Two For Good Luck?

I have had a lot of curling and flat irons in my life. I have always been better with a flat iron, but I do like how my hair looks when it’s curled. All the curling irons I’ve had in my life have been made of metal, and they’ve seemed to be really unkind to my hair. I can remember the frying sound that became part of my childhood as I tried to tame those rampant curls by you know, putting in other curls!

Anyway, I’m really interested to find out more about new materials that have made their way into the curling iron game lately. It’s really refreshing to see things made out of something other than metal because cheap metals can be so damaging to your hair. For instance, I have always had a good experience with ceramic straight irons. Based on this, I wanted to find the best ceramic flat iron on the market to see if I could get the best curls possible without destroying my luscious locks.

Check Price
>> Amazon <<

It Takes Two Baby

The Conair Double Ceramic Curling Iron not only features the ceramic barrel I love, but it’s called a double ceramic iron for a reason. At first, I wasn’t sure what “double” meant, but deductive reasoning led me to believe it means there are two kinds of ceramic (or at least two layers of ceramic).

The double ceramic barrel ensures heat is evenly distributed through the barrel that is made extra smooth by the ceramic coating. Hot spots on an iron of any kind can burn hair, and the technology used with this one stops that.

Don’t Get Burned

What I like about this iron is it’s great for clumsy people because it has a heat shield that protects hands from getting burned. To help further with the issue of being burned, it has a base you can rest it on when you’re trying to arrange your hair between curls. The small base makes a big difference and stops the likelihood of me ending up with a burn on my counter.

Time For Recess

One of the most annoying things about irons and wands is the controls are often located in what can only be described as the worst places ever. They’re generally right where you have to put your hand, and that means you’ll constantly hit them when you’re using the iron. The Double Ceramic has recessed buttons so it’s harder to hit them when the iron is actively in use, so you skip the frustration that comes from trying to work with an iron that accidentally gets turned off.

Flexible Temperatures

My mother and I use irons at totally different settings. I have to turn my irons all the way down when I do her hair. With an iron like this, this is no problem because there are more than 30 temperature settings. I like the flexibility, and I also like that I can even get different styles for myself by adjusting the temperature based on the amount of volume or curl I want in my hair.

Not The Highest In The Heat Game

The heat on this iron only goes up to 375F. While that should be hot enough for most hair types, newer irons are going up to 450 or 460F. Coarse and hard to manage hair types need extra heat so you get the texture you want, and I’m not sure this iron will get hot enough to support that. Advisable or not, I will use my iron at well over 400F because of my thick hair, and this one won’t get close.

Priced To Try

At under $12 this iron would have to be pretty terrible to make it not worth trying. You can’t even buy dinner out for $12! I’m amazed at the high quality ceramic that can be achieved for so little money. I also think it’s great for people who have never used a curling iron before because you’re not shelling out a ton of cash.

Sizes Galore

The price of this iron makes it a steal, and it also comes in several different sizes so you get exactly what you’re looking for. From 3/4 inches to 1.5 inches users can get tight or big curls depending on what they’re going for.

Might Stay On, But It Still Gets Knocked Around

I talked earlier about how the buttons on an iron can be annoying because they sometimes turn off while you’re using the device, but that isn’t the case here. Unfortunately, it still isn’t all perfect. While the iron may stay on, the temperature control is right in a place where it’s easy to hit, so you may end up with an iron that’s way too hot or much too cool to do the trick.

Not Hot Enough For Hold Enough

As I suspected, this iron gets hot quickly but it just doesn’t get hot enough. The top level of heat just isn’t sufficient to positively impact the outcome on your hair (well, not mine anyway). A lot of people end up with curls that just fall out unless the mix includes a whole lot of hair spray, and I hate that feeling on my hair. Some people may do just find at 375 degrees, but personally I think this model is better suited to hair types that can damage easily.

Double Ceramic for Mama. Double Not For Me.

While I love the ceramic coating on this iron and I think it will work for a lot of people, this one isn’t for me simply because of its inability to reach high temperatures which is something my crazy mane really needs. It would probably work “fine” for my mother, so I guess she will probably benefit from the great price and excellent reviews this curling iron has.

The post Conair Double Ceramic appeared first on That's Foxy.

Can You Get The Perfect Curls In No Time Flat! Let’s See

One of the biggest issues I’ve had with curling products in the past is I’ve never been able to figure out the right amount of time to keep the iron on my hair. Sometimes I do the right thing and end up with a fantastic curl, but the rest are either under done, over done or they just don’t look right.

