Friday, April 15, 2016

Review: TRESemme Keratin Smooth Control 230 Hair Straighteners


Frizz fighter


I have been using hair straighteners now probably since they were first properly launched when I was around 13. I started off with the old Babyliss steam ones, I had a portable gas pair and eventually invested in my first GHDs when I was 18 and never looked back. I am now 31 and those trusted GHDs lasted me all these years with just one fix in the middle!

When my GHDs finally went to the big salon in the sky this year, I found myself in the position (skint) of having to look for a much cheaper pair. Instead of forking out nearer £100 for some new GHDs, I instead set myself a budget of around £30.

I had tried a few cheaper pairs in my lifetime but they had been truly shocking. Surely things had changed?

I should probably mention at this point my hair type - it's the worst kind really, thick, long, super frizzy, curly but not in a good way and very dry and damaged from years of dye and heated appliances.

I began to research my options and found that the reviews for the Tresemme straighteners seemed perfect for my needs. The main thing I read in many reviews is that they were equally as good as and in some cases people stated they were even BETTER than GHDs. They had to be worth a try.
I had some vouchers left from Christmas, so purchased these from Argos straight away. I couldn't wait to get started! These were on offer at the time for around £40, so still a long way off the cost of my old GHDs by about two thirds.

Details


  • Variable temperature so you can adapt this to your specific hair needs for ultimate control.
  • 3 temperature settings.
  • Maximum temperature 230°C.
  • 15 second heat-up time.
  • Ultra-fast heat recovery.
  • Heat ready indicator.
  • Ceramic plates.
  • Width of plates 24mm, length of plates 90mm.
  • 3m swivel cord.
  • Automatic safety shut-off after 60 minutes.
  • Manufacturer's 5 year guarantee.

Unboxing



When I first opened these I thought they felt really good quality, though a little lighter weight and a possibly a little flimsier than GHDs they were pretty similar in looks, especially the hot plates which are the most important part. The set came with a protection spray and storage case that acts as a heat proof mat and means they can be packed away straight after use, without melting the cable or burning anything it touches. I wish I had one of these before! These straighteners have a really long cord and also a handy switch to change the temperature.

The verdict?


I am so pleasently surprised at how good these are and I would definitely not spend all that extra money on GHDs. I do think my GHDs were maybe slightly better but only from a speed point of view, I think straight and shine wise these give a much nicer finish and seem to keep my hair in much better condition too. These heat up really quickly, they are very easy to use from the off and one little thing I have noticed is that I burn myself far less with these which I think is something to do with the flatter plates - always a good thing!

Check out my shiny straight hair!

The long cable means I can use them in any room and still sit comfortably or reach a mirror. I usually use these on full heat (230) and find I can style my hair pretty quickly including curls if need be by curling as you would a ribbon.

If you are wanting a cheap pair of straighteners that will straighten difficult frizzy hair, then I would really recomend these to anyone, they are great and in my honest opinion I think they are almost as good as GHDs and I prefer the finish on my hair, its softer and less harsh. If you can get the set with the spray and travel case too then they are well worth having.

One of my favourite things about these, though luckily I haven't needed to test it, is that they automatically turn off after a while so if you are terrible for forgetting to unplug them (aren't we all?) then that's a little bit of peace of mind.

It's always worth shopping around for the best price, which at the time of writing this review is over at Amazon and you can read all about it via the affiliate link below. These get the biggest thumbs up from me! 





Are they better than GHDS? No. Are they as good as? Pretty much. Would I buy these again over GHDS? Yes.