“The Unofficial Flat Iron Consumer Report”

This report reveals the one secret element that you absolutely must
know before you select your next flat iron purchase...

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Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Contents
Welcome ............................................................................................. 2

About Flat Irons ................................................................................... 3

History of Flat Irons ............................................................................. 4

Flat Iron Plates .................................................................................... 5

Nano & Tourmaline Infusion ................................................................ 6

How The Plates Work ......................................................................... 7

Flat Iron Sizes ..................................................................................... 8

Flat Iron Temperature Settings ............................................................ 9

Flat Iron Usage .................................................................................. 10

Flat Iron Value - Professional vs. Drugstore ...................................... 12

Flat Iron Styling Considerations ........................................................ 13

Flat Iron Maintenance ....................................................................... 14

Top 5 Flat Irons by Consumer Popularity .......................................... 16

Customer Testimonials ...................................................................... 17

Flat Iron Resources ........................................................................... 18

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 Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Welcome To Flat Iron Consumer Reports

H ave you ever felt overwhelmed and bombarded by the shear amount of information
available online? Have you spent hours searching through shopping sites where you can
find pricing info but no quality in-deth information about flat irons? Well take a breath of
relief because you found the right resource and you will soon discover the exact informa-
tion you seek. This is the webs unofficial all purpose flat iron buyers guide. No longer will
you have to wait till you have the flat iron in hand to find out what you needed to know
before you purchased it.
This resource report will highlight exactly what you need to know about the important
features of a flat iron. From the plates to the best value on the web nothing will be over-
looked.
So sit back relax, start reading up and enjoy the wealth of information being brought to
you by the creators at Flat Iron Club and find out what makes the flat irons of today so
special.

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 Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

About Today’s Styling Flat Irons

F lat irons have become a indispensable tool for today’s hair styling community since
their introduction in the early 90’s. All over the world flat irons are constantly in high de-
mand and in many cases are often sold out as manufactures try hard to keep up with rabid
consumer apatite. Flat Irons have been featured in countless magazines and publications
including brands like Allure, Elle and Glamor. Top professional stylists and celebrities like
Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez and featured run way models have solidified the mass
acceptance of flat irons evi-
denced by countless num-
bers of women and men
who covet their sought
after hairstyles.

Paul sh
owing o
ff bling!

Amazing CHI Million Dollar Iron!

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 Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

History of Flat Irons

H istorians have credited the origin of the straightening iron era to 1872. During this
time Marcel Grateau (an inventor and French Hair dresser) started using heated rods to
straighten and style hair. Grateau was most noted for his 1884 “Marcel wave” which was
an early fashion statement for celebrities of that time. Another early innovator, Madame
Walker revolutionized the hair care and straightening industry for African American wom-
en early in the turn of the 1900’s.
At the turn of the century in 1909 Isaac K. Shero patented a hair straightener composed
of two flat iron plates that were heated and pressed together. It is often debated but the
hair straighteners, as we know them today, are credited to Scottish heiress, Lady Jennifer
Bell Schofield, who refined and combined previous efforts of earlier designs into a hinged,
two plated heated iron in 1912.
Years later, other components were added including heated metal hair-care implements
and hot combs. Later in the early 1960’s to date ceramic and electrical straighteners were
introduced, allowing for adjustment of heat settings and straightener size.

Early Innovators

Early Straightening Styles

Marcel Grateau Of The 1880’s Madame CJ Walker
Applying His Famous And Her Straightening
Marcel Wave Tools For Coarse Hair

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Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Plates

C
“When it comes to flat irons, it’s all about the plates!”
ontrary to popular belief the most common material used to make flat irons is alu-
minum and some also use titanium. Flat irons are merely coated with layers of ceramic
particles one on top of the other in varying thickness and consistencies. Even high priced
professional grade straighteners use this same layering technique in the design even
though they may have more composite layers . The two materials are reinforced together
(titanium + ceramic) and are more stable thus less likely to crack or chip than pure ce-
ramic by itself. There are some models of flat irons can be found with pure ceramic plates
that give an even greater degree of heat diffusion and smoother handing. In addition the
possibility of the solid ceramic plates peeling or chipping off exposing the metal under-
neath would be removed. The only concern with this type of design would be in taking
care not to drop the iron due to the risk of cracking or breakage.

