1. Consider spraying a heat protectant on your hair. While most hair straighteners will not damage hair, and may make it more healthy by sealing in moisture, many salon owners recommend this step, especially if perms and dyes have already caused stress or damage to hair.
2. Brush your hair thoroughly to remove tangles and bring hair into alignment. Then use clips to divide out a one to two inch vertical section of hair to be worked.
3. Beginning at the low end, take about a one inch vertical section, grasp it with the plates of the styling iron, and curl it around. Hold it for 5-10 seconds and then release. You’ll have to experiment with the time needed to produce a curl. Also, grasping less hair will produce tighter curls, more hair for more voluminous curls.
4. Work your way up toward the top of your head, if you are looking for all-over curls. Then move right or left to the next section, and repeat the process.
5. When finished, you have some choices. Either proceed to use hair spray to hold the look, or gently run your fingers or a wide tooth comb through it to loosen the curls before adding hair spray, depending on the look you are seeking.
6. Keep practicing with different techniques to achieve different looks, and you will soon be sporting beautifully sculpted tresses you thought only your professional salon stylist could create!

1. Leonardo Classic Ceramic Flat Iron: Made for thick or coarse hair, the Leonardo heats very quickly and gets the job done efficiently with the use of solid ceramic plates and an infusion of negative ions. A professionally used iron that delivers at home, too, producing healthy, silky, shiny hair that straight or sculpted the way you want it.

2. HAI Convertable Ceramic Flat Iron: This model safely delivers the higher temps required to work the kinks out of thicker hair, and does so by infusing health and eliminating damage. Water molecules are sealed into the locks with each use.

3. GHD Ceramic Hair Straighteners: These professional models boast ceramic and aluminum plates to go smoothly through any type of hair, and deliver safe heat required to smooth or sculpt even the thickest tresses. Negative ions calm the hair, assisting efficiency, so that the tool gets the work done more quickly.

4. Solia Tourmaline Ceramic Ion Flat Iron: This versatile tool works well on any type of hair, including thick or coarse types. The tourmaline ceramic plates heat to 450 degrees F combining with a negative ion flow that softens hair and reduces static fly-away. Autosense technology delivers balanced heating throughout.

5. Sedu Ionic Ceramic Pro Flat Iron: This is a professional styling iron that features ceramic tourmaline plates for efficient straightening of thick hair, creating silky smooth finishes every time. Good ergonomics and variable heat make it easy to get the look you want.

1. Farouk Chi Turbo Flat Iron: This beefy unit features 2-inch plates that make the work go more quickly, which any man will appreciate. While this unit can be used for curls and waves, getting it straight is the main name of the game. Negative ion therapy and heat-sealing of natural moisturizers make for healthier hair, too.

2. T3 Tourmaline Wet or Dry Iron: Men will appreciate the opportunity to skip a step, the blow dryer step, when they’re in a hurry. You can sculpt the look you want, straight, wavy, or full of curls, right from the shower gently towel drying hair first. Tourmaline ceramic plates heat quickly, too, so your hair routine may be reduced to half the time it used to take.

3. Revlon Perfect Heat Professional Straightener: Guys like values, and this affordable unit does the job at a fraction of the price of most styling irons. It provides 25 heat settings so you’ll never have to use more heat than needed, which is appreciated by men with thinning hair.

4. Enzo Milano Gio Professional Hair Straightener: Designed by a man, enjoyed by men all over the world. This pro-grade model seals in moisture for healthier, more attractive hair, and adds body that will keep its shape until your next shower.

5. Cortex Solo 450 Titanium Hair Straightener: Men enjoy well-equipped models, and this styling iron features robust components in an easy-to-use hair tool. It delivers plenty of heat to handle thick or coarse hair, while providing ionic therapy and locking in natural moisturizers.

1. Corioliss Classic Hair Straightener: A professional styling iron that uses solid ceramic plates that seal in hair’s natural hydration for healthier locks while infusing them with negative ions that relax the hair and reduce frizz. You’ll never have to “overdo” it with this quick-heating, adjustable and easy to use Classic.

2. Leonardo Classic Ceramic Flat Iron: Super smooth ceramic plates glide effortlessly through hair without pulling or damaging. Crystal ion technology further contributes to healthy hair.

3. Remington Wet 2 Straight Styling Iron: Any iron that eliminates the need for the blow dryer while sealing in moisture deserves consideration when you want healthy, damage-free tresses. It produces silky smooth hair with excellent hold.

4. HerStyler Ceramic Hair Straighteners: Solid line of models sporting ceramic plates and negative ion therapy for healthier hair. The variable heat settings insure just enough heat to do the job is used. Good ergonomic design is a bonus.

5. Cortex Solo 450 Titanium Hair Straightener: The negative ion flow reduces frizz and static, meaning you’ll never have to overwork your locks to get them straight, or curled, or waved, whatever you prefer. The Titanium plates deliver smooth performance that never pulls.

1. T3 Tourmaline Wet or Dry Iron: This product eliminates the need for the hot, damaging winds of the hair dryer. Get hair dry, seal in natural oils and moisture, and produce the look you want easily with this versatile iron that leaves hair healthier and better looking.

2. GHD Ceramic Hair Straighteners: A rounder barrel on this line of styling irons creates greater versatility, so that straightening hair is easy, and so is adding curls, flips, or waves. Auto-shut off, dual voltage, and instructional DVD with new units, make this styling iron that produces healthier hair a winner.

3. The Farouk Chi Turbo Flat Iron: Good versatility in a styling iron that delivers perfectly regulated heat with innovative microchip technology. The ceramic plates are gentle on hair, and lock in natural hydration, leaving tresses healthy and shiny, with a look that keeps its hold.

4. BaByliss PRO Nano Titanium Ceramic Ionic Iron: Titanium plates move smoothly through hair without pulling, while reducing static, calming hair, and sealing in natural moisture. Heats to 450 degrees F with digital control.

5. Enzo Milano Gio Professional Hair Straightener: Tourmaline infused ceramic plates deliver negative ions for static-free hair while sealing in the hair’s natural oils for healthier hair and a shinier head of locks. Ergonomic and lightweight.

6. FHI Heat Technique Ceramic Ion Styling Iron: Good value in an iron that does everything you need, from straightening to curling, with heats up to 410 degree F. A 360 degree swivel cord mean an end to tangles at any angle.

7. Instyler Rotating Hot Iron Hair Straightener: The heating cylinder rotates as it glides through hair, cutting straightening time in half. Four bristle sets work hair evenly for a perfectly tailored look.

8. CHI Ceramic Original Flat Iron: This unit has long been used in salons, and home users are achieving the same results. Straightening and sculpting a great look are easy to achieve with this classic styling iron.

9. Sedu Revolution Mini Shortie: Tourmaline ionic plates of solid ceramic work to keep hair hydrated by locking in moisture. The compact style makes it a great choice for home, around town, or travel.

10. Corioliss Profix Hair Straightener: Fast heating of the solid ceramic plates leads to quick and easy work with great versatility, from straight to curly. The swivel cord adds to the ease of reaching the hard to reach spots.

The HerStyler Ceramic Hair Straighteners feature adjustable temps from 240 degrees F to 410 F, so you have the ability to customize your styling approach to fine, coarse, ethnic, or perm-damaged hair in a way that actually leaves it healthier and shinier. You’ll love the ergonomic design of the handles that allows you to approach your locks from any angle without incurring hand and wrist fatigue. Use the brand found in professional salons everywhere, and achieve professional looks for $40 to $79.

Snob appeal is a marketing device that many fall for, believing the pricier products must be better. But in fact, sometimes the moderately priced choice delivers superior performance and value. The Leonardo Classic Ceramic Flat Iron proves the point. It’s a professional hairstyling iron used in salons wherever great looks are produced, yet comes at a price less than many inferior models. The solid ceramic heating elements deliver variable heat that is balanced throughout the plates, which also employ crystal ion technology to curb static electricity, calm the hair, and make for more efficient work with less heat. It goes from off to fully hot in just 2 seconds, with adjustable heating for the right approach to each type of hair. Coarse hair responds beautifully, as do naturally soft or thin locks. The ceramic plates are super smooth, and never pull or damage hair. They seal each strand to preserve nature’s inherent moisturizers found in hair, while producing silky, shiny, healthy hair with plenty of hold.

Gama has made the Leonardo Classic Ceramic Flat Iron with dual voltage, because they knew it would be a hit throughout the world, and they were right. This best selling Italian beauty will deliver salon performance and durability wherever it is used, and is very reasonably priced from $89 to $109.

The Corioliss Company has been making professional-grade hair styling tools since their inception. Now, they’ve created a pro-quality styling iron that is easy to use and perfect for the DIY stylist. The Corioliss Classic Hair Straightener features all the components their professional line offers, including ceramic plates that heat in seconds and deliver negative ions that relax hair, reducing static electricity, which makes for quicker straightening with less heat. The easily adjusted temperature control gives you 140 degrees up to 410 degrees of heat to achieve the look you want, given the type of hair you have. While it straightens hair with professional expertise, the Corioliss Classic Hair Straightener will also deliver a head full of curls, some tasteful waves in just the right spots, or a dramatic flip to make the statement you want.

The Corioliss Classic Hair Straightener helps strengthen hair health by locking in moisture and natural oils, creating robust, shiny locks that look great. It performs so well, you’ll be able to avoid getting a damaging perm – it will hold your hair the way you want it until you wash it and have a fresh tress-canvass to create your next coiffed masterpiece. This Classic has been used by professional stylists for years, and you’ll love the performance it gives you for $64 to $69.

Perhaps there are days you just wash your hair, towel dry it, give your head a shake and let nature takes its course. Other days, you want to create a customized hairstyle that isn’t quite what nature had in mind, but will give you the look you desire for an important business meeting, social gathering, or one to one with a significant someone. At those times, you need a professional hairstyling tool that will deliver uniform straightening or just the right touches of curl, wave or flip. The Corioliss Profix Hair Straightener will assist any home stylist in achieving the right look for the right moment. This unit heats up fast to make for efficient work, and rebounds to full heat quickly when in use. The solid ceramic tourmaline plates deliver balanced, even heating and a steady stream of static-reducing negative ions while sealing in your hair’s natural moisture. The heat sensors give you the control when using the perfect amount of heat for the type of hair you have.

The nine foot swivel cord on the Corioliss Profix Hair Straightener gives you the flexibility you need to reach every spot at just the right angle without creating annoying tangles that slow you down. When you want silky, shiny hair that holds its shape until the next wash, consider a styling iron that many professionals reach for every day. It’s available from $53 to $59.