What A Hottie!!
Written: Aug 28 '02 (Updated Aug 28 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Firm curls that last, inexpensive, durable, 60 second heat-up, lots of temp settings.
Cons: Safety stand has a mind of its own.
The Bottom Line: Easy to use; heats up in a flash; makes super firm, shiny curls that last; inexpensive. What's not to like?
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| kiminnc's Full Review: Conair Cd81xcs Instant Heat 3/4 " Curling Iron |
Have you ever wanted to have a perm – for just one night? With the Conair Instant Heat 3/4 Curling Iron Model CD81XCS this is now possible. If the goal of a curling iron is to curl hair, then this Conair product is living up to its promise!
Why I bought this iron: I have long, thick, wavy/curly hair. So you’re probably wondering why I even NEED a curling iron, right? Well, nature isn’t perfect and my natural curls never seem to curl in the desired direction or in the uniform pattern I desire. So even though I have curly/wavy hair, I TOO must slave away on my hairstyle every morning. Normally, I use my 1-½ inch iron (also Conair), for a softer curl, but occasionally I want that extra curly look. That’s when I pull out my Conair Instant Heat 3/4 Inch Curling Iron.
I purchased this iron about 3 years ago when my NINE-year-old Conair iron broke down. I purchased my new iron at a local discount store for about $12. Conair products usually last a long time for me, so I only concerned myself with their curling irons. I was attracted to this model because it had the 60-second heat up feature.
Style of iron and how it works: The Conair Instant Heat ¾ inch Curling Iron has an attractive and professional appearance. It has a temperature dial just above the handle that allows the user to select 1-20 (“one” being the lowest temp and “twenty” being the highest) of the available temperatures. To select the desired temperature, simple twist the dial to the corresponding number. My hair is very coarse, so I prefer one of the higher temperatures (18-20), but if your hair is fine, I would go with a much lower temperature setting. When the iron is hot and ready to use, the indicator light quits flashing and holds steady. I almost always forget to turn on my curling iron and have to wait for 5-10 minutes for it to heat up, but with this curling iron – no problem! This iron DOES heat up in 60 seconds!! I love that! This iron gets VERY hot and would probably burn fine hair on its higher settings. One of the great things about this iron is that you only need to hold the secured curl for a couple of seconds. I think that any longer than that, on the higher settings, would probably cause some hair damage.
The one “con” to this curling iron is the safety stand. It tends to want to collapse when setting the iron on the counter, and remains in the “standing” mode when you want to curl. For me this is only a minor annoyance because even when the safety stand collapses when set down, there are no heated areas touching the counter. The stand doesn’t really get in the way when I am curling my hair, so – Big Deal!
The Conair Instant Heat Curling Iron shuts off automatically after use. This is a “must have” feature for me because I’m not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed in the morning hours and have forgotten to turn off my curling iron NUMEROUS times. I’m not sure exactly how long before the curling iron automatically turns off, but even with a very full head of hair, I’ve never had it shut off while I was still styling. Another nice feature in this curling iron is the tangle free chord. Is there anything more annoying than having one of those cords that twists itself into a knot and requires continual maintenance? The handle of this iron is comfortable and easy to hold. Conair calls it their “patented Euro Design, non-slip grip handle”. Whatever… it works just fine. I guess those Europeans just have better ideas about grip than us goofy Americans!
Styling possibilities and results: If you have longer hair, like mine, this iron is perfect for getting that un-brushed, corkscrew curl look! This iron makes SERIOUS curls – I’m talking perfect. The reason for these perfectly formed curls may be because the levered “holder thingy” very firmly grips the hair to the ¾ inch chrome barrel and is able to keep stray hairs from slipping out. Even my old Conair iron wasn’t able to reign in those errant tresses. I know that a heated, metal instrument shouldn’t have anything to do with hair texture, but my curls look shiny, managed, and generally well coiffed after using this curling iron. I also (shhhhh) color my hair, but haven’t experienced any damage from this curling iron. I would think that people with short styles that resist curl would like this curling iron too because it is so effective in creating firm curls that last. The morning after curling my hair, with an entire night of “pillow damage” -- I still have TONS of curl!! This iron is also great for making those little accent curls around your neck and face when you want to wear your hair up in a knot. My daughter has very thick, stick-straight hair. When she wanted a curlier look for a dance I popped out my Conair Instant Heat ¾ iron, curled her up, and VOILA! She’s a curly top! And I want to add that her hair, also, was still very curly the next morning. The only problem with curls produced with this curling iron is that they are SO firm they don’t brush out well and can be a little frizzy looking on longer hairstyles. I am imagining that this wouldn’t be a real problem for short styles or for those with a finer-textured head of hair. Personally, I only use this iron for the un-brushed look.
Durability: If I can't kill it, then no one can. I don't think I own a hair styling appliance that hasn't been dropped a thousand times! It's durable!
I highly recommend the Conair Instant Heat 3/4 Curling Iron Model CD81XCS!! It’s inexpensive, professional looking, effective, adaptable to many different hair types, and darn it – I’m just curly all over! Oh yeah, I forget to mention that this product has a two-year warranty to boot.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
kiminnc
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Location: North Carolina
Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Too much of a good thing is wonderful!---Mae West
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