Hair straighteners - cheap vs GHD?

[Honeyangel]

Should I buy GHD hair staighteners or cheaper ones? Will the more expensive GHD ones protect my hair better, and will they work?

[ravenhair]

They won't protect your hair better - in fact, they'll do more damage to your hair as they get much hotter than the other ones, but as long as you don't use them all the time and use a heat protection spray you should be OK. They work much much better than the normal ones, so they're a worthwhile investment - also, your hair will stay straight for much longer, so you shouldn't need to use them as often.

[5029]

Because GHD are ceramic, they don't frazzle your hair like other ones. Also use a heat protective spray (Charles Worthington does one), adn limit use to 2 or three times a week. As for which to go for, GHD definately. They are worth the extra money as your hair stays poker straight until its next wash, even in light rain showers. If you buy teh cheaper ones you'll regret it and end up buying GHD anyway.

[brawburd]

GHD for sure. And don't be running them up and down a length of hair, a quick slide down is all that is needed. I thought they were really only for long hair, however have used them on my short ruffled hair and they work a treat.

[beenee]

In my experience, any straightener without a comb attachment is completely useless! I use the Giltsharp one (one of those heavy-duty ones that are unbranded and are sold under designer names) and I can swear by it. It's plates are wide and sturdy and it gives a gorgeous finish. The ghd ones look pretty crappy and I doubt they'd do much for my hair at least (thick and unruly in its real condition). Also a friend who has hair similar to mine bought a ghd one and is regretting the purchase.. she doesnt even bother trying with it now.

Sorry to have confused you, but I consider myself as a bit of an expert on straighteners as I do my hair pretty often. Good luck!

[Foxie25]

I was given a Charles Worthington hair straightener for Christmas. It isn't ceramic but works well - the major fault that i have with it is the quality of it as it is very easy to catch your hair in the grooves which means that as you pull the straightener through your hair you also risk tearing the hair. You have to be careful....infact this has just spurred me into thinking i'm going to write to the company now to complain!!

[weatherwax]

I have very thick wiry hair, feels like a brillo pad to touch (yuck). I have tried everything and nothing worked until I bought GHD straightners and WOW!! Beautiful shiny straight silky hair, that lasts for days. Definately worth the money.

[Lingholme]

As a hairdresser for 25 years I have used all types of strighteners and I can say without reservation that GHD are far and away the best thing to happen to curly or wavy hair just buy them you won't regret it

[studio 49]

In response to your question the tecnology behind straighteners is more important. Straighteners that heat to 210 degrees c such as GHd a re pefect as is the ceramic technology but many of the GHD irons are repackaged under different names. W ehave used both at the Salon but now stock Sleekers as supply is no problem unlike GHD. They can be purchased at http://shop.tigiproducts.com or www.jessophairdressing.com

[julieann]

My daughter has very thick wiry hair and has tried lots of straighteners. I bought her the Charles Worthington for Xmas and it works wonders.

[monkeygirl]

GHD are the best hair straighteners EVER! My hair stays straight for a couple of days and they heat up so quickly so there's no waiting around either. Just be careful and make sure you turn them off at the plug when you've finished - sorry, lecture over! ;-)

[smileygirl]

After personal experience with cheap hair straighteners i'd say you definately get what you pay for, the GHD's are probably the best out there at the mo if you're worried about ruining your hair use a heat protection spray before you straighten, it works wonders. But if you still in doubt don't straighten your hair at all, curls and waves are back!

[mrsmac]

I have gone for immitation GHD (think they are PBM or something). My sis has GHD and Mine are better I reckon same results but smoother glide. Mine were �55. The important thing is to get solid ceramic plates not ceramic-coated plates as apparently the ceramic can flake off over time exposing your hair to metal underneath which as mentioned further up is far hotter than the original wave of metal straighteners. So I have been told.

[PrincessAli]

i have really thick hair which is hard to get perfectly straight. I bought the babyliss steam and shine ceramics and they work a treat. Also sack heat protecting spray off, all it is is a nicer smelling form of hairspray, just use hairspray. There is no difference, its only there so that the irons are burning a product rather than your hair so hairspray works just as well .

[tarabyrne04]

I have heard GHD's can not just straighten you hair, buy also curl it! HOW?? I have a hair strightener almost identicle to GHD (Kodo) and I want to find out how you use it to curl or wave you hair.

[rumanshu]

tarabyrne04 - They don't reallyy curl your hair in the sense that hair rollers do. But, you can - VERY CAREFULLY - wrap your hair around one of the ceramic plates, and then press the plates together briefly. Remember - hair straighteners should never be on any one piece of hair for longer than a split second as it will seriously burn. Not too sure I agree with whoever said that you could use hair spray instead of straightening iron spray, although I do agree that having a specially dedicated spray is a bit of a con to make more money out of us. In my experience, as long as you used enough leave-in conditioner and straightening balm, your hair will be fine. If anyone is in a dilema about buying ceramic straightners, watch out for the cheap imitations that use "ceramic coated" plates - it's not the same! Also beware of products that have orange plates - ceramic should be more of a yellow colour. I wanted a good brand but couldn't afford it, so bought a brand new Hair Tools one from ebay for a 1/4 of the retail price.

[katie83]

can anyone recommend a good spray to use before straightening to protect my hair please? ive been straightening my hair for a couple of years and now as a result of that my hair is thin and dry, any recommendations? thanks.

[Sylph]

Your best bet is to do an intensive condition of your hair regularly. You don't need to buy an expensive product for this, just mix 'runny' honey with your normal conditioner in the ratio 2:1 with more conditioner then honey. Leave this on your hair for 10-15 mins to really help repair some of the damage. A fortnightly soak in flat beer can help too as it adds protein, but can smell unless you rinse. Rinsing your hair though after each shower with an infusion made with 1 tsp of catnip, one mug of boiling water and one tbs of cider vinegar will help too. Cool and strain the solution before you use it. This encourages hair growth and makes hair sleeker meaning you don't need to straighten as much. To minimise damage of your hair make sure plates of the straighter are clean and never straighten hair that has product on it not designed for use with straighteners as this will literally fry your hair.

[AJ]

Anybody who can get their hir straight with anything other than GHD's definitley does not have truly curly hair. These irons are a god send, if i was ever trapped on a desert island and could only take one thing with me - i know what that would be!!!

[marchantino]

sorry,futura are the best.whenever i go back up to manchester,i go to the hairdressers where a lovely girl called helen(also a curlie girlie)does my hair and she swears by them.nothing else gets my hair as straight.

[Monkey Chops]

ello! Ive been using GHDs for nearly 3 years now, and i find they are the best ones! they do damage ur hair a bit coz they get so hot but i find getting my hair trimmed every 4 weeks and using a protective spray stops the damage! the lee stafford poker straight iron mist is great and makes ur hair really shiny! Also my flat mate uses futura straighteners and after jus 3 months her hair was full of split ends!! Hope that helps!