How to buy Professional Hair Straighteners Online

Producing professional hair straightening results from either appliance or chemical straighteners at home isn't difficult and can save you a lot of money in the long run. Unlike chemical straighteners which permanently alter the composition and structure of the hair (until it grows out) and can cause scalp irritation, hair straightening flat irons offer a temporary solution without excessive damage. Follow these steps to purchase professional hair straightening irons online.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Save your money before purchasing. Although this may seem like common sense, the more money you have to spend on a hair straightening iron the more high quality options will be available to you as the professional level higher quality irons are always more expensive. Keep in mind that you do get what you pay for and that the more expensive models, with the following features, last longer.

2. Choose a professional hair straightening flat iron with ceramic instead of traditional metal plates (an Integrated Ceramic Heating System). Although ceramic systems can still damage the hair, they do not cause as much damage as the ceramic distributes heat more evenly and helps to lock moisture and oils into the hair at a microscopic level, is molded smoother than the metal plates during the manufacturing process and are coated to help protect hair. Also, as a result of their structure and ability to more evenly distribute heat, they heat up faster than traditional irons and reheat faster between applications.

3. Review the flat iron's specs (heater type and amount of heat distributed by the heater, heat-up and cool-down speeds, width and thickness of the ceramic plates and heat control adjustability), before buying. Your heater's elements should be at least 60 watts, evenly housed inside of the ceramic plates, the same size as the plates and able to create rapid temperature adjustments up to 400 degrees. Most online retailers include descriptions with their products that advise customers of the best flat irons that work with each hair type, but it is still wise to keep in mind that longer, narrow flat irons work on most hair types while thick, wider hair irons work best on thicker and curlier hair.

4. Consider add-ons or other ease-of-use features such as a swivel or tangle-free cord, cordless option, power consumption efficiency (i.e. amount of electricity it uses), manufacturer's warranty, additional moisture and oil "lock-in" technology or an ergonomic handle.

5. Buy your professional hair straightening flat iron from a reputable online supplier like Sally Beauty Supply or purchase a wider selection on Amazon by following the links in our Resources section.

Resources

• Visit the Sally Beauty Supply website.
• Purchase a hair straightening iron on Amazon.

[INeedText]

on 8/6/2008 Definitely purchase a professional straightener for best results. My Styling Tools has a great selection of high quality straighteners.
http://www.myhairstylingtools.com/