In general, wands can curl in just a few seconds while irons have traditionally taken much longer than that. I have always wondered if an iron with a clamp would curl better without the weird line you can get from the clamp if it just took less time. So, I decided it was time to try and find a curling iron that would curl quickly and efficiently without having to go over it a bunch of times.

Check Price
>> Amazon <<

The T3 Singlepass Twirl Professional Curling Styling Iron comes with a 1.25 inch barrel, and it works quickly. The barrel is made of ceramic and tourmaline, so it locks in moisture without frying your hair. Plus, it helps you avoid the “frizzies”.

The Speed of The Matter

This iron moves quickly which I like. I want to be able to get bouncy curls or waves without a whole lot of time commitment. I just don’t have time in the morning to get my hair the way I really want it with the tools I currently have. Aside from the fact that I don’t really know how to use them, I also have to wait forever to find out if the curls are even going to look right. That won’t work when I’m already limited on time. An iron that curls quickly could solve this for me. I’m interested in this one because there are people who make this thing work in less than 10 minutes (the perfect answer to all my “out of time” troubles)!

This iron actually works by applying instant heat to your hair (well, pretty much instant anyway). Using technology like this means you can not only get to work on your curls far quicker, it also means you’re not “heating” your hair for as long which can only be a good thing.

Skip The Product

Another great thing about instant heat is you don’t need to put product in your hair. One reason I’ve always hated curling mine is because I can’t get the style I’m looking for without using a whole ton of product which just makes it downright crunchy! The idea of being able to skip this step is really appealing to me (as I’m sure it is for a lot of other people).

Clamp Marks Don’t Stick

This iron may start with clamp marks, but they soften as the hair becomes curled and adapts to the heat more. This means that when you take the iron off your hair after the near instant heat up, the clamp mark is already gone. You don’t have to worry about lines around the end of your hair or weird crunchy marks throughout. Just wrap, curl, let go, and you end up with the prettiest curls.

Won’t Weigh Anything Down

Aside from giving you light and bouncy curls, this iron is also pretty lightweight. This actually worries me some even though it sounds good. I am clumsy, and things that are too light tend to fly out of my hand. Of course, by fly out of my hand I mean “get accidentally dropped”. Considering the fact that the iron is hot and gets hot enough to burn just about anything, I worry about it being too light. That being said, a lot of people are pleased with it because it takes stress off your hand. Regardless, I think it’s probably a good thing.

Higher End

This isn’t a cheap iron. Most curling irons run at around $30, even for some professional models. Some come even cheaper than that. This one rings in at about $80 which is definitely a jump. That being said, my time is worth the extra $50 if this one has the staying power a lot of people say it does. I mean, $50 to get an entire head of hair curled in no time? C’mon! That’s a steal at the price.

Curling, But Not Spinning

One of the more irritating things this iron does is the cord doesn’t spin with you while you’re curling. This means it gets tangled around the iron and creates a mess you then have to spin out of. I guess that’s a manageable issue, but it is a little annoying.

Impressed With The Impressions

There aren’t a lot of curling irons with rave reviews, but this one gets a lot of votes of confidence. I like the speed on it, I like the fact you don’t have to hold the hair on it for long, and I like that it doesn’t give you clamp lines. It’s got a lot going for it, even if the cord isn’t perfect. Overall, this one gets my seal of approval. Better yet, it gets my curl of approval.

The post T3 Singlepass Twirl appeared first on That's Foxy.

A Different Kind Of Gel For Your Hair

I have straightening irons with all sorts of different coverings on them, and they go beyond just ceramic or tourmaline. Basically I’m a collector. What can I say, it might be a sickness! Anyway, while I was trying to find the right curling iron I was wondering if there were any with some kind of fancy covering like the silicon that is on one of my straightening irons. I went on the hunt for something “outside the box”, and I’m pretty sure I’ve found it.

The Babyliss Pro BABNT125S Professional Nano Titanium curling iron with sol gel technology is one of the rare older style irons made of titanium and uses nano technology that can be found on a lot of straighteners. Beyond titanium however, is an additional gel covering that goes on top of the heated element. And there’s the added trick I was looking for!

Check Price
>> Amazon <<

Gellin’ Like A Fellon

The Sol Gel technology covers the titanium, so it’s more likely to grip the hair without pulling it too close or frying it. Sometimes these coverings do amazing things for hair, and sometimes they actually cause bigger problems or slide off over time. I like the idea of putting the stress on the barrel rather than the clamp because the clamp is usually what puts an ugly line on the curls I attempt to make. Meanwhile the gel also smooth’s out your hair as you pull it out of the iron.

