Computer Club

The best hair irons - Buying Guide Best Offers 2018

Nowadays hair straighteners have gone from being a professional hairdressing tool to being a general purpose appliance and if you have come this far it is because you may be interested in your purchase.

In this guide we will explain the technical characteristics that these hair straighteners have as the functionalities that you should have in mind so that your purchase choice is as accurate as possible.

And is that if you have made a small search for information, you will know that there are plates that have ceramic plates, others have titanium, other tourmaline and there are even ion plates that actually do emit negative ions. Other element to take into account is the width that the hair straighteners should have, as well as the temperature you should choose to get the hair straightened perfectly.

We recommend that you read this guide with confidence since the purchase of an iron requires an investment of money and we would like it to be the best choice for the health of your hair. For all this we will see the different qualities of the best flat iron for natural hair that you can buy currently in 2018.

Why do hair straighteners smooth hair?
Without going into the detail of how our hair is chemically composed, we can say that in the inner part of it are the keratin chains that are composed of amino acids.

The union of these amino acids can break with heat and when pulling the hair with the iron the hair stays smooth . As at the moment the iron has gone through the lock, it cools quickly, the amino acids are re-united making the hair maintain the new smooth shape.

In recent years, as hairdressing professionals we have lived over and over again the discussion about what temperature should be made to straighten the hair with iron. Later we will give you our opinion and we will reflect the opinions of recognized brands such as GHD or TERMIX regarding this issue. If you want to learn how to iron your hair so that it is smooth, we teach you to do it directly if you access the link.

Characteristics of the plates of a hair straightener
As you can already imagine in your search for the best hair straightener , the hair plates are one of the determining factors, since they are the parts of the straightener that will transmit the heat to your hair while you smoothen it.

That is why it is important that they are able to maintain the temperature constantly throughout the surface of the plate and that they are extremely delicate so that they slide smoothly caressing your strands of hair.

We will list the materials used in the manufacture of professional and domestic hair irons , both for a few years now and today.

Ceramics
It has been the most important and characteristic material of the modern straighteners that has meant an evolution to a great extent since at the end of the 90s it is normal for the hair straightener to carry metal steel plates.

And this is thanks to the fact that the ceramic makes the hair slide very well and is also a magnificent conductor of the temperature.

Now, although they are commonly known as ceramic plates, you must be aware that not all the plate is made with ceramic, but usually a metal such as aluminum is used to which a ceramic exterior coating is applied.

Tourmaline
The Tourmaline is a semi-precious stone whose main feature is the pyroelectricity which, without going into physical detail, basically means that it is capable of changing its electrical polarization when increasing temperature.

And ... why is this good for your hair? Very easy, the negative charge that the Tourmaline emits when heated is transferred to your hair (which usually has a positive charge after drying) and these negative ions produce a remarkable anti-frizz or anti-frizz effect by compensating for the electric charge of your hair .

And at the same time, a second benefit of negative ions is that the hair is noticeably brighter .

The manufacturers crush the Tourmaline to create a powder that mixes with the ceramic to create the coating of the plates so that your hair can receive all the benefits that we have mentioned previously.

Titanium
Titanium is a metal that improves all the qualities of ceramics: it is a better thermal conductor , it is very resistant to changes in temperature and allows to achieve smoother finishes than with ceramics.

It's a perfect material that has been chosen today by countless brands of hair straightener to make plates with greater durability than traditional ceramic ones.

Technology Negative Ions
As we have mentioned before, when you wash your hair after drying it, either with a towel or with a dryer, it is loaded with positive ions that cause you to get frizzed with static electricity.

So some plate makers have included negative ion emitters in the plates to enhance this beneficial effect for your glamorous hair. Effect that consists of leaving your hair without frizz or frizz and with a remarkable brightness .

Infrared Heat Technology
In 2015, a few brands that manufacture plates have released some models that emit infrared heat, ensuring that infrared heat penetrates inside the hair fiber and manages to close the cuticle.

It is true that there are people who with this new technology claim that there are no scientific studies that show that infrared heat is beneficial to the hair.

From Alpel we can speak from our experience as we have seen how this type of plates with infrared and ultrasound heat, such as the UKI Diamond and Infrared Powder Iron , are perfect hairdressing tools for the application of hair regenerative treatments as they penetrate more quickly in the hair that if we did not use this type of plates.

For this reason, being more thought for the application of treatments that for the straightening of the hair , at the moment they are used in hairdressing salons that offer services of high quality to their clients, since to apply the hair treatment with an infrared plate means a greater time of professional work and therefore a higher cost of service for the client.

For this reason we believe that since the public in general has not had the opportunity to see and verify its functioning, many of these people reject them and deny their effectiveness.

Width of the plates and anchoring system
The width of the plates of the hair straighteners is important because depending on the length of your hair you should choose one size or another. In the same way, depending on the work you plan to do the size is also important because with wide plates you will not be able to make perfectly defined loops, which you can do with plates of normal width.

