Many women do not know what is the difference between a steam straightening machine and flat iron. Today I will give you a list of details.
NO.1 Steam Hair Straightener Contents
- What is a Steam Hair Straightener?
- Steam Straightener vs. Regular Straightener
- Does a Steam Straightener Damage Hair?
- Steam Hair Straightener: Pros & Cons
- How to Use a Steam Straightener
1.What is a Steam Hair Straightener?
Well, no doubt you want to know what the product is. It’s essentially a hair straightening tool but it’s the most advanced type available. It looks the same as traditional straighteners except it has bristles inside it, attached to the top and bottom plates.
As it sounds, it uses steam to heat it and straighten hair and it is supposedly less damaging than traditional straighteners (like your GHD’s or your BaByliss straighteners). While it straightens, it also delivers shine.
The hair tool holds water which needs topping up now and then, generally, the water lasts around 15 minutes, so if you have very long or very thick hair, you probably do need to top it up in the middle of styling. It’s very easy to use and it feels “safer” because it uses water. You use it just like a regular set of straighteners, except for adding water into a water chamber.
2.Steam Straightener vs. Regular Straightener
So now I’ve given you a brief introduction as to what the steam straightener is, it’s important to understand the differences as well as the similarities to regular straighteners:
- Steam straighteners work similarly to regular straighteners; you place dry hair in between two plates which are covered in ceramic bristles and gently pull the tool through your hair. The only difference is the plates have distinct bristles that act like a brush, rather than the flat plates on your regular straighteners.
- However, rather than heating ceramic, tourmaline, or titanium plates, steam straighteners use steam technology derived from the water in the chamber to deliver heat (which is safer for hair).
- You need to top the chamber up with water every 15 to 20 minutes (unlike traditional straighteners).
- It takes longer to straighten a full head of hair as you can only place a small amount of hair in between its plates at a time. Traditional hair straighteners are faster and can cope with more hair with each pass, especially if you buy wide-plate straighteners.
- The results are similar to a high-quality, traditional hair straightener and there are no “hot spots” on the plates, which I find often happens on traditional straighteners when parts of the ceramic plates start to wear away.
3.Does a Steam Straightener Damage Hair?
I’m sure I’ve got your attention now, so I suppose you want to know whether these new steam straighteners damage hair. Well, like any heated hair tool, used properly, they won’t damage your hair. However, you do need to take care of your hair and not just rely on your hair tool.
Use a low heat setting if you have dry, colored, or damaged hair. Don’t keep going over and over sections of hair, as this means you keep administering heat. Always use a good heat protecting spray as hair benefits from a barrier between high temperatures. Use straighteners gently, never overstuff the plates with hair, and always treat your hair to conditioning masks once a week, to combat dryness.
4.Steam Hair Straightener: Pros & Cons
I find steam straighteners to be far gentler on my hair, so I think that’s a big benefit, especially if your hair is prone to dryness or breakage. However, these new straighteners do take time to cover a whole head of hair, so if you’re in a hurry, the steam straightener isn’t the most convenient hair tool for your needs!
The filling up with water process is monotonous and if you have very long hair it adds to the time it takes to complete the task at hand. However, hopefully the manufacturers will create more advanced tools in the future that can hold larger amounts of water.
It is definitely worth mentioning that the result is smoother and shinier than regular straighteners, the biggest advantage of all! They are also very lightweight, which for me is a huge advantage as I can lug them around with me wherever I go!
5.How to Use a Steam Straightener
You’ve decided to buy your first steam straightener so of course, you want to know how to use it properly! Luckily, these tools are very easy to operate, here’s my bullet list of how to use a steam straightener for the best straight hair results:
- Wash your hair with a good quality shampoo and condition thoroughly.
- Towel dry hair, apply a serum or hair product suited to your hair type.
- Allow hair to dry naturally or speed it up with a blast of air from your hairdryer.
- Apply a heat protection spray to your hair.
- Split hair into sections (depending on how long your hair is, the number of sections will vary, and the thickness too).
- Fill your steam straightener up with the required amount of water and plugin, switch on.
- Allow the tool to heat to your desired temperature.
- Take the first section at the back and place the steam straightener over the section at the root. Gently pull the straightener through to the bottom, turn in or turn out depending on how you want your ends to fall.
- Complete the same process around the rest of your hair.
- Finish with a little serum or oil to add extra sheen!
- Put your steam straighteners away safely.
It’s as easy as that and not too many differences to traditional straighteners except for adding water.
NO.2 Flat Iron Contents
Straight hair is remarkably quick and easy to get using a flat iron styling tool in the comfort of your home. Ceramic flat irons are generally regarded as the best material that does the least amount of damage to your hair. Professional-grade ceramic irons produce negative ions and infrared heat that seal in moisture as you straighten your hair. By using the proper straightening technique and applying the appropriate hair treatments before and after straightening, you can keep your hair straight all day and protect your hair from heat damage.
What’s The Difference Between A Straightener And Flat Iron?
Though the terms ‘straightener’ and ‘flat iron’ are frequently used interchangeably, they refer to slightly different items. Straighteners include any device that straightens hair, including flat irons, straightening brushes, hot combs, and even blow dryers.
Flat irons use two plates to iron your hair straight. So whereas a flat iron is always a straightener, not all straighteners are flat irons.
Which Hair Straightener Is Right for Me?
Flat irons might be the most popular and best-known option for straightening your hair, but they’re not your only choice. Some other hair straighteners include:
Straightening brushes: Straightening brushes work a lot like blow dryers, blowing hot air on your hair. These brushes grab your hair, allowing you to gently blow it straight without pressing your hair between two scorching hot plates.
Blow dryers: The original straightening tool, blow dryers are an ideal choice for women with wavy hair. If your hair only has a slight bend, simply blowing it dry will be enough to straighten it. Curlier hair needs a more proactive approach, including the use of a brush to flatten the hair shaft whilst creating volume.
The Parlux 3800 Ceramic and Ionic Hair Dryer is an excellent choice for all hair types. It relies on negative ions to protect the hair from heat, producing luscious locks and glossy shine.
Rollers: Believe it or not, rollers don’t just create curls. They can also soften tight curls and add volume and smooth texture to fine, straight hair. Cold rollers, such as Velcro rollers, work in conjunction with a blow dryer or slowly add shape overnight.
Hot rollers, such as the Cloud Nine C9 The O Ultimate Set, heat up quickly. Simply roll your hair and then forget about it as you perform the rest of your beauty routine.
What’s Different About a Flat Iron?
Flat irons apply direct, even heat to your hair, making them more damaging than most other straighteners. However, the heat of a flat iron also makes it the most effective option.
And because you’re moving your hair through two polished, flat plates, a flat iron can add shine. When used in conjunction with thermal hair treatments, the right flat iron can even infuse your hair with healthy nutrients.
If you have very curly or coarse hair, need longer-lasting results, or want to add shine to your hair, a flat iron is probably your best bet. To minimize the damage to your flat iron, invest in a quality iron that heats evenly. We love the ghd V Gold Classic Professional Max Styler for its versatility and ease of use.
What About Chemical Straighteners?
Chemical hair-straightening treatments rely on the magic of chemistry to give you longer-lasting straightening. Salon treatments are the most effective option, offering several weeks of straight hair. These products often use harsh chemicals, so repeated use of salon-based relaxants can damage your hair.
A more affordable and less damaging option is an at-home keratin treatment. These products infuse the hair with keratin and other nutrients, reducing frizz. Keratin treatments won’t fully straighten your hair, but they do increase the life of each blowout and can mitigate frizz to make your flat iron more effective.
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