How straight is your hair? Can a straightening person advise me pls?

[HmmmIwonder]

I dont really mean how straight is your hair! Dd wants hair stners for her birthday, I've got some bog standard Boots £10 ones that I use occasionally and they do the job for me. But i'm bewildered by the different kinds in the shops and can't understand why some cost an arm and a leg, some just an arm :) I don't know where to start, please can someone help? SHe just wants straight ends, hair is mid length, she doesn't use them every day (lazy like her mother I guess) - err, what other contributing factors are there..?!!

[JamieAgain]

I've got some Babyliss ones that are really good, and my hair is very "strong", so i've had ones that haven't worked as well. They are the ones that sit on a sort of a round stand to get hot (electric, not cordless, gas ones). The width of the paddles or whatever they are called is a consideration. I'd say go for about an inch wide as they are easier to manage than wider ones (which are for longer hair). Reviews on Amazon said it was as good as the GHD straightener, which are meant to be the best, but v expensive

[Insomnia11]

Most are good these days. I've got Morphy Richards which are just as good as my friends' GHDs I've borrowed.

[HmmmIwonder]

Thanks. I've just looked on amazon and ghd prices SCARE me, there's no way i'm getting those! There are about 10 different Babyliss ones - how do I know which one to get? What's the difference between them and how do I find out what she needs? Or rather "needs" :)

[chocolateteabag]

Depends how much you want to spend really. Decide how much you want to pay and then look for features like:

Automatic cut off (for when she forgets to turn them off!)
Inch thick should be easier to manage
Ceramic Plates supposed to be better)

You are (supposedly) paying more for quicker heat up and temperature control at high temps.
Just make sure that they are a reputable brand from a reputable shop - there is a massive market in vv realistic fake GHDs. A cheap Babyliss one will maybe not work so well but it won't electrocute you or overheat and melt your hair like a fake GHD could! (Yes I've been watching the BBC)

Having said that I have a £120 pair of straighteners - heat up super quick and have a variable heat setting. They've lasted for 3 years now and still going strong so I'm guessing worth the investment.

Gah - so not much help! Will your DD mind if they are £30 ones and not GHD's? Is she into labels or does she just want the tool? does she have friends over alot and so GHD;s will be something to show off? The "name" maybe more important in the actual gift?

[HmmmIwonder]

thanks chocolateteabag & everyone, lots of helpful info there. some of her friends have ghds but i dont think she's as bothered as all that. i must be either very cheap, very poor or very out of touch because spending £30 seems like a big spend to me, for a not-main birthday present, iykwim !

[aquavit]

yy, make sure you get ceramic ones, they get hotter and so do a better job. Agree that narrower ones are easier to manage. The packaging should tell you how hot they get: you are looking for at least 180, ideally 200 degrees I think (iirc from my own!).