I'm Not Straight- What Can I Do to Change???

First suggested by my hairdresser Billy, the Chi Flat Iron has been the key to straightening out my curly locks. Being lazy with my hair, I was frustrated with blow-drying my hair straight, but not quite ready to give up my curls for good with chemicals. The Chi Flat Iron is a time saver that works well- what more can I ask for?

The Chi Flat Iron is a plug and play beauty accessory. It plugs in and one on/off switch is all you need. And when I say it saves time, it’s not like the 5-minute pre-heat time like my oven. Within 90 seconds the LED indicating that it’s on starts to flash that it’s ready. It only takes about 15 minutes to cool down, which is good for me, as I travel frequently, and it's compact, so it doesn't take up as much room as a blow dryer in my suitcase! Don't forget to turn it off though- I once left it on for several hours, only to come back and find it was still piping hot-oops!

The two ceramic-coated paddles glide over my hair and leave it feeling smooth- and hot! Use a brush to smooth hair out. Almost as quickly as you would brush your hair, you can pull the flat iron through your hair. You can use the flat iron to curl your hair too, if you just turn the iron as you pull your hair through.

For best results, you will want to make sure that a thermal protector product is used- most hair gels or leave-in conditioners will do the job. If you are in doubt, you should check with you hair care professional as to what products would be best for your hair. I use Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny hair serum and Bumble and Bumble’s Be Straight- they work fine for me.

You will also want to make sure that your hair is dry before using- so a quick blow dry will be necessary if you can’t wait for your hair to air dry. Sometimes, if the hair products being used aren’t completely dry in your hair also, you will hear a slight sizzle and that’s okay- it’s not the sound of your hair being completely fried.

To straighten your hair as quickly and straight as possible, you will want to take your time- even though I said that the Chi Flat Iron is a time saver- the more time you take, the better the results (and it’s still faster than flat out – pardon the pun- blow drying). The smaller amount of hair you straighten at once, the quicker the heat will penetrate the strands.

My hair is fairly thick and a few inches below my shoulders, but with the Chi it still only takes me about 15 minutes to straighten my hair. Sometimes I will blow dry my hair for a fuller look and then use the flat iron to smooth out frizzies and flyaways. My sister, on the other hand, has thicker and curlier hair than I and likes it pin straight. Chi gets the job done- her hair looks straight and fine- I know, we all want the look we aren't born with- must be human nature- but at least the Chi is willing to help out!

The Chi Flat Iron will run between $100 and $120. See if your hairdresser will sell you one at cost, it might be a little less. If not, I would recommend checking out Trade Secret, a beauty supply-type store at most shopping malls. They usually have 20% off coupons you can get at the store, which adds up to be a pretty decent savings.

There are other flat irons on the market, ranging anywhere from $20 to $120, some quite a bit less than the Chi. They also won’t get as hot, or heat up as quickly, and they won’t have the best quality ceramic covering the heated paddles, which is what protects your hair. It’s still a lot less than chemically straightening your hair and it’s a lot faster than blow-drying your hair straight.


Whoever said beauty wasn’t painful (or expensive)? I’m not sure, but the Chi Flat Iron does help make it less painful than pulling a brush through my hair, holding it in one position while I wait for the hot air to slowly do the trick. So don’t worry, if you weren’t born straight, Chi can help you get there (and we’re only talking about your hair here folks). Have fun!