Straight Talk: Spring/Summer 2016 sees the return of the straightener, but not quite as we know it
Hair straighteners are hot again as super-smooth locks make a comeback. Sarah Young takes a look at the latest tools that take all the guilt out of heat styling
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Your support makes all the difference.Life before GHD’s; was there one? Whether you consider them a beauty staple or necessary evil hair straighteners have saved us all from flyaway frizz at some point and thankfully they’ve come a long way since the bulky, hair-scorching flat irons of the 90s. This is an era that has seen resurgence of late; think grunge, CK-worthy denim and our fanatic obsession with Pokémon Go but what about the beauty sphere? Amid “The Rachel”, crimping and a fascination with miniature butterfly clips the desire for poker-straight hair was a clear victor in the mane-stakes and with designers positively revelling in its revival some twenty-odd years later, hair straighteners are officially hot again.
On the runway, designers as varied as Gucci, Victoria Beckham and Alexander Wang opted for super-straight tresses with not a wave or curl in sight; wet, slightly messy or hanging effortlessly from root to tip, sleek hair is well and truly back on the agenda for spring/summer 2016 - but what about heat damage? We’re often warned of the harm associated with flat irons, and rightly so, but luckily for us today’s versions promise to care for our hair as we straighten taking all the guilt out of heat styling.
The way we style our hair was revolutionised by GHD back in 2001 with the launch of their very first styler and they have continued to influence the industry ever since. Their latest offering comes in the form of the GHD Platinum styler, a tool which uses GHD Tri-Zone technology to ensure an optimum temperature is consistently maintained across the entire plate from root to tip. The result? Increased shine and an impressive 50% less breakage. Available in black and white, this August also sees the launch of the brand’s annual GHD Pink Limited Edition collection in association with Breast Cancer Now; a product with all the same safer-for-hair qualities as the Platinum styler but with a sassy electric pink outer to boot.
The innovations don’t stop there though with an arsenal of beauty tools looking to polish and de-frizz your hair rather than iron the life out of it. Take Babyliss’ Diamond Heated Smoothing Brush for instance which uses taming bristles and diamond infused ceramic fins to straighten, smooth and boost shine while you brush; talk about time saving. So too, the L’Oreal Professionnel Steampod is quite unlike any other heat styling product we’ve come across. Using a continuous combination of steam and pro-keratin technology, this straightener helps to tame hair movement, leave it feeling silky smooth and protect against heat damage all at the same time. With a new generation of heat stylers on the market achieving lust-worthy, super-straight locks is now fuss-free and follicle friendly; full steam ahead.
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