melissasrn's Full Review: Chi Ceramic Flat Iron Turbo 2"
Even though straight hair has been the "in" thing for many years now, I've stubbornly fought this fad kicking and screaming every step of the way. My wavy hair has been shoulder length or longer for most of my adult life after perming the life out of it during the "big hair" 80s days. I can probably count on just one hand the very few times in my whole life that I've even attempted to straighten my hair. That is until I got a brand new chin length 'do two months ago. I actually purchased this Chi Ceramic Flat Iron Turbo 2" styling tool last fall on a whim and used it maybe once before my big transformation. Looking back, I truly can't remember exactly what inspired me to shell out a big chunk of change for something that I just might use every now and then but then again maybe not.
I've heard for years just how awesome Chi styling tools are from my hipper beauty friends, but I've never been able to justify spending well over $100 for a hair straightener! I've bought cheap ones in the past as a compromise yet learned very quickly that I was wasting both my time and money on such inferior products. I actually owned my Chi Ceramic Flat Iron Turbo 2" for a long time before even bothering to get it out of the box! I'm so ashamed now to even admit to such a thing. My teenage daughter broke it in for me while borrowing it a few times, but she now prefers her 1" Chi she received as a gift last Christmas instead. I turned 40 back in the spring, and reaching this surprisingly not so dreaded after all milestone has inspired me to finally update my look. For I'm far from dead and refuse to "let myself go" as many women with families and jobs often do. Read on to find out more about an impressive flat iron that's so worth every penny I paid for it!
~~~Background Info~~~
Although I literally spent years with my hair in a ponytail and rarely wore it down, I just couldn't bring myself to cut it all off either. For anytime I ever did something so drastic in the past, I always ended up regretting my decision to go short and would start the growing out process all over again. It was a cycle I now refuse to repeat! The long hair was somehow my security blanket despite the fact that I rarely felt like my outdated hairstyle was still flattering to my overall appearance as I was getting older. One day not long ago, however, I was suddenly "over it" and went to a new stylist as my old one had moved to another salon and didn't really listen anymore to what I really wanted anyway. So she'd cut and color it the same way every single time. Because I opted to leave the salon once with my hair still wet after getting it cut, my old stylist from then on assumed I preferred to pass on a blow dry and style and seemed eager to send me on my way. Although my new stylist has a laugh that's irritating as hell and never seems to shut up for more than a few seconds at a time, I must confess that she did an awesome job with my color, cut and style. So the bottom line is, she now rocks in my eyes! Plain and simple. After watching her straighten my new hair do and receiving numerous compliments from other people, especially my husband, I quickly decided that I needed to retire my trusty old curling iron and once and for all learn how to straighten my own locks. So out came this Chi Ceramic Flat Iron Turbo 2" and I'm actually loving my hair all over again! And that's not happened for a very long time.
~~~The Chi Hair Straightening Styling Tool~~~
I always assumed that straightening one's own hair, especially when it is naturally wavy like mine, would be a very time consuming process. Not necessarily so, I quickly learned! When my hair was longer, it just wasn't worth the time spent, but now that I have a much shorter style, I can manage to straighten my hair with this Chi Ceramic Flat Iron Turbo 2" in only 10 to 15 minutes. No joke! Here's what Farouk (the brand that makes Chi products) has to say about this particular model: "Now available with a stronger element for more durability. CHI Turbo Ceramic Hairstyling Iron provides Ceramic Technology for flash quick heating with the Far Infrared. New Easier grip with ergonomic design and with felt at the tip for easier hold. CHI Turbo Ceramic Hairstyling Iron also provides versatile heat setting to provide you with total control for all your hairstyling needs." Because this iron is 2 inches wide instead of the standard 1 inch, I can straighten more hair in half the time. Even though my hair is baby fine, I have tons of it, so I have to section it out to make sure all of it gets straightened. But since it only takes one pass of the flat iron to transform a wavy section of hair into a glossy, stick straight piece, I'm done in no time at all! Yes, I was super slow the first few times I tried out my new Chi, I've gradually gotten better and faster over time. My husband has always loved long hair, but all the encouragement I needed to keep up my new, straight look was for him to say "Wow! Look at my new younger looking wife!" just once. If that doesn't do it, then nothing will :-)
~~~Price & Availability~~~
As stated above, one of the main reasons I always balked at getting a Chi was the absurdly high price! Who pays $150 or more for a hair straightener? Not my frugal self. (I was too cheap for many years to even consider the idea.) Turns out, smart young and stylish women do! I remember seeing this Chi Ceramic Flat Iron Turbo 2" on sale at the advertised price of just $99 online at drugstore.com. Now I'm far from an expert on such things, but I recognized a great deal when I saw it! At first I wasn't so sure about getting the 2" size verses the more popular 1" model, but I finally went for it as I reasoned that it would be faster given my long, thick, and wavy textured hair. I got free shipping and didn't have to pay any sales tax, so I was happy with my decision to buy it at a "bargain" price. Only once it arrived, I just couldn't manage to find the time for it with my busy schedule. Who had time to straighten her hair when there was a full time job to attend to as well as a house to maintain and kids as well as a husband to shop for and clean up after? Not to mention the cats as well! Anyway, even though I wasn't using it myself, I did let my teenage daughter borrow my new Chi a few times but for some reason held back from actually letting her have it. Something told me to hang on to it and now I'm so thankful I did! For I almost feel like a new woman just by updating my hair do. So that's certainly worth $99 ten times over and then some. Although I can no longer find it online at drugstore.com, the current lowest price I've found so far is $82.99 at amazon.com. Not bad. Not bad at all.
~~~Product Experience~~~
All it took was to see the finished look just once after my new stylish straightened my hair at the salon as well as a few sincere compliments to motivate me to start using my new Chi Ceramic Flat Iron Turbo 2" on a regular basis. Since mid June, I've probably worn my hair wavy just once that I can remember. All it takes is a minute or two for my Chi to heat up. It has an "on/off" switch on the side as well as a temperature switch that can be set anywhere from 175 degrees all the way up to 376 degrees, depending on the texture of your hair. Thick and coarse hair generally requires the higher temps for adequate straightening while baby fine and/or color treated hair should be protected from excess damage by choosing the cooler settings. I probably use mine at a higher temp than I should, but it's super fast and my waves are instantly transformed into a soft and smooth chin length bob that's super straight and ultra shiny. According to product claims, this flat iron uses "moist ceramic heat with ceramic plates and coils. It locks in hair color and retards fading while sealing the cuticle. This Chi is a consumer friendly, felt heat protection providing iron with a sliding adjustable temperature control (can reach 80-180 C in only 6-10 seconds). This iron saves energy - CHI is only using 20-25 Watts of electricity." So invest a bit of money and your hair will reap the benefits. Trust me on this one!
Through trial and error, I've found the best straightening routine that works for me. After shampooing and conditioning my color treated hair with gentle products designed for my hair type, I first apply a straightening gel as well as a shine enhancing serum to protect my hair from the the high heat produced by this styling tool. After blow drying for a few minutes to make sure my locks are completely dry, I section out my hair in three horizontal sections and start with the bottom section first. Hair must be tangle free for best results. I start with the flat iron close to the roots and slowly but steadily drag the iron down each section to straighten while quickly flipping the ends under before releasing. To avoid excess damage, each section should only be straightened once. Once the bottom section is smooth and straightened, it's time to move on to the next upper section of hair. I have chunky highlights in front and more subtle ones in the back, and this iron actually accentuates the contrasting colors of brown and blonde that much better. So after many years of putting up with boring hair, I'm finally free and wearing my hair down again all thanks to my Chi!
~~~Overall Recommendation~~~
Not only is this Chi Ceramic Flat Iron Turbo 2" super fast and effective at straightening my hair, but it's also very attractive to look at and feels quite durable when using it. The red felt squares the cover the gold colored ceramic plates match the black handles very nicely. Although you can feel the heat during use after straightening each section of hair, my hands are protected from burning with the felt unlike when using a curling iron! Ouch. The long, 20 foot power cord rotates 360 degrees around during use, so there's no twisting to worry about. When the unit is turned on, a red light comes on and then starts blinking in mere seconds to let you know that the desired temperature has been reached and you are ready to go. Yes, the straightening technique is a learned skill, but once mastered I vow to never go back to my old hair style any time soon! I can straighten it on day one and my hair still looks decent on day 3 without having to wash or restyle it in between. I've received countless compliments on my new shorter, straighter, and sexier do....all thanks to my Chi Ceramic Flat Iron Turbo 2" straightening tool. It comes highly recommended and I give it five stars easily! Now all I can say is "What took me so long?"
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