steam straightener
How healthy is a straightening iron with steam for the hair?
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Steam straightening irons should shape the hair with the help of steam and be gentle on the mane. How good is the tool really and which steam straightener is worth investing in?
Hair must be straightened when completely dry. Otherwise there is a risk of fatal hair damage. It’s a little different with a steam straightener. This is where the cool water comes into play. How can this work?
What is a steam straightener?
At first glance, you could mistake a steam straightener for a completely normal straightening iron. Two heating plates can be seen between which individual strands of hair are clamped. But there is also a somewhat more hidden one water tank on the device. This is filled with water, which is converted into steam when heated. If the heating plates are pressed together during styling, the water flows out of the straightening iron in the form of mist and envelops the individual strands of hair. While the flat iron is often referred to as the iron for the hair, the steam straightener could be the steamer.
How does a steam straightener work?
The use of a steam straightening iron is identical to that of a conventional straightening iron. When styling, individual strands of hair are placed between the heating plates and pulled through the heating plates as usual, or wrapped around the device for curls. The only difference: when you press the plates together, a gentle spray ejected, which hits the strand of hair exactly. You don’t have to be afraid of burns and other injuries. But regardless of whether you use a curling iron, straightening iron or steam straightening iron – caution is always required. If you think of spray mist and frizzy hair after a hike through the rain, you can rest assured: the hot water vapor has a different effect than the cool mist we know from nature. The explanation lies in physics.
- The particles that together den cool mist result are in the water state. They are not charged, so they can be easily adsorbed by hair. The moisture therefore remains on the surface of the hair and leads to small frizzy hairs when drying.
- hot steam affects the hair differently. Here the particles are in the gaseous state and are charged. Instead of being adsorbed, they are absorbed by the hair – i.e. absorbed. The moisture content in the hair is increased, the cuticle can relax and styling at low temperatures is possible.
Purchase criteria: How to find the perfect steam straightener
The disadvantage of the steam straightening iron: It is slightly more expensive than a straightening iron. The purchase should therefore be well considered. A good straightening iron with steam should have these properties:
- warm-up time: Time is of the essence, especially in the morning. You rarely feel like waiting until the straightening iron is ready for use. So make sure you have a short warm-up time. Good models need no more than 90 seconds to warm up.
- water tank: It gets particularly annoying when the water tank has to be refilled again and again during styling. So a good size is one that lasts for a complete styling session. The volume is at least 10 milliliters. Of course, this depends on the hair density and fullness.
- heating plates: Many hair straighteners have metal-coated heating plates. This is particularly the case with cheaper models. High-quality steam straighteners rely on ceramic plates because they enable even heat distribution and the hair is treated gently.
- Cable: A 360-degree rotating cable joint allows for easy styling. In addition, a cable length of around 1.5 to two meters is advisable. After all, the socket can always be further away than usual.
- temperature setting: The best styling temperature depends entirely on your hair. Therefore, your steam straightener should definitely have different temperature levels. This allows the heat to be tailored to the needs of your hair. Temperatures between 150 degrees and 220 degrees are highly recommended.
- automatic switch-off: An automatic switch-off offers security. We often have many different thoughts in our heads. It’s easy to forget to turn off the straightening iron. The automatic switch-off deactivates the device after about 30 to 60 minutes without use.
Comparison: Which steam straightener is the best?
SteamPod
Of the L’Oréal SteamPod is one of the most popular steam straighteners. It is so popular that there is now a third generation with the SteamPod 3.0. In comparison, the device from L’Oréal is the most expensive. A hair cream and a hair serum are also included, which provide your hair with important nutrients.
- Three temperature levels between 180 and 210 degrees Celsius
- Removable comb
- 360 degree rotating cable joint
- SteamPod care products ensure shiny results: smoothing cream and smoothing serum
Babyliss I-Pro 230
With a width of 38 millimeters, the heating plates of the Babyliss I-Pro 230 Perfect size for straightening hair or creating curls and beach waves. The titanium ceramic coating and retractable combs allow easy gliding and perfect straightening in just one pass.
- Titanium Ceramic Plates
- Retractable combs for perfect straightening
- Five temperature levels from 170 to 230 degrees Celsius
- Built-in shutdown technology
Remington Hydraluxe Pro
Whether it’s a hair dryer, straightening brush or curling iron – Remington impresses with all its hair styling tools. Since it is not surprising that the brand also has a steam straightener brought to market. The moisture-locking ceramic coating helps maintain the perfect moisture balance in your mane.
- Five temperature levels from 150 to 230 degrees Celsius
- Ceramic coated heating plates
- Warm-up time: 15 seconds
- Cable length: three meters
- Automatic switch-off after 60 minutes
- With pipette for easy filling of the water tank
For which hair types is the steam straightener suitable?
It doesn’t matter if you wavy, curly or straight hair have – the steam straightener is for any hair type suitable. After all, that’s the advantage of the device: it conjures up exactly the look you want. Do you have straight hair and want long-lasting curls? Then reach for the steam straightener. But the tool also serves its purpose the other way around. Thanks to the modern technology with steam, the straightening iron ensures that your styling up to three days stops.
Application: How to use a steam straightener?
- Provide your hair with a heat protectant before use.
- Dry your hair as usual.
- Fill the steam straightener with distilled water.
- Section the hair into sections and straighten it strand by strand, or curl it strand by strand.
Steam straighteners: These are the advantages
- Doesn’t damage the hair as much as a flat iron or curling iron
- Long-lasting styling results
- No static charging of the hair
- No moisture loss
- More shine
- Uncomplicated application
Conclusion: Are steam straighteners better than regular straighteners?
In general, hair does not like heat. Therefore, the safest styling method is one that has nothing to do with high temperatures. Such as letting your hair air dry, curling with socks, or curling overnight. But if you don’t want to do without it entirely, some styling tools are more suitable than others. The straightening brush, hot air brush and the steam straightening iron are certainly less harmful than straightening irons and curling irons. Therefore, the purchase of a steam straightener can by no means be wrong.