“Tip”

When considering the purchase of a flat iron it is important to choose an iron with “ce-
ramic” layers (the more the better) in the plates. Ceramic is one of the single most
important materials used in quality flat irons. “Show me irons with good ceramic plates”

The ceramic plate provides

a hard smooth surface that
glides through hair.

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 Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Nano & Tourmaline Infusion

“I am very confused, what is all the fuss about Nano, Ceramic and Tourmaline?”

W ith ceramic, flat iron plates can retain heat efficiently and are able to distribute heat
across the entire face of the plates surface more evenly. This process can eliminate the
damage caused by uneven hot spots. With nano technology additional additives are in-
fused into the hard ceramic plates of the flat iron. Scientists favor a new popular element
for nano infusion called “Tourmaline” this is a form of gemstone crystal which create a
natural source for increased negative ions and far-infared heat. These two fields natu-
rally eliminate static electricity (the primary cause of frizzy hair) and infuses moisture and
shine deep into the hair follicle. When you are in the process of straightening your hair
you will find the negative ionic energy produced by the tourmaline plates cut styling time
by more than half when compared to other cheaper metal only irons. And it would be safe
to consider that less time also means exposure to your hair which means less damage.

Tourmaline: is a crystal silicate mineral compounded with elements such as aluminium, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium,
or potassium. Tourmaline gem stones come in a wide variety of colors. The name comes from the Sinhalese word “turamali”
or “toramalli”, which applied to different gemstones found in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

Polished Tourmaline Raw Tourmaline Crystal Kent Yu - Process Creator

Jewelry
Why tourmaline? Tourmaline is the most ionic substance in the world. Negative ions rapidly
speed up the evaporation process in hair, and produce infrared heat. Infrared heat protects hair
color and tends to be gentler on color process hair. Negative ions also condition the hair by
heating the hair shaft from the inside out and sealing it. This locks in moisture and hair color,
creating a smooth shiny and silky finish.

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Consumer Reports

How The Plates Work

“With Sedu Plates Hair Slides Effortlessly and Snag Free...”

A lmost all professional grade flat irons found on the market today use ceramic and
some use Ionic materials. What you may not realize is exactly how the two materials
actually work together on your hair at the micro level.

“Why Ceramic?”

The ceramic is the main material that we have to look at first; this material does most of
the heavy work in the process. Ceramic diffuses heat or spreads out the heat of your
iron’s plate evenly and efficiently eliminating hot and cold spots. In addition ceramic re-
tains heat more effectively during usage than most metal plates.
Nano & Tourmaline
This process uses fine micro particles of tourmaline that are infused into the flat iron
plates which provide a smoother surface for the hair follicles to pass through. Tourmaline
particles also generate more negative ions counteracting static electricity found naturally
in hair that cause frizz. (see illustration below)

Microscopic View

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 Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Sizes

“What is the best flat iron size for my hair!”

S ize considerations for your flat iron should start with your hair texture and overall hair
length. Use the following illustrated table below as a reference If your hair is naturally
straight and you only want to de-frizz or smooth your hair, choose smaller sizes (1 to 1.5
inch). Smaller sizes are also best for hair that has been chemically straightened.

Flat irons with smaller sizes are easier to handle and can create more versatile styles
while larger irons work faster and save time with longer more coarse hair.

“TIP”

The most popular and versatile sizes are between 1-1/4” and 1-1/2 inch and these smaller
sizes allow for not only straightening but also curling, flipping many other imaginative
styles. “Show me versatile size irons”

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Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Temperature Settings

“What is the best heat setting for my hair type !”
W hen choosing a flat iron you should strongly consider the heating element which is
one of the most important components. An Integrated Ceramic Heating System (ICHS)
and PTFC are the most advanced heaters on the market today and are made with tung-
sten elements layered with ceramic.
Heater power is measured according to its heat up time and the time it sustains that
temperature. In most cases, a flat iron loses 80° - 100° degrees in between each pass
caused by heat transfer from the plate of your iron to your hair. Besides having good heat
retaining materials such as ceramics reheating is still required after each application to
maintain the optimized temperature this is known as Recovery Time. Good heating ele-
ments will have a very short recovery time to give you true constant heating. All irons have
heating elements that range between 20 to 60 watts, the higher the wattage the shorter
the recovery time that is required between applications or passes made on your hair.

“TIP”

Remember constant heat is better than high heat. It is better to select an iron that has a
powerful heater that can maintain stable heat transfer and minimal recovery time during
your styling process. “Show me irons with good heating elements”

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Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Usage

“What is the best way to use my a flat iron?”

1. Important: Before you get started using your flat iron make sure your hair is clean and
completely dry. The best results are after shampooing and conditioning your hair with a
moisture based product built in to your shampoo and conditioner.
Every day styling products (gels and sprays) tend, build up grease and dirt in your hair and
need to be cleaned away to a more natural state before you start to use a flat iron on your
hair. If you don’t follow this recommendation the flat iron will stick, clump and damage your
hair.

2. Before straightening it is good to apply a heat protection spray ( like CHI Silk Infusion
or Sedu Color Heat Protecting Boost) to protect the hair during the drying or blow drying
and the iron styling process. It will also increase the duration the actual style lasts and
make straightening result last longer.

Heat Protectant Sprays

“TIP”

Heat protectant sprays are a great way to maximize protection and the effect of styling
damage. They also help to maintain your hair color vibrancy and follicle dimension.
“Show me more heat protectant sprays”

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Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Usage Continued

“How can I reduce the damage cause by my flat iron?...”
3. Select the most appropriate temperature base on your hair type and section your hair
into manageable amounts. Divide the hair into sections no wider than the plate width of
your iron. Pull the iron slowly through thin sections of your hair in a smooth motion from
top to bottom. Continue this process with even pressure until all of your hair has been fully
straightened.

* Remember the thinner the hair sections the straighter each of your sections will be.
* Start at the top where you iron has the most deliverable heat.
* Use lower temperature settings for color-treated or fine hair and higher temps to straight-
en curly or coarse hair.
* If your hair is extremely curly or coarse make sure to get the straightener as close to
the roots as possible and pull outward. Sometimes when necessary a second quick pass
through will be enough to achieve the desired finish.

“TIP” “Yikes! My iron is not working properly!...”

The most common problem with the use of flat irons is the overloading of the iron. By plac-
ing to much hair into the iron all at once you will end up with uneven results and hair strands
particularly in the middle that remain unstraigthened. The natural tendency is to turn up the
heat and this practice only increases the danger of damaging and burning the hair.

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 Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Value - Professional vs Drugstore

“Should I make the investment for a higher quality iron; or purchase a cheaper model?”

The Fact is when it come to flat iron pricing it is very hard to do more with less. Yes, you
may get by with a cheaper iron for a little while however in the long run you will likely be
more pleased with the selection of a higher priced iron. In addition you need to consider
(in most cases) your flat iron is a tool that you will want to last for a long time perhaps
many years; this is probably not a tool that has a short term purpose or disposable use.
Our research has shown it is almost impossible to find a quality flat iron for less than $50.
Cheaper irons usually have cheaper quality parts. And when you consider the short life
span of the cheaper irons ($30 - $50) under a year if you’re lucky - in the long run they
are much more expensive when you have to keep replacing them. Don’t forget the down
time, frustrations and bad hair days while waiting on replacements.
Popular and well established name-brand irons like the CHI, FHI, Sedu or Corioliss flat
irons might have above average cost ($$70-$150) but generally these choices tend to be
worthwhile, come with professional recommendations and have many positive consumer
reviews to prove their worth.
Even though you can spend upwards of $350 for a flat iron; what you get vs what you pay
for begins to diminish and we have found the sweet spot for flat irons fall in the range of
$70-$150) respectively.

Better No Better
Ok

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Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Styling Considerations

“Besides straightening can I create other hair styles with my flat iron?”
Besides the obvious “straightening “ flat irons can produce many varied hair styles limited
only by your imagination. Some of the more popular style types are listed below.
Curling with A Flat Iron
* In general the more rounded a flat iron’s plates; the easier it is to curl the hair.

* The difference between a flat iron and a curling

iron, you aren’t rolling your hair around the curling
iron. With a flat iron you will be clamping a 1” sec-
tion of your hair close to your roots with the iron
and turning about one and a half turns at a time.

* You must maintain the same angle while firmly

holding the flat iron in place.

* Continue the process until finished; if your hair

is long, you can use hair pins to keep the finished hair out of your way while you work
on the unfinished parts.

* In the beginning curling with a flat iron will take some getting use too but after a few
times you will quickly start to get comfortable with
the process. This skill is well worth the invest-
ment of time as you will be consolidating two tools
into one, a straightener and a curling iron.
Flipping with a Flat Iron

* Flipping is exactly the same as straightening the

only difference is when nearing the tip of your hair
just turn the iron in the direction that you want the
flip then pull the iron the rest of the way through.
Changing the angles and starting / stopping points
along the way hair is good for adding volume to
your style to fit your own personal preference.

For Curling 1½ Turns At A Time

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Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Maintenance

“How can I make my flat iron last longer?...”
The best practice for maintaining your flat iron is taking a few extra minutes after each use
to care for your flat iron this will make sure its ready to go next time you need and prolong
the overall life of your iron.

Before you start - Caution, wait till your iron is COOL from HOT!

Always remember to use extra caution when handling your hot flat iron weather it is on or
off because it can and will (if carelessly operated burn you. You should first turn off the
iron then unplug it and wait for the iron to Completely Cool Off before cleaning or storing
it. During the cooling off process you should place your iron on a heat proof mat or holder
while on your counter top.

Flat Iron Heat Holder Flat Iron Heat Mat

“TIP”

Flat iron heat up very quickly but cool down very slowly as a good common practice you
should wait at least a minimum of 5 minutes before handling the iron plates, cleaning or
preparing the iron for storage.

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 Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Maintenance Continued

“How can I make my flat iron last longer?...”
The styling products you use on your hair will cause buildup on your flat iron’s plates
over time. This residue will cause sticky buildup on the plates surface that will begin to
produce negative results with your hair styling. In addition this sticky buildup can cause
extra damage to your hair from the excess stickiness on the plates surface.

The plates of a flat iron should always be cleaned with a non abrasive soft cloth and with
a professional iron cleaner. Never ever use a hard scrubber or scraping tool to clean the
plates to avoid scratching or cracking the surface of the plates. Never spray iron cleaner
or any soap or chemical on a iron while its still hot this could cause irreversible damage
the plates of the iron.

Loose Handles
Over time with regular use, the handles of the iron may
loosen. If this happens, you can try to adjust it by remov-
ing the cover over the hinge cover retightening the nut.
Some irons may have a hex screw or cross tip screw in
the place of a nut. In any case a screwdriver and a pair
of pliers should be all that is needed to tighten the hinge.
Never try to tighten the nut or screw without unplugging
and making sure the iron is completely cool first before at-
tempting to tighten a loose nut. If your are not a handy or
mechanical person you can always take your iron to a pro-
fessional salon stylist or an electrical appliance installer or
repair man. Soft Cloth Only

“TIP”

When you are finished and ready to store your flat iron, never wrap the power cord
around the body of the flat iron. This will surely damage and eventually short out the
electrical connection point this point cannot be stressed enough. Cord damage is one
of the number one premature mechanical issues that occur most in flat irons. It is best
to store your cord loosely beside your iron this one tip will greatly prolong the life of your
flat iron.

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 Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Top 5 Flat Irons Rated by Consumer Popularity

Sedu Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron 1½”

Rating: 4.73 out of 5 Stars based on 3,934 reviews by users

Solia Pink Limited Edition 1” Flat Iron

Rating: 4.40 out of 5 Stars based on 668 reviews by users

Solia Tourmaline Ceramic Ion Flat Iron 1¼”

Rating: 4.50 out of 5 Stars based on 3,051 reviews by users

GDH Hair Straightener MK3 1”

Rating: 4.56 out of 5 Stars based on 131 reviews by users

CHI Ceramic Flat Iron (original) 1”

Rating: 4.16 out of 5 Stars based on 1,302 reviews by users

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Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Customer Testimonials

“What are other people like me saying?...”

Flat Iron Before After Testimonial

for more testimonials click here

for more testimonials click here

for more testimonials click here

for more testimonials click here

for more testimonials click here

Courtesy of Folica

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 Flat Iron
Consumer Reports

Flat Iron Resources

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