Narrow plates
The plates with narrow plates are the ones that our clients use the least since the narrow size is ideal for very short hair, for fringes or for short hair of men but for a normal hair they are not recommended for the following.

If you use a narrow plate in a normal mane, you will have to give more passes than you would with one with normal plates, and this will not be anything beneficial for your hair.

Although you can read that they are more versatile plates to create different hairstyles, you should also bear in mind that the loops that you are going to make with this type of plate are going to be smaller and more curly.

So keep in mind everything we have told you before deciding on a narrow plate.

Plates of average size, normal
The average or normal size is the one chosen by 97% of our clients, since for a normal mane or a not too long mane , it is the recommended plate.

With a little practice in addition to straightening your hair, you will be able to create ripples with plates , ringlets and waves that are curlier or broader, something you can not do with other sizes.

You'll find some of the most sold hair straighteners among the professional brands with which we work:

Wide plates
If you have a long or very long hair , you have a lot of hair or your hair is very thick and abundant , you will have to choose an iron with wide plates since this way you will be able to straighten your hair with less passes than what you would need with normal plates.

The disadvantages of this option are that on the one hand they are heavier devices that a little more complicated to handle , and on the other hand, you will not be able to create defined curls and ringlets , although you will be able to create glamorous waves.

Plate anchoring system
Until 2005 approximately, most of the plates had fixed plates and only the most technologically advanced incorporated tilting plates.

Fixed plates
This type of anchor was the most used in low-end and mid-range models but nowadays it is not usual for high-end models to have fixed plates unless required for some specific functionality.

When the plates are fixed the ironing is not uniform since some parts of the strand that we are ironing will receive more temperature and pressure than other parts, and therefore we will not obtain a quality smoothing.

Tilting plates
Also known as floating plates, the tilting definition is the most accurate and clearly reflects the operation of this type of plates. The quality tilting plates can be moved in all directions , downwards, upwards, sideways and forwards or backwards, so when pressure is applied to the hair strand, the pressure and temperature are evenly distributed and the best smoothing possible.

For this reason, our recommendation as hairdressing professionals is that you choose without a doubt an iron with tilting plates , whatever the brand, as you will iron your hair more quickly and with a better finish.

Working temperature of hair straighteners
As we have explained initially, we need to apply heat to the hair to get it smoothed and to keep it smooth when it cools.

But just as there are not two equal hair because some are thinner or thicker, others can be completely healthy or somewhat punished by hair dye or discoloration, logically we should not use the same temperature to smooth different hair since each It has its own characteristics.

Also, depending on the temperature you use, you will get ironing or waves to last longer. Here are some tips and useful tips to know how to make waves with the hair iron .

What Shampoo Marks to use after Smoothing


We must also appreciate that the use of the iron or dryer tends to mistreat the hair, so stylists recommend learning to identify what shampoo to use according to the type of hair, to care for the hair after straightening.

The shampoo salt are to be used to knock down no chemical treatment after being applied on the hair, because, unlike traditional shampoo, they are less aggressive.

Here are some brands that we recommend for the longest duration of your smoothed post:

What happens if I wash my hair after straightening?
The straightening is not going to be undone, it will not lose its effect or appearance, approximately it lasts on average of 2 to 4 months, it should be noted that to take care of the straightening you should wash your hair with a shampoo without salt and with an extra level of acidity, This will help your hair stay longer with the smoothing effect. Use a daily shampoo and rinse daily to prolong its duration, it is the only special care you should have as long as your desire is to keep it that way for longer.

After straightening how long without washing?
After smoothing the hair, a 72-hour range should be allowed to pass without washing or wetting the hair, this time margin is left because the smoothing product or method is still acting on the hair structure, so if you wash it , you will lose much of the smoothed effect. After this time you can wet it or wash or rinse with post smoothed products. We recommend you to use a shower cap to keep your hair intact, collect your hair and make a little ponytail or bun and cover it.

What is a post-smoothed Shampoo and what is it for?
The post smoothing shampoo are employed beauty products to care for and prolong the effect of chemically treated hair. Women see in it a kind of Aladdin's Lamp because, if that were not enough, the post-smoothing shampoo is able to satisfy three basic and enviable desires of healthy hair: moisturizes, nourishes and, according to the brand, also fights the nasty frizz and the appearance of split ends.

Straightening of keratin or Brazilian
The chemical straightening of the hair has techniques. Some of the best known are the keratin treatment or Brazilian straightening. This is valued by stylists as one of the best aesthetic innovations to improve the appearance of the hair, smoothing it without needing to mistreat itas it was until a few years ago.

Our star reporter was given the task of interviewing a specialist with more than 35 years of experience as a stylist, Carmen Rojas, extending us:

The straightening of keratinis a deep hydration that helps to straighten the hair. Give it shine, remove frizz and volume. It can be used for very wavy, curly, sponge-like hair.

In addition, this technique can be used, in most cases, in any type of hair. The best thing is that if it is mistreated it helps to repair it. Cool!