Finding the best flat iron for your hair is important, both for your style and for the health of your hair! You’ll want to consider your personal preferences, ease of use, and your hair type to find the best hair straightener for you.
Before considering brands, you’ll need to decide if you want a titanium or ceramic flat iron. Read about the main differences in ceramic vs titanium to figure out the better choice.
(And, of course, make sure to always do your part to keep your hair healthy and protected from the heat!) Follow these tips to find the flat iron that will be best for you.
Flat Iron Safety for Hair
Before getting into titanium vs. ceramic flat irons, let’s first talk about heat safety. Any time you are using high heat on your hair, you’ll need to follow some safe practices to prevent hair damage.
First, before straightening your hair, apply a heat protectant. This can come in the form of a spray, cream, or conditioner. A great choice is Olaplex’s heat protectant, which will protect hair against up to 450 degrees, while also giving you shiny hair and reducing tangles and static.
Make sure your hair is fully dry before straightening. If you need to blow dry your hair first, make sure that you’ve applied your heat protectant beforehand. Then, you’re ready to start straightening.
You won’t need to put your flat iron on the highest heat setting for the best results. In fact, using too high of heat can burn or damage your hair.
But this all depends on your hair type, too. If you have fine to medium hair, definitely stay away from the higher temperatures — start on the lower end around 250 to 300 degrees.
For curly hair, thick hair or coarse hair, stay in the 350 to 450 degree range. And if you have colored hair, it’s best to limit heat to no more than two to three times a week.
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Titanium vs. Ceramic Differences
The first main difference between these two types of flat irons is the material and how fast they heat up. A titanium flat iron can heat up very quickly and can be ready to use almost immediately. A ceramic flat iron, on the other hand, will take longer to heat up.
The next difference is how these two flat irons heat the hair itself. Titanium tools heat the surface of the hair shaft, while ceramic irons heat hair from the inside out. In this case, ceramic flat irons are generally more gentle on the hair.
What Type of Style and Hair Type Works Best With Which One?
If you have thin, fine, or damaged hair, a ceramic flat iron will be better for your hair since it’s more gentle. It may take more passes to fully straighten your hair, but it is overall less damaging.
On the other hand, if your hair is thick or coarse go with a titanium flat iron. A titanium flat iron will help stubborn hair to straighten faster and with fewer passes.
Titanium Pros and Cons
Let’s take a look at titanium hair straighteners first. Titanium straighteners heat up quickly and maintain their temperature. The material is also durable and long lasting, making them a good investment. They work well for thick, coarse, and natural hair that may be resistant to straightening.
However, there are some drawbacks to using a titanium flat iron. First, these flat irons tend to be more expensive and heavier than a ceramic flat iron. They can also be too hot and damaging to fine and thin hair.
6 Best Titanium Flat Irons
If a titanium flat iron sounds like a good choice for you and your hair type, here are some to consider.
1. Kristin Ess 3-in-1 Titanium Flat Iron
Titanium plates delivers heat faster. Digital display + 4 temperature pre-sets allow you to customize the temperature to your hair type and texture.
This flat iron will easily straighten your hair while also going a step further. It uses negative ion technology to help you hair combat frizz and is a pretty lightweight tool. Being that this flat iron has wider plates, it’s easier to straighten larger sections of hair at a time. This means less passes and less heat on your hair, making this flat iron a great choice.
2. Drybar Reserve Dual-Plate Styling Iron
Drybar’s flat iron is a great option if you deal with frizzy hair. The straightener glids through your hair, leaving it feeling sleek and smooth. It has smaller plates so you’ll have to work in small sections, but the style you’ll be left with will be very rewarding!
3. Tymo Ring Plus
If you have natural hair, this is the flat iron for you! It will straighten your hair in one pass. The interior has comb-like teeth that help to straighten and untangle your hair. An added bonus to this flat iron is that it comes with hairpins, gloves, a travel bag, detangling brush, and a straightening comb.
4. BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Dual Ionic Flat Iron
This flat iron will give you the smoothest hair and keep everythig frizz free due to its natural ions and titanium plates. It has instant heat up to 450 degrees and fast heat recovery. It’s also lightweight, which makes styling even easier.
5. CROC Nano Titanium Flat Iron
This salon style flat iron is perfect for a luxury experience. Its titanium plates will stop frizz and give your hair a soft and smooth appearance. It’s lightweight and easy to use. It even has a ventitaliton system that helps to release excess heat, making it also one of the safest choices.
6. Conair Infiniti Pro Rainbow Titanium Flat Iron
This flat iron has 1 inch extra long, floating titanium plates for better contact and faster styling. Ceramic and titanium technology protects against heat damage and controls frizz
This titanium flat iron won’t break the bank! The extra long and wide rainbow plates effortlessly glide over the hair to give it a smooth and silky look. You’ll also love that it heats up in 15 seconds and has 30 heat settings. It also heats up to 455 degrees.
Ceramic Pros and Cons
Ceramic flat irons are budget friendly and gentle on all hair types. Since they are lightweight, they’re easy to use. Ceramic hair straighteners also produce negative ions, which can reduce frizz and lock in moisture.
There are some cons to ceramic straighteners. They don’t heat up as fast as titanium flat irons and may need to be reheated throughout the straightening process. If you have thicker or coarse hair, a ceramic flat iron may not produce enough heat to straightener your hair. And lastly, ceramic flat irons may wear out over time as they aren’t as durable as titanium flat irons.
6 Best Ceramic Flat Irons
If you want to go with a ceramic flat iron, here are some that you should consider.
1. Chi Lava 4D Hairstyling Iron
This iron heats up fairly quickly and will straighten hair in one pass. The ceramic plates are coated with mineral lava to help calm frizz. The smooth plates will easily glide through your hair, leaving you with perfectly straightened hair!
2. T3 Smooth ID Smart Straightening and Styling Iron
If you have fine hair, this ceramic straighten will be your best choice. Its advanced technology will determine the best heat setting for your hair type and length to prevent any heat damage. With longer plates and heat precision, you’ll only need one pass to straighten your hair. It’s also made with CeraGloss coated plates to give your hair shine and reduce frizz.
3. Hot Tools Pro Signature SteamStyler
- 30% LESS HEAT*: Steam gently wraps hair for quick styling, long-lasting hold, and shiny styles
- STEAM OPTIONAL: 3 settings (off, low, high); water reservoir lasts 1-3 styling sessions**
- FOR ALL HAIR TYPES: 6 heat settings reaching up to 450˚ Fahrenheit
- STYLE ON-THE-GO: Designed with dual voltage for travel
A huge perk to this flat iron is that is relies on steam to straighten hair, meaning it uses less heat. This makes this straightener great for fine hair especially, or anyone that wants to limit the amount of heat they use on their hair. The plates will easily glide through your hair without tugging or pulling as well.
4. Conair Infiniti Pro
A great flat iron for those on a budget, the Conair Infiniti Pro works wonders. It won’t take long for your hair to be straight, smooth, and frizz free. It only takes 15 seconds to heat up and has 30 heat settings to make styling easy.
5. Remington Shine Therapy Argan Oil and Keratin 2” Flat Iron
The wide plates on this flat iron will allow you to cover more hair in a single pass. The plates are also infused with Argan oil and Keratin to condition your hair as you style it. This leads to even shinier and smoother hair. Along with all these great perks, it’s also relatively affordable!
6. GHD Original Styler
You’ll have sleek and smooth hair with this ceramic flat iron. It heats up in 30 seconds and has a fixed temperature setting of 365 degrees. It’s a great overall straightener to have!
Having the right flat iron for your hair type is very important for achieving your desired style. So grab your heat protectant, heat up your titanium or ceramic flat iron, and get smooth, silky, and straight hair!
I’ve got more tips for preventing hair damage, choosing the right curling iron size, and finding a flat iron for fine hair.
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