Afro hair (3C-4C curl types): Consider ceramic-coated plates, which offer a good balance of effectiveness and protection. Steam hair straighteners are a good alternative for powerful styling that do less damage. There’s a pair (the L'Oréal Professionnel New Generation Steampod 3.0) on our list below. How we test hair straighteners Some may lean more towards marketing jargon than others, but here's eight of the most common features you may spot: Repeat - straighten over the areas that you feel need it, especially if you have curlier hair. Once you have finished, apply finishing products such as hairspray or leave-in conditions for an added shine. How to protect hair damage when straightening? For a softer curl or wave, you can gently brush through curls with a paddle brush, or use your fingers to break them up a bit. If you want a bouncier ringlet curl, we'd recommend a curling tong, but hair straighteners can double up as curling irons to provide loose waves if that's the look you're after.

In the Good Housekeeping Institute lab, our experts used a Bossa Nova Shuffle machine to assess how long their style lasted and how much frizz was created in a humid environment. Adjustable heat settings Many straighteners give you the option to choose your heat setting, and these can vary from around 140°C to as high as 235°C. Look for straighteners that clearly state what temperature you're selecting (either through a digital display or obvious labelling).

This really depends on the type of hair you have as well as the kind of style you're looking to achieve in your look. As you do this, pull the straightener down the hair shaft. It's a bit like curling a ribbon with a pair of scissors – clamp, twist and pull. As you release the irons, you should have nice barrel-shaped curl.

Best straighteners for curling hair: BaByliss Titanium Brilliance Straight + Curl Hair Straightener Depending on whether you want tighter or looser curls, take a small or slightly larger section of the hair. Place the straighteners at the root, holding the straighteners vertically, and begin to straighten the hair up to the point you want the hair to start curling. Another way to protect strands against damage is to section the hair into small manageable sections. This will give you straighter hair with fewer pass-throughs, meaning you will not need to use as much heat on your hair. Try to only straighten a section once, but if needed a second time, allow your hair to cool before passing through again. Following on from this, always keep the tongs moving and do not hold them in the same place for more than three seconds. Wash hair - in preparation for straightening your hair, use a smoothing shampoo and condition to wash your hair as this will help to reduce any frizz.Regardless of temperature, always ensure your hair is completely dry before styling, and use a heat protection spray. What’s the best hair straightener for my hair type? verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{

Ceramic plates: they are slower to warm up than other materials, but they distribute heat more evenly. They tend to be cheaper too, but are more prone to chipping. Begin straightening - Place the straighteners at the root of the hair, hold the hair taut and glide the tongs through to the ends. Working section by section to reach all of your hair. The are three key things I look for in a hair straightener," says celebrity hairstylist Halley Brisker. "The first is reasonable weight and functionality; I like something that feels sufficiently weighty without being overly heavy or too light from cheap materials and simple and not over complicated buttons/settings that I will end up frustrated with in time. Good, well constructed plates that transfer heat well and enable smooth glide! And finally an ergonomic design that allows for not just poker straight finishes but also waves and bends; an example of this might be slightly curved arms or something similar." How hot should a hair straightener be?

Are thick or thin straighteners better?

Ideally, you want hair to be bone dry when you straighten, so give it a blast with a hair dryer or leave it to fully dry naturally. Apply a heat protectant spray or cream Automatic shut-off The straighteners will turn themselves off after a certain amount of time to prevent overheating or to reduce the risk of fire if you accidentally leave them on and go out.

Straighteners are a big investment, so you need to make sure you’ve got all your hair needs covered in one tool before you make the commitment to buy. If you’re not sure what all those buzzwords mean on the side of the box, we’ve simplified them below, so you can figure out what to prioritise.Ionic technology: when there’s too much positive charge on each hair strand, they begin to repel each other, making hair static and flyaway. This technology helps to neutralise the charge, smoothing strands down instead. Dry hair - use a towel to dry your hair and leave it to air dry, as it will be less damaging. However, if you do not have time to wait, then simply use a hairdryer to dry the majority of your hair. Keep the nozzle facing down while drying to help with frizz. Frizzy hair: Ionic technology is a must to stop water and humidity “fluffing up ” your hair and creating more frizz. Sometimes it can be easier to use hair straighteners to curl your hair, rather than using curling tongs, to have more control over how your finish style looks. Your trusted pair of straighteners should last you between two to three years (depending on how well you look after them).