How To Find The Right Flat Iron For Your Natural Hair

If you love to rocking various natural hairstyles, you know how much fun it is to shop for new styling tools. But, if you buy the wrong kind of heat styling tools for your type of hair, you are wasting money and may be compromising the health of your hair. When you are in the market for a new flat iron, it is important to know how to choose the best flat iron for your hair type.

7 Tips To Safely Flat Iron Natural Hair

There are specially designed flat irons for all types of hair, from slightly wavy to extremely curly. For the best results, it is helpful to use styling tools that are meant for the type of hair you have. Since flat irons are one of the pricier styling tools, you can save money and time by knowing exactly what type of flat iron will style your hair the best.

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Why You Need the Right Flat Iron

Flat irons use heat between 300°F to 415°F and because of this intense heat, hair can be damaged. It is always a good idea to use a heat protectant, but the excessive heat can still damage hair, especially if you are using the wrong type of flat iron.

The styling tools use different types of plates that are designed to distribute and manage heat in their own special ways. Having a flat iron that gets too hot is not good for fine hair and having a flat iron that does not get hot enough is not good for thick hair because you will have to do more than one pass. In order to get the results that you want with one pass of the flat iron, it is a good idea to get the flat iron that is designed for your hair type and length.

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Flat Irons for Hair Length

First, it is important to find a flat iron that is designed for the length of your hair. Shorter hair is easier to straighten with plates that are smaller than ½-inch in width. Plates that are one-inch work with most hair lengths. If you have long hair, you can straighten your hair faster with plates that are wider that one-inch. The Active Class

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Flat Irons for Hair Types

The next consideration for your new flat iron is the amount of heat it generates. Some flat irons have adjustable temperature settings and some only have a few settings. If you have fine hair, a setting that is too hot will damage your hair. On the flip side, women with thick hair that is coarse and curly will need hotter temperatures. The flat irons with adjustable temperatures are the most useful for all hair types.

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Flat Iron Plates: Ceramic

After considering the width and the adjustability of the heat, the next consideration is the plate materials themselves. There are some materials that work better with certain hair types. When it comes to price, the flat irons will be more expensive when they have better materials. One of the best choices is a ceramic flat iron.  This type of flat iron is made of high quality ceramic that have negative ions that flattens and smooths hair. Ceramic flat irons are good for hair that is easy to straighten.

The Nano Iron

Another good option for hair that is more difficult to straighten is the nano iron. This does not mean that the iron is incredibly small, but that the iron uses nanotechnology to effectively smooth and straighten hair. The nanoparticles can be used on flat irons that have ceramic plates or other materials like titanium, silver, or tourmaline or some combination of them. Hair that has a medium texture with some wave benefit from tourmaline irons. These irons have plates that have crushed tourmaline that is mixed with ceramic. The tourmaline is used to protect the hair from the heat.

Titanium Flat Iron

The best type of flat iron to use on thick and curly hair is the titanium style, especially if they are infused with nanotechnology. They heat up quickly and they straighten hair quickly and effectively. After you finish straightening your hair, you will notice that it looks smooth and shiny. Because this type of flat iron is so effective and it is made high quality materials, it is more expensive than the other types. So, if you have fine hair, you can get away with purchasing a less expensive option.

If you have hair that is color-treated or has other chemical treatments, the best option is the titanium style, too. The materials in the plates are less likely to corrode over time when compared to the other types of flat irons. It is worth your time and money to find a flat iron that is designed especially for you and your unique hair styling needs.

Aubrey

Hi, my name is Aubrey Ginsberg and I am the co-founder and editor of www.girlswithnaturalhair.com. I work as a professional graphic designer and blogger, but I have (as most of women probably) a big passion for beauty & hair care.

 

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