I have fine, wavy hair that I straighten. It looks awful worn wavy so I used to use a blow dryer and round brush to straighten it daily. When my hair was longer, that worked just fine. I recently got it chopped off however into a chin length, flippy layered cut (think Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama). It suddenly became nearly impossible to get as straight as needed for that style. I broke down and bought a Chi.
I first learned of the Chi over a year ago when I saw someone I knew who usually has super curly hair. On this humid, rainy summer day, I didn't recognize her from behind because her hair was so straight. She told me her secret and that I needed one. I still resisted. I finally broke down after my hair stylist used hers on my hair following my recent haircut. I had one ordered within a day. Now, I can't imagine living without it!
What makes the Chi special?
I've used the traditional metal straightening irons before. I've even used a cheaper ceramic model but I've never been able to get a silky, smooth soft look until the Chi. The Chi is a ceramic iron. A ceramic iron is considered to be better for the hair than metal. It heats up more evenly and avoids the really hot spots that can be found in metal irons. Ceramic also adds a shine and silkiness to even the most dry hair that metal irons just don't.
The Chi Iron
The Chi is a 1 inch ceramic iron, compared to the bigger versions of the past. The 1 inch size allows you to get closer to the root and is much easier to work with than the bigger models. In addition, the sides are slightly curved to allow you to flip your hair out or under.
It heats up in less than 10 seconds after flipping it on. The Chi gets very hot and can usually get hair straight with one to two swipes of the iron. A lot of the cheaper models don't get quite this hot. It takes under 10 minutes for me to completely straighten my chin length hair. Compare that to the more than 20 minutes it takes to straighten it with a blow dryer and round brush.
I've never seen a flat iron get my hair so straight so quickly. But the biggest difference in the Chi versus other straightening methods is how long the straight stays in. Once it's straightened, it's straight until I wash it again, even in rain, heat, humidity, and other conditions that usually mean the death of my straightened hair. It's almost surprising to see my hair so straight! I got caught out in the rain the other day after an appointment. Usually that is the death of my straightened hair but when I got back into my office, even I was surprised to see it still straight. In addition to being straight, it feels super soft and silky and is nice and shiny. I seriously have no more bad hair days when I use this thing. Curly/wavy haired ladies will understand why I'm in awe of this because if the weather isn't just perfect, we have a bad hair day!
I have tried one of the cheaper models, the Jilbere. My hair is fine and only wavy but I've got a lot of it. It's not particularly difficult to get straight. The Jilbere is shaped similarly to the Chi but different in that it has an adjustable temperature control, with the theory being that you used the lowest temperature control possible to get your hair straight. But even at the highest temp with the Jilbere, I wasn't able to get my hair silky straight, and the ends looked ragged and dull. I was leery of getting the Chi after being so unhappy with this one. It does work for a lot of people though, so you may want to take a chance with this cheaper model (about $40 at Sally's Beauty Supply or Ulta but check return policies).
Another difference I noted with the Chi versus the Jilbere and even metal irons was the ease in which the iron glides through the air. The Chi slides right on down the hair. With the Jilbere and metal irons, it was harder to quickly press through the length of the hair. It was much rougher. With an iron, you have to keep it moving quickly to avoid burning a spot of the hair. It's much easier to do this with the Chi than any of the others I've used.
There is a new Chi Turbo version that has temperature controls. I haven't tested it or heard much about it yet. The regular Chi works perfectly fine for me!
Protecting the Hair from Damage
With applying this amount of heat, your hair is going to take a beating. In about 2 months of using the Chi, 3-4 times a week I haven't noticed additional damage. That's probably because I can't imagine the Chi being much worse than the blow drying I did before. But to prevent as much damage as possible, I don't use the blow dryer before Chi-ing. I usually just wash my hair at night and let it dry naturally. Then I Chi it in the morning. It is amazing that it can take my hair from it's natural, wavy state into sleek and smooth in such a short amount of time.
I also use a heat protectant which is a MUST when using any type of flat iron. I've been using Biosilk Silk Therapy. It's made by Farouk, the same company that manufactures the Chi, so a lot of these products work well together. Biosilk is about $10 for a small bottle but you need only a tiny amount. A lot of different companies right now are making heat protectant products, and I plan to try a few more. My hair is fine so I have to watch with Biosilk as it can weigh it down and make it greasy. It does do its job to protect.
I also use a deep conditioner a couple times a week.
Update: I just got my hair done tonight (9/9). I've used this 3-4 times a week now for about 10 weeks and my hair stylist said that my hair wasn't damaged. At least not any more damaged than it was from straightening with a blow dryer and round brush.
Price and Purchasing
Shop around. My salon sells the Chi for around $160. I've heard it's now available at Trade Secret and Ulta for about $120. I purchased mine on eBay for around $115, including shipping. It's WELL worth the investment. I hated to pay that much at first but if something happened to this one, I'd buy another in a heartbeat!
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