How to Choose Between Ceramic, Titanium and Tourmaline Hair Straighteners
Besides curling irons and blow dryers, hair straighteners are one of the most common items to find in any woman’s home. These flat irons aren’t just basic metal with a cool handle, but are constructed of specific materials to transfer heat effectively.
You’ll see titanium, tourmaline and ceramic as top materials in the marketplace, but choosing between them takes some personal evaluation and detective work to make the right decision.
Knowing the Different Hair Straightener Materials
The best hair straightener for uniform heating is normally outfitted with ceramic. Of all the tool materials, ceramic tends to be the most common for everyday use.
If you style your hair several times a week, a ceramic tool provides even heat across the shafts and prevents scorching too.
Consumers often rave through hair straightener reviews regarding the value of ceramic compared to its price. It is an inexpensive option with great results every time.
Professionals don’t often use ceramic, however, making this tool perfect for the average working woman. The heat won’t create repetitive damage, just luxurious hair down your back.
Beware of Advertised Coatings
Some manufacturers claim their product is the best hair straightener, but it’s actually a poor design wrapped in marketing jargon.
Take a look at the styling tool’s design and description. If the product is developed in layers or coatings, take a look at another straightener.
To save on manufacturing costs, designers simply add a thin layer of tourmaline, titanium or ceramic to a cheaper metal. If this layer ever breaks down, your hair will be automatically exposed to scorching heat on the inferior metal.
You want a solid material attached to handles, but not layers or coatings. Your hair is a work of art to protect with a quality tool.
Ion Generation
Hair straightener reviews often mention the ionic value of a material. Of your three main material choices, tourmaline has the most ionic nature with titanium and ceramic coming in at second and third, respectively.
Ion generation is critical because it gives the hair a sleek appearance after straightening. The hair itself has positive ions.
As the straightener heats up, it offers negative ions. When these two ion types merge during styling, the hair ends up as a neutral area, allowing it to relax.
Luxurious hair looks like its been conditioned and treated with care for many years.
Adding in Tourmaline
Many professionals would say the best hair straightener is a tourmaline type. It offers the most ionic generation, creating the ultimate relaxation of the hair.
Tourmaline also has a mixture of both ceramic and titanium qualities. Similar to ceramic, there is no major hair damage because the tourmaline spreads the heat uniformly across the tool. Titanium may heat up too quickly for non-professionals, but tourmaline offers a fast heating process without the burn danger involved. Tourmaline remains one of the top materials for straighteners geared toward damaged hair and relieving it with each styling session.
Hair straightener reviews are numerous online so read a few before stepping into a store. You want all the facts about a favorite styling tool, even the information you don’t want to hear.
Be aware of tool wording, such as coating descriptions, because you want a solid product that won’t wear away with use. Straightening your hair should be simple and quick for a night out on the town.
