Everything You Need to Know About Hair Straighteners

So once a upon a time no self-respecting girl about town would be seen dead without pin straight, flat ironed hair. Remember Jennifer Anniston post Friends and Kim Kardashian pre Kanye?

Fast forward a decade or more past drop curls, donuts and blow-outs (looking at you Kate Middleton!) and we appear to have come full circle with straight hair on the rise again albeit as part of a shorter bobbed look as perfected by Lara Worthington, Big little Liar Reese Witherspoon and love-her-or-hate-her Invanka Trump.

So seeing as a straightener is now a must-have again let’s find out all about them, including their features (not all are created equal). And remember straighteners are not just about getting your hair straight but also about creating curls and getting rid of - and even preventing -  the dreaded frizz. Sorry didn’t we mention sleek is in along side straight?
In this blog, we’ll show you how to find the perfect straightener for your hair type so you can achieve the best possible, most gorgeous pin-straight results every time.

How to Choose the Right Hair Straightener

You also have to look at the length of your hair. If  you have short hair then you need a straightener with smaller plates that can work easily around your head. If you have long hair then larger, longer plates could be the go or you will be at it all day. If you have frizzy hair then look for a straightener that has frizz fighting technology. Trust us you won’t regret it.

Qualities of a Good Hair Straightener

1. Multiple Heat Settings: Many people often ask what is the ideal heat setting to straighten hair? The answer, as we have touched on, is variable depending on your hair, but one thing to know for sure is that a good straightener will offer multiple heat settings including high heat settings. This gives you the choice of going high – especially useful if you are curling and need to use the outside of the straightener to heat the hair or if you have thick, hard to straighten hair. The low setting is handy for fine, colour treated hair or if you just want to simply rejuvenate your hair a bit after a day at the beach. 
2. Automatic Shut-off: A good hair straightener will have an automatic shut off – because no one wants to be on the bus on the way to work and realise they haven’t turned their styler off! Depending on the straightener, the automatic shut off system will kick in after 60 or 72 minutes.
3. Latest Technology: A good straightener will have at least one of the latest technologies - for more on that see below. 

Hair Straightener Technologies

The latest technologies are the key to a good straightener. With this in mind we’ve done a quick round up of these technologies as well as the features that make for a good straightener. 

Again always relate these technologies and features back to your own hair (the hair you have, not the hair you want!) as that will dictate how important each one is to you and whether they are worth the investment as some technologies do affect the price.

1. Ceramic Heater Technology: One of the many benefits of ceramic is that it heats up quickly and evenly leading to less damaging hot spots so ideal for fine fragile hair.
2. Ceramic Plate Technology: Ceramic is basically a clay composite material. In the case of a ceramic straightener, clay is used as a coating on the straightening plates. It creates far infrared heat that penetrates the hair shaft, preserving hair's natural moisture and luster. 
3. Ionic Technology: Ionic Straighteners and indeed all ionic styling tools – are a generator of negative ions. Negative ions stop the hair shafts from opening up and absorbing moisture and humidity, so the hair remains smooth, frizz-free sleek and shiny.
4. Frizz Defense Technology: This works by eliminating static and releasing up to 60% more ions than the average straightener. You can also use a lower temperature to straighten your hair with this technology on board so great for all hair types including you fine haired ladies. Try the VS Sassoon Frizz Defense Salon Straightener.

5. Advanced Sol-Gel Technology: Only used on higher end straighteners, this technology when combined with luxurious ceramic (see above) gives ultimate glide and longer-lasting results. It offers 15x more high density than ceramic alone for ultimate durability. Check out the VS Frizz Defence Salon Straightener with Sol-gel technology.

6. Micro-Infused technology: Combinining Argan, Coconut, Aloe Vera Oils & Keratin Infused Technology  helps protect for beautifully healthy and shiny hair and creates smooth, sleek and perfectly straight styles. It’s a new technology in a straightener and it’s getting a lot of buzz. Our pick: the VS Sassoon Nourishology Smooth Straightener.

7. Ceramic Tourmaline Technology: Tourmaline is a crushed semi-precious gemstone A natural source of negative ions, it helps create smooth styling as you glide, reducing damaging hot spots. It also locks in shine as you style while reducing frizz. 

8. Wet & Dry Technology: Some straighteners like the VS Sassoon Wet & Dry Straightener uses unique technology so that when it passes through your damp hair, any moisture escapes as steam and your hair becomes super smooth while it dries. You can also use these straighteners on dry hair.

Types of Straighteners: Plate Size and Design

Uber Influencers Nadia Bartel and Bec Judd have been using their straighteners with curved slimline plates to create these soft-to-die for waved curls.