11 best hair straighteners to leave your hair smooth and sleek
https://www.prima.co.uk/fashio...No matter your hair type, a trusty hair straightener is an essential tool in your beauty arsenal. Whether you fancy revamping your go-to do or simply want to send frizz packing, there’s a styler that’s up to the job.
How do I choose a hair straightener?
Different tools will be best suited to different hair types, so identify whether your hair is fine, frizzy, thick or afro before starting your hunt.
Fine hair: Not to be confused with thin hair, fine hair naturally begins to loose density as we get older. Ceramic or ceramic-coated plates are better suited to delicate strands as they heat up evenly, allowing for a gentler styling experience that won’t scorch fragile hair.
Frizzy hair: Keep those newly smooth strands frizz-free by using a straightener with ionic technology, which seals hair cuticles to stop humidity ruining your style.
Thick hair: The greater your iron’s surface area, the faster you’ll get through that enviable mane, so opt for larger plates to cut down your styling time.
Curly, Coily, and Afro hair: Ceramic-coated plates will straighten your natural curls, but not too harshly. Even better, look for a tool that uses steam to keep hair soft and smooth.
Is it OK to use a hair straightener everyday?
Heat styling your hair can leave it dry and brittle, but there are things you can do to minimise the risk of damage.
The lower the temperature, the safer it will be for fragile ends, so check how many heat settings your chosen styler offers. It’s always smart to apply heat protection spray before styling, too.
Remember that your hair is most vulnerable when wet, so unless your tool is designed to be used on damp manes like this Remington straightener, either let it air dry or use a hair dryer first.
ghd Gold Hair Straightener
ghd is an iconic hair styling brand for good reason, so it’s unsurprising that one of its staple models came out on top. Its rounded barrel made it effortless for our testers to create everything from curls to waves, and 87% said their style lasted all day. It left their tresses feeling softer and looking smoother, shinier and healthier. Result!
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic-coated
Number of heat settings: 1 (185°C)
Ionic technology: No
Included accessories: Heat resistant protective plate guard
EH-HS0E nanoe Hair Straightener
Featuring innovating 3D floating plates to catch and straighten every strand of hair, this elegant tool was praised for its lightweight, compact design that didn't cause any discomfort.
It styled all hair types quickly, leaving looks pleasingly frizz-free. It performed well in our lab test, standing up to humidity and leaving hair softer for many of our testers.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic
Number of heat settings: 5
Ionic technology: Yes
Additional accessories: None
Ceramic Styling Iron
Hollywood star Drew Barrymore has branched out into the world of hair tools, so we simply had to give her styling iron a go. The jazzy purple makes a cheerful change from the usual silver or black, and our panel loved how easily it glided through their ends without snagging. Everybody agreed that it styled hair brilliantly and 90% enjoyed noticeably glossier locks.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic-coated
Number of heat settings: 4 (150 to 230°C)
Ionic technology: No
Included accessories: None
Wet 2 Straight Pro Hair Straightener
Remington has solved the age-old problem of having to dry your mane before styling to prevent frazzle. This straightener’s unique ‘moisture sensor’ measures the dampness of your hair and adjusts its temperature accordingly, all while the moisture evaporates through tiny holes in the plates – pretty smart stuff.
Our testers all appreciated how comfortable it felt to use and 92% were happy with how long it took them to achieve their chosen style. They loved its silky finish, too.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic-coated
Number of heat settings: 10 (140 to 230°C)
Ionic technology: No
Included accessories: Storage pouch
Smooth 215 Straightener
If you’re not fussed about brandishing the latest tech, this beginner-friendly straightener will cost you only £20 and still provide solid results. It didn’t heat up in one minute as claimed (our lab test found it took slightly longer), but our testers found it lightweight to hold and a breeze to manoeuvre. It left 89% pleased with their final look, with 78% spotting a boost in shine.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic-coated
Number of heat settings: 1 (215°C)
Ionic technology: No
Included accessories: Heat mat
Corrale™ Cord-Free Hair Straighteners
The priciest tool on our list, this Dyson straightener’s innovative design took the hair styling world by storm when it first launched in 2016.
It’s cordless, with flexing plates designed to round up flyaways without pulling or tugging. It only took one swipe for our panel to achieve poker-straight strands. They loved its luxe feel, especially the OLED screen and charging dock, but some testers found it a touch bulky.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Metal (flexing manganese copper alloy)
Number of heat settings: 3 (160 to 210°C)
Ionic technology: No
Included accessories: Heat resistant travel case, charging dock, magnetic charging cable
Lucea ID 25mm Flat Iron with Touch Interface
Frizz-prone ends? This straightener will help keep your freshly smooth do intact. Our testers rated it for taming flyaways and an impressive 90% said their styles looked sleek all day.
Not only did it perform quickly and effectively, but it also looked chic, with our panel loving its “stylish and luxurious” design. It’s compact enough to toss into a weekend bag and its extensive range of heat settings makes it suitable for all hair types.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic-coated
Number of heat settings: 9 (127 to 210°C)
Ionic technology: No
Included accessories: None
Salon Straight Copper Smooth Straightener
With 30 heat settings to choose from, this more affordable straightener offers the ultimate customisable styling experience. Our panel liked how quickly it heated up, and its promised temperatures proved accurate in our lab test.
Its extra-long plates (125mm long, to be exact) got through hair quickly and added shine. One tester found it so effective that they didn't need to touch up their style all day.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic
Number of heat settings: 30
Ionic technology: No
Additional accessories: None
Professionnel Steam Hair Straightener
Unlike usual straighteners, this sturdy iron uses steam to produce poker-straight ends, minus any heat damage. It reached its maximum temperature in under a minute and straightened hair instantly for 81% of our testers, leaving their locks looking shinier and altogether healthier.
If that wasn’t enough, the majority of our panel found their style stayed smooth and intact all day, with some saying the steam hydrated their dry hair.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic-coated
Number of heat settings: 3 (180 to 210°C)
Ionic technology: No
Included accessories: Mini water refill bottle
Original Hair Straightener
ghd has been our go-to brand for hair straightening for many years now, and that's all thanks to this original design.Our testers found it easy to use and welcomed its 30-minute automatic switch-off function, meaning you never have to worry about leaving them on again. Nearly everyone agreed that their styles stayed put until the end of the day, with hardly any frizzing.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic
Number of heat settings: 1
Ionic technology: No
Additional accessories: None
The Wide Iron Pro Hair Straightener
This performer proved a fan favourite for its wider plates, which got through even longer, thicker hair quickly. They glided through strands without tangling, with most testers appreciating how easily they could reach their roots.
This stylish straightener also impressed in our lab test for keeping frizz at bay. Those with bleached or damaged hair thought it looked and felt in better condition after styling, too.
Key specifications
Type of plates: Ceramic
Number of heat settings: 11
Ionic technology: No
Additional accessories: Faux leather case, heat guard
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