Is Your Flat Iron the Right Temperature?

 

Ever since the first time I plugged in a flat iron, I've been trying to tame my frizzy, wavy locks into looking like they just starred in a shampoo commercial. It turns out I may have been doing it wrong.

 

When it comes to heat styling, the common thinking is that the higher the temperature, the more control you have over hair’s texture. Not so, says ghd Chief Technology Officer and Cambridge Scientist, Dr. Tim Moore. The styling tool company has just released a new straightener called the Eclipse, which maintains only one temperature, 365 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Dr. Moore, all those temperature settings on most flat irons are unnecessary — 365 degrees is hot enough that you’ll only need one pass through your hair with the flat iron to get your desired look. "Styling at temperatures above 365 degrees exposes hair to unnecessary heat,” he explains. “And at temperatures above 420 degrees, the keratin protein in the hair starts to melt, causing irreversible damage.” 

 

So what’s different about ghd’s new tool? Most other hot tools on the market can’t maintain a constant temperature, says Dr. Moore, since the plates cool down between each pass. The Eclipse maintains its heat by using what the company calls Tri-Zone technology. Both plates have three sensors and heaters to keep the consistency, whereas other flat irons only use one sensor and heater. 

 

My inner flat iron fanatic told me I had to try it out. The differences between the older ghd straightener I’d been using for years and the Eclipse impressed me more than I expected. Within minutes and after only one pass per section of hair, the Eclipse transformed my dull, wavy hair into the silky strands I'd been after all this time — and without frying my ends. I have a feeling good hair days are about to become an everyday thing.