There’s a viral video going around where the girl burns her hair off with a curling iron.
After seeing this, I wondered, could this happen to me while getting ready one day?
It looks like this girl is using a cheap curling iron, and it got me thinking, what are the do’s and don’t of buying a curling iron. What should people look for/stay clear off? Is buying a cheap curling iron putting your hair at risk? What about a hair dryer?
I decided to do some research. We reached out to some stylists and brands to get their help on why this would’ve happened and what curling irons are the best to buy so that this doesn’t happen to us.
Why did this happen? Mike Van den Abbeel from Mosaic Hair & Studio Blow Bar has some thoughts:
1) The tool was too hot for her hair.
2) She applied too much tension on the hair
3) She kept the tool on her hair for too long
4) the product might have been too sticky, not allowing the hair to slide off the curling iron.
What factors damage the hair?
Cosmetic Chemist Ron Robinson of Beautystat.com says there are 3 big factors that can really damage hair.
1) Frequent hair coloring or processing/relaxing
2) Overexposure to the sun
3) Overuse of heat styling tools
“Overuse of heat styling tools can cause a lot of damage to the hair. The heat can permanently break the hair bonds which give structure. This can cause it to literally burn and break off.”
What should we look for when purchasing a curling iron?
“You get what you pay for.” Says Mike Van den Abbeel from Mosaic Hair Studio & Blowout Bar in Orlando. “While many tools claim to have ceramic plates, the cheap ones have such a thin spray-on coat that it is practically useless. The more ceramic is used, the better the end result will be. An adjustable heat setting is important. Different people need different heat settings.”
Stephanie Scuoppo from Miano Viel Salon & Spa says consumers should look for irons with a thermostat they can set to between 380-400 degrees depending on condition and thickness of hair. “Color-treated, dry, and/or very highlighted hair texture must be very careful of temp over 380 degrees.” She also recommends applying a thermal protective spray prior to curling but “use hair spray sparingly to avoid hair sticking to iron and potentially burning.”
What are some of the best options out there?
Helen Owens from Her Secret Hair Extensions recommends thermal tools that work well on both natural and hair replacement.
Her first choice is always CHI. CHI disperses heat evenly, protecting the follicles from overheating even at its highest temperatures. Second on her list is Hot Tools, which does a good job of dispersing heat, but she advises to be cognizant of setting the temperature too high and being aware of how long the iron or dryer is on the hair. And third on Owens’ list is BabyBliss.
Hair stylist Rolando Cevallos of Paris Salon in Smithtown, Long Island, says the inexpensive curling irons overheat to a point where a hair injury can take place. Hot Tools has a great curling iron, nano ceramic that retails for about $50.00
Karol from Fix Beauty Bar in New York City also recommends Hot Tools. The important thing with irons is proper technique and good product to protect hair from heat. “
José Eber Hair was highly recommended, but is definitely on the higher end of the spectrum.
Ron Robinson from Beautystat recommends the Coolway Flat Iron/Styler
The Cooway Styler automatically adjusts its heat setting to the personal moisture levels in one’s hair, never going over 299 degrees — any degree level over that burns and damages the hair follicles. Coolway’s clinical tests prove that the styler increases hair strength by 300%, reduces hair breakage by 75% and frizz by 50%. This styler not only gives you impressive styling results, but improves the health and overall look of one’s hair every time the Coolway Auto Sense Styler is used. Safe and non-toxic, the Coolway Auto Sense Styler works on all hair types including on bleached, relaxed and hair extensions.
Our Pick
I’m an avid curling iron user and have tried Babyliss, HotTools, and many others. Sure they’re less expensive, but nothing is better than the CHI curling iron. I have used a CHI hair straightener for years and its amazing. The curling iron is no different.
1) I saw the temperature on the curling iron, and was able to set it which was nice touch.
2) My hair has never looked better, nor held a curl better. It was easy to use, quick and my hair looked fabulous.
There are 3 options:
From the Farouk Site: “CHI ORBIT Styling Tools are the latest in curling irons, combining even heat distribution with CHI 44 technology bringing curls to a new level. Each ORBIT Styling Tool has a unique shape giving different results to each curl, creating different textures for the ultimate finished look.”
The 1″ curling iron made my hair look so good. There are no words.
What should we watch out for?
1) Closely manage the setting and time on the hair to avoid burning
Becky Sturm, CEO/Founder of StormSister Spatique thinks buying a good curling iron once is better than to go cheap. “If you’re a consumer that uses a blow dryer and hot tools daily or several times per week, you can either spend $20 several times per year or spend $100 on a hair tool that will last you years. Do the math.”
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Limor is an on-air lifestyle and entertaining expert. She loves to share her favorite finds and recipes.