Iron It Out

My late, great friend

The new flat iron (no temperature dial)

Well, it finally happened. It's a sad, sad day. I knew this day would come, I just didn't think it would be so soon. My flat iron kicked the bucket. One of the ceramic plates is dangling by a thread.

I'm not going to lie, I tried shoving it back in there and tilting my head to the side, trying to keep the plate in to still use it, but it was feeble attempt at best. And pretty unsafe, I'm sure.

Let me note that I received my FHI Heat flat iron 6 years ago (it's had a long run) and it was life changing. I know that sounds a bit dramatic but with unruly, curly and sometimes frizzy hair, it was a godsend. Instead of having to try and rework my hair with a curling iron by pulling it through (and I'm sure ripping tons of it out in the process), to straighten it I could glide the ceramic plates easily over my hair. I was saving a ton of time and lots of hair!

Without the aid of a quality flat iron (sometimes even with one), the mere mention of humidity makes me look like Gene Wilder's stunt double. It's not a good look for anyone, trust me.

Being that I was attending several events for my sister's wedding, I needed to look semi-pulled-together. Crazy hair would not be appropriate. So I brought my "backup" straightener. Yes, I have a backup for just this type of predicament. However, I don't like it. Disclaimer- I did not buy this flat iron, it was given to me. It's also part FHI brand but not at all like my old one. I might as well not have brought it.

My old FHI flat iron had an on/off button and a dial to adjust the temperature. I would never go too high on the heat setting (as recommended) but sometimes for stubborn areas you need to dial it up a bit. However, the new FHI iron has an on/off button and that's it. Ok. So how I am supposed to know what the temperature is and if it will be enough? It says it has "auto sense control [that] automatically calibrates the heater based on hair texture." I'm skeptical.

Turns out whatever the iron maxes out at is not hot enough, at least for me. After several passes over a piece of hair it still doesn't look much different from when I started. Upon finishing I'm left with a semi-straight, puffy head of hair. There is no way it was going to hold up during the day (or to any moisture). Sadly, I was right. After just a few hours my curls were rearing their springy heads.

I LOVE FHI, don't get me wrong. I am absolutely going to purchase a new flat iron from them. But I would not recommend any flat iron (FHI or otherwise) that does not have some sort of adjustment for the temperature. Not everyone has the same type of hair, so of course the same heat level isn't going to work universally. If it's not broke, don't fix it....and if it is, stick with the tried and true!

**Note- almost all of FHI's irons have a heat range dial. http://www.fhiheat.com/