How To Choose The Best Hair Straightener For Your Hair?

Last updated on : September 30 2021

A hair straightener is one of the best hair tool investments you can get. It is a versatile tool that not only smooths and straightens your hair but can also be used to create curls or add volume to your hair.

Whether your hair is damaged, thick, straight curly, wavy, or fine, it will benefit significantly from a straightener flat iron.

With the many straighteners in the market, choosing the best hair straightener for your hair can be confusing.

You need to consider many different things to ensure you take home the right hair straightener for your hair.

How To Choose The Best Hair Straighteners

Here is a step-by-step guide that will help you choose the best hair straightener.

1. Consider the Plate Material

Hair straighteners are made of different plate materials, and this is one of the most important things you should consider. Common plate material in hair straighteners include:

Metal and Glass Plates

These plates are commonly found on the less expensive hair straighteners. They take a long time to heat up, which means you will take more time to prepare.

They also do not distribute heat evenly, and they might end up having hot spots that can burn your hair.

Usually, these plates are covered with paint which will wear off eventually and start peeling. This damage will cause snags, pulls, and tear your hair.

Straighteners with metal or glass plates can damage your hair and leave it looking unhealthy. Even if they are very cheap, they are not suitable for your hair.

Ceramic

These are the most common hair straighteners as ceramic heats up quickly and evenly, preventing hot spots that can damage your hair.

The ceramic plates smooth your hair leaving it straight and looking healthy. Ceramic plates are ideal for all types of hair.

Tourmaline

Tourmaline hair straighteners use negative ions technology and dry hair from inside the shaft, minimizing heat damage and keeping moisture and shine in the hair.

It heats your hair quicker than other irons meaning less heat is applied to your hair, thus minimizing damage.

Tourmaline also prevents frizz. Avoiding frizz gets better results even at a lower temperature making this plate type ideal for damaged, thin, and fine hair.

Titanium

These are the most durable hair straighteners. They are also lighter, so your hands will not get weary when straightening and styling your hair for long.

Titanium plates are also highly efficient and reach higher temperatures than ceramic plates.

They also heat up quickly and distribute high heat evenly, allowing your hair to get straightened with one pass. 

The ionic charge these plates generate makes your hair look smooth fast without needing to pass over the same section more than once or twice.

Due to their high heat, these hair straighteners are ideal for thick, coarse, and very curly hair.

2. Consider Your Hair Type

Your hair type is essential to consider when selecting the most suitable hair straightener.

If you have thin and fine hair, you should avoid hair straighteners with one heat setting. Get a flat iron with multiple heat settings to control the heat and use the lowest heat setting.

Hair straighteners with ceramic plates are ideal for straight hair. They distribute heat evenly and will not cause hot spots to burn your hair.

If your hair is thick and coarse, you need to select a hair straightener that has higher heat settings. Higher heat settings will help you straighten your hair quickly without going over and over the same section.

The best hair straightener for thick and coarse hair is one that has titanium plates. They heat up quickly and maintain a high temperature. This combination helps in straightening the hair quickly, thus minimizing heat damage.

If you have curly hair, the best straightener for your hair is one with tourmaline plates. Curly hair is prone to frizz, and tourmaline does a great job of eliminating frizz.

3. Plate Size

Hair straighteners are made with different plate sizes to suit different hair types. It's good practice to consider the plate sizes to select a hair straightener ideal for your hair. 

Small Plates

These are hair straighteners that have ½ inch plates. They are the smallest in the market, and they are easy to carry around. They are ideal for pixie haircuts or for straightening bangs.

Narrow Plates

These are ideal for shorter to medium hair and are suitable for creating waves. They are usually 1 inch or below.

You can also use a hair straightener with narrow plates to add extra shine to already straight hair.

These flat irons with thin plates are ideal for traveling and great for styling bangs or spikes.

Wide Plates

Hair straightener with wide plates offers a larger ironing surface. They are therefore ideal for people with long and thick hair. They cover larger sections of hair which makes straightening long and thick hair quicker.

Classic Plates

These are plates that are neither too narrow nor are they wide. They are ideal for all hair types and lengths and are the most versatile since they come with a rounded design that is excellent for making various hairstyles.

4. Consider the Shape of the Hair Straightener

There are two basic shape types. 

Flat Shape

A hair straightener with flat pates is ideal for straightening hair.

Rounded Shape

Some flat irons come with rounded plates. These are great for creating curls and beautiful waves. You can use this hair straightener type as a curling iron and also create kinks in your hair.

If you are looking for a versatile hair straightener, a rounded shape should be your go-to model.

5. Consider the Temperature Settings

Hair straighteners come with different temperature settings, and you should choose one that has the heat settings ideal for your hair type.

If you look for more professional and salon-quality results, go for a hair straightener with higher temperature settings.

It's also best if you choose a hair straightener that has adjustable temperature settings. Adjustable settings give you total control over the amount of heat to use on your hair. 

Using high temperature on thin and fine hair can quickly burn and damage it. Using low temperature on long and coarse hair will take you a lot of time before straightening it.

With a hair straightener that you can control the heat setting, you will always use the required amount of heat, and this will help you avoid heat damage to your hair.

Recommended temperature settings for different hair types include:

Thick hair: 180-240℃

Very thin fine hair:140-160℃

Normal hair:160-180℃

6. Weight

Hair straighteners come in varying weights. Some may be too heavy and leave your hand with sores and tired after using them for a while.

Too heavy will also be uncomfortable to use. 

Always select a lightweight hair straightener, especially if it's for home use. It will make your hair straightening and styling process a lot easier.

7. User Friendliness

Go for a hair straightener that comes with user-friendly features. 

These features include things like a long swivel cord that will make your styling experience easier, adjustable temperature to give you total control over the amount of heat to use, and an ergonomic design.

Also, go for a hair straightener that heats up quickly and will be ready to use on the go - especially if you are among those people who don't have enough time to get ready in the morning.

If your hair is naturally curly, select a hair straightener with a built-in comb or one that uses steam functions to tame unruly tresses.

Choose hair straighteners with added features like automatic shut-off switches and heat-protective cases.

8. Travel-Friendly

If you have to carry your hair straightener while traveling or a jet-setting person, ensure you choose a travel-friendly one.

Go for a hair straightener with dual voltage so that you can use it anywhere in the world.

Also, go for the cordless models that will not take up so much space in your travel bag.

9. Price

After weighing out all these things, the last thing you need to consider is the price. You probably have your own budget set but don't be tempted to settle for cheap hair straighteners.

Low price means cheap quality made with metal or glass plates that can damage your hair. Also, high prices do not always mean quality.

You need to consider things like the plate material used and the features of the hair straighteners and see if it's worth the price.

Select a hair straightener where you get the best value for your money.

Conclusion

When choosing the best hair straightener for your hair, you need to balance between considering all the above things to ensure you select an ideal straightener for your hair type.

A hair straightener makes your life easier as you can quickly straighten and style your hair whenever. So, go for quality and one that will not damage your tresses. 

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