ghd has a styler that's easy to love!

The ghd IV styler 1" - $280 ($240 US) -There are so many styler brands out there these days, and the good ones sure aren't cheap, that I don't know how anyone ever makes a decision about which one to buy!  I know how I make decisions, I surf the web, read other people's reviews and then hope my results will be as good as theirs!  So I hope this is helpful to anyone looking to score themselves a new styler.  I must admit, I was already predisposed to like this one as this is the brand that my hairdresser (the good one, not the most recent one that butchered my hair) used and my hair always looked amazing when she was done with it!

So here's what I really like about this one: 

- It's designed to curl as well as straighten your hair, I don't curl my hair but I sometimes like to add a flip to the bottom and this works perfectