Myth -- Ionic flat irons are better than ceramic flat irons.
Fact -- The work "ionic" is commonly used in the styling industry to refer to negative ions only. Ceramic flat irons use ceramic heaters, which produce negative ions when heated, no matter what.
Myth & Fact
Myth -- Nano Technology is always a good thing.
Fact -- Well it depends. Nano means "small", but it's used to describe the very small, tiny particles imbedded in your flat iron's plates. When you see "nano" as a description for a flat iron, pay attention to what word it's attached to. For instance, nano-ceramic means it's the ceramic that's only present in tiny particles not the whole plate. Nano-silver inhibits bacterial growth and this is great if you share a flat iron. Nano-Titanium causes heat to spread more evenly and adds shine by boosting the negative ion output. Tourmaline is one thing that's always "nano" though it's not always described as this. It is similar to titanium.
Myth & Fact
Myth -- When looking for a flat iron, choose the one that gets the hottest.
Fact -- Never begin with the highest heat setting on your flat iron. It may be true for curly, thick or ethnic hair. It requires high heat to retain a style, but work up from a lower setting and stop when results are good. Flat irons with fixed heat settings tend to be fixed in a heat range appropriate for normal to thick hair. If you have problem hair, you need the control offered by variable heat.
Tips for Straightening
Unless using a wet-to-dry iron, make sure your hair is clean and completely dry before styling. Any moisture could cause it to frizz right up. If it feels cool to the touch, its probably still damp.
Make sure hair is tangle free and section hair no wider than the plates on your flat iron. Use clips to keep your hair separated while you style.
Keep sections small! The most common mistake women make with flat irons is to try to iron too much of their hair at once. This leads to uneven heating and therefore uneven styling. Small sections mean less passes with the iron and straighter hair!
Too much hair also leads to another mistake - heating your hair too long to get it to straighten. Not only will it not have the desired effect when the section is too big, this prolonged heating leads to damage.
once you have a manageable section, press it between the plates close to your scalp and, maintaining gentle pressure, draw the iron down to the tips of your hair. Your movement should be even and moderately fast - don't allow the iron to linger on any spot for long. With some practice you'll see how much attention your hair need to get it just right.