Titanium And Nano

Nano Titanium technology takes the frizz out of your curls and makes sure they stay that way. The negative ions counteract the positive ones that make your hair frizzy to begin with, and they combine with the heat to smooth and make sure you can keep your curls without a whole lot of product. Better yet, you don’t have to use as much heat to get the style you want.

High Heat Without The Wait

It’s really important to remember that you don’t have to use the full heat your iron is capable of. It may seem like it’s the faster way to go, but irons like this can get up to 450F. For a lot of people that’s going to be too much heat.

When you choose the temperature you want on your Babyliss Pro Curling Iron it will heat up almost immediately. This saves a lot of time when you’re getting ready, and it will reduce the amount of heat you have to put on your hair.

Mid-Range, Middle Value

Considering how inexpensive curling irons can be, this one actually comes in at the higher end of the price spectrum. This doesn’t make it incredibly expensive, but it does put it in the middle of the price range. For $50 you get a lot of perks, but you are paying about $20 more than similar irons.

Length Makes The Difference

The handle on this iron is actually really long which seems strange at first. It’s as long as (if not longer) than the actual barrel, and that’s a total change from what most irons have. Once you get used to this difference in design it helps you balance the iron in a way that makes it easier to twirl your locks around it.

You Won’t Get The Crimp!

Okay now I’m excited! Whatever the material on this iron does, it seems to make it so the barrel can hold without using the clamp as much. This means you won’t get the line a lot of irons can cause where the clamp hits the curl. Personally, I think it looks weird and I hate it when it happens. This iron skips that which is a massive plus in my book.

On /Off – Off/On – What’s The Deal?

While the curling on this iron is great, the controls might not be. The on/off switch is in a place where it gets hit while you’re curling – all the time! It can slide under your hand and flip off when you’re using it. All of a sudden you could have no heat and not understand what’s going on when your curls stop taking, so this is something to think about.

Not As Cool At The Tip

When the iron gets hot, the tip of it does too. This can be a problem when you’re trying to curl your hair because it doesn’t give you a lot of different ways to get your hair in order without burning your hand. The cool tip is a really important part of a curling iron because your fingertips kind of rely on it! That being said, you could invest in a heat glove.

So Close, But Maybe Not Quite

I like a lot of things about this iron, but I really need a cool tip in order to be able to use it successfully. It doesn’t seem like a huge deal when you’re not used to curling, but the few times I have attempted it I’ve really relied on that part. When I also consider that I have very long hair and need more room on the barrel than this one has, I don’t think it’s the right one for me. That being said, shorter hair and people who are more proficient with an iron will be just fine.

The post BabylissPro Nano Titanium Iron appeared first on That's Foxy.

Old Style Is Still Style

As I continue my search through the depths of different kinds of hair tools, I still wonder if a classic is a classic for a reason. One thing that does seem true is curling irons come in way more sizes than wands do, and that can be much more useful for a variety of reasons than the more fixed options you find with curling wands.

However, there are a ton of different types and a variety of heat settings, and that can make the search a little daunting. For instance, the Hot Tools Professional 1110 Curling Iron with Multi-Heat Control comes in at least seven different sizes which means it’s handy for just about anything you’re looking for in style.

Check Price
>> Amazon <<

Solid Gold, Baby

Ok it’s not solid gold, it’s plated. But it is real gold! I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen a gold curling iron before, and these look majorly flashy. I don’t know if the material actually does something for the health of your curls or if it’s just for looks, but regardless it gets my attention.

Tipping Them Off

In order to get the right twist out of a curl, you have to be able to hold the iron at a right angle and roll it up your hair. To do this, you have to safely hold the iron and the hair, and without a location other than a handle curling irons are basically impossible to use. This one not only has a tip that is cool to the touch, it’s an oversized one that can help clumsy people like me avoid doing something stupid.

Real Heat When You Need It

Curling wands don’t wrap all the way around the hair like some of the newer styling tools do, so some people need a lot of heat in order to get their hair to stay. This one heats up to 428F which I know from personal experience is easily enough to handle the toughest of hair types.

Leave the “Ouches” at the Door

When curling your hair, you can end up in pain in ways other than burning yourself. In fact, if you have a lot of hair like I do you can have pain just because holding the iron for a long time is exhausting on your hand. If you go with this model, you’ll notice the easy grip handle that is padded so your hand takes less stress. It’s also very lightweight which makes it easy to use for longer periods of time.

Standing Up

When you’re dealing with tools that get hot, a stand is a great way to make sure it’s not going to burn you or something around it. This iron has a built in stand that flips out from the body, and then the iron rests on it. Nothing hot sits on your countertop, so you’re not likely to end up with a burned surface.

What’s In a Size?

I wasn’t joking when I said this iron comes in about seven different sizes. Whether you’re looking for itty bitty curls that start at 3/8 of an inch or massive barrel curls that hit 2 inches, you can get it all from this curling iron. Some people buy several sizes because it gives them the ability to create a varied look throughout the style. Whatever size you think will create the look you want, its available here.

Right Price, Right Size

No matter what size curling iron you use to style your hair, they all run at about the same price. None of them are expensive, and for about $30 you can have just about any iron of your choice. That’s less than a third of the price for a useful flat iron, and less than a lot of professional style curling wands.

Long Lasting, As It Should Be

A breath of fresh air about this iron and its varied sizes is they last. There are people who say they have had theirs for going on a decade. TEN years! I didn’t know it was possible for a styling tool to last that long!

Be Careful with the Hot Heat

While these babies have staying power, you really have to be careful when you’re using them. They’re supposed to get hot, but that can result in burned hair if you’re not careful. There are a lot of people who ended up with hair that got a little charred because they didn’t test out the lower heat settings first. Just because you need a certain amount of heat from one tool, it doesn’t mean you’ll need it on all of them. Be careful or the smell of burned hair could fill the air, and it’s not an attractive fragrance (I know)!

More Than Enough Good

While I’m a firm believer that if it’s too good to be true, it probably is, and I worry about heat spikes, this hair styling tool offers a lot of benefits for a relatively small price tag. There are some concerns about hair getting fried, but as long as you make sure not to go right to the top with heat in the beginning, I can’t see it being a problem. If I decide to go with an old fashioned iron, I will definitely be looking this way.

The post Hot Tools 1110 appeared first on That's Foxy.

Pink and Silver Make Pretty Curls

Titanium is one of the newer materials used for curling compared to other options like ceramic and chrome. I know plenty about ceramic because of some of the flat irons I’ve owned before. I’ve also had chrome curling irons because they have been around forever, and they are not always kind to my hair.

Knowing what I know about the options that are on the market, I wanted to look into titanium options in order to find out if they really are better for thick hair like mine, and if they cut anything out of the styling time.

Check Price
>> Amazon <<

The Hot Tools PinkTitanium Curling Iron has a titanium barrel, and no matter what the functionality of it is, this thing is REALLY pretty. I don’t think I’ve ever found a hair tool as visually appealing before, but I really like the colors and the way they go together. Design helps, but I’m more interested in what this iron can do!

Getting Heated

It heats up to 450F which should be more than enough for just about anyone. Aside from the increased likelihood of burning myself, I prefer my iron to have really large heat variations that allow me to choose the right one for my hair. I always start low and work my way up the first time I use an iron, but that’s because I want to make sure not to burn my hair. I usually need a lot of heat to get style that stays and doesn’t frizz over time, and this iron can definitely deliver that.

Buhbye Corrosion

I have never really thought about it before, but I definitely have had irons that change color and rust over time. Maybe it’s because the metal is not as high quality, but I remember moving one time and finding a beat up iron in a box a year later. Needless to say, that one went into the trash. This iron has a corrosion resistant covering to keep it usable for a long time (even if it does end up in a box for a while)!

Keeping Cool

If you look at the style of this iron, it has one perk a lot of others don’t. It has more than just a “cool tip”. The tip is oversized which means people like me will be even less likely to burn themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I’m super talented and can totally find a way to burn myself on just about anything, but that doesn’t mean it will happen. I like fail safes that protect me from myself in these situations.

Sizeable Differences

The iron comes in four different sizes so you get the style you want just like you want it. You can get it in .75, 1.25, 1.5 and 1.75 inch. From tight curls to bigger waves, you can get just about all of it with this baby.

Priced Well for the Material

Titanium is state of the art technology when it comes to trapping in moisture and smoothing hair without needing as much heat as other options. Because of that, I expected this iron to be way more expensive than other models. At just under $40 for just about all the sizes, it’s not priced too badly. It’s much less expensive than a comparable flat iron, and only slightly more expensive than similar curling irons. Overall, I think the price is right considering what you’re getting for it.

Perfect Curls

This iron really can make some beautiful curls for those who are proficient with a curling iron. I’ve always had trouble getting an iron that will curl my hair and keep it that way without needing a whole lot of additional product. People are pointing out that this one does just that which has really made my ears prick up!

Thumbing the Issue

One of the complaints about this model is there is not enough heat protection in the thumb rest which basically means it can get hot when you’re using it and burn your thumb. As someone who is capable of burning myself on just about anything, I don’t really need the extra help from an iron. That being said, I’m not sure this happens to everyone, and it may just be the way certain people hold it that causes the issue.

Trying Titanium

I have been a ceramic devotee for a long time, but I can’t ignore the performance and price of this one. I have always wanted an iron that will give me beautiful curls and waves that stay without a lot of product. I hate the feeling of too much hairspray or thick, crunchy curls. Finding a tool that will do the work for me and makes sure I get soft hair with just the right amount of style sounds exactly what I’m after.

The post Hot Tools Pink Titanium appeared first on That's Foxy.

An Old Fashioned Iron With Some New Fangled Gadgets. Ya dig?

I’m not saying anything against curling irons because I think they’re a great idea, but I never feel like I use them right. I almost always end up with a line toward the end of the curl that looks crispy, and my curls never stay uniform. In fact, the only thing I was ever moderately successful at with a curling iron was straightening. Ironic right? Maybe the issue with irons I’ve had before wasn’t my lack of ability as much as it was the material they were made out of. Don’t get me wrong, I am far from a pro at curling but I don’t think I was as bad at it as my hair ended up looking. Okay, maybe I was!

Regardless, manufacturers now make curling irons out of the same materials used to make straighteners and wands, and that seems pretty handy to me. I have had a ton of success using a ceramic straightening iron because of the consistent heat, and this got me thinking that maybe it would be good for my curls.

Check Price
>> Amazon <<

A Major Change From What I’m Used To

The Conair Infiniti Pro Professional Nano Tourmaline Curling Iron is made from the right materials to get my attention. It has the smooth exterior that comes with ceramic and ensures I won’t get hot spots throughout the barrel. It also has a tourmaline coating that helps with frizz and makes it more likely my hair will stay throughout the day.

Old Base Technology. Updated Style.

One thing I like most about the irons that come under this model is they may have the older style (they are curling irons that still have clamps), but they still offer updated things like a screen to pick the temperature and several different settings for when you’re using it. You can get the control you want out of your styling experience even if it is on the side of technology that has literally been around since before electricity (well, not quite but you get the idea).

Keeps Your Curls For How Long

When I have curled my hair with older tools that don’t have newer materials they have always fallen out within a few hours. Actually, getting them to stay for even a few hours without gobs of hair spray was pretty much impossible. Wasn’t going to happen. Nuh uh!
This iron however, is able to keep the curls for 24 hours. I know this sounds optimistic, but even if half of that is accurate I’m still better off than before.

Get One For Less Than Andrew Jackson

If you ever notice the face on a $20 bill, you’ll know its Andrew Jackson. No matter how you feel about his presidency, you can actually get one of these irons for less than Andrew Jackson’s face. That’s a pretty big deal considering $20 is my threshold for how much I will spend on things I am not sure will work for me.

A cool thing about this iron is you can get it in five different sizes. Pick your option between 0.5 and 1.5 inches. You can either get tight curls or bigger barrels and waves. No matter what you’re going for, without a doubt one of the irons in this size range should work for you.

From Zero To Hot In No Time Curly

The heat up time on this is impressive, (you can plug the iron in and be ready to roll in just 30 seconds)! Plus, it can heat up to 400F in that time which is pretty spiffy. Not having to wait for my iron to heat up is a big deal for me because I always have places to be, and the LED that shows you what the temperature is helps with accuracy.

Tipping Point

If you’re like me and have really long hair, this iron may not be right for you. The tip of the iron isn’t very big which makes it pretty hard to control when you’re trying to wrap very long hair around it. Your iron can’t get all of the hair in order if you don’t have control of it, and that often requires two hands. If you try to make it work with just one, you’re going to end up burning a hand or face and that’s no good.

On Means Off, Apparently

One of the more frustrating things about this iron is the on/off switch is kind of in a bad place. Instead of being housed somewhere you can only touch it deliberately, it sits in a place where it’s entirely possible to hit while you’re using it. It’s not a huge deal because all you have to do is turn it back on, but if you don’t realize right away it can take longer to get your hair done while you try to figure out where the heat went.

No So Much, Sadly

Another one bites the dust I guess. I had high hopes for this one too, but it didn’t live up to them. I’m not saying this curling iron won’t work for anyone, quite the contrary. It has some rave reviews and considering it costs less than a picture of “Andrew Jackson”, I think it’s worth thinking about.

The post Infiniti Pro Nano Tourmaline appeared first on That's Foxy.