the straighteners and is also very simple to use. The plates are just over an inch wide and a generous 4 and a half inches long, which is great for straightening more hair quickly. They have a 3m long swivel cord which is great if you're not blessed with the space for a dressing table and chair, they also make them seem more professional. I initially set them on the 8th setting of 10 although it probably would have been better to start lower and work my way up to the best one. I was surprised at how quickly they heated up, from stone cold to incredibly hot within 30 seconds as promised. They ran over my hair really smoothly, certainly much better than my solid ceramic ones. I have since turned them down to setting 6 and the results are still great. I have the silky soft, shiny, poker straight hair that I wanted. I even got a bit adventurous a few days ago and gave myself a bit of a Farrah Fawcett flick which lasted all day, no mean feat as my hair can be a bit heavy.
The draw backs-
If you're clumsy like me brace yourself for a few burnt fingers, it does seem to get easier when you get used to using them though.
I do find that I accidentally turn them off quite frequently because of the positioning of the buttons but it's easy enough to switch them back on again.
Also you should really use them with some kind of heat protection spray so you don't frazzle your hair. I also try not to use them every day and use a deep conditioning treatment once a week to try and combat the effects of the massive doses of heat exposure.
I whole heartedly recommend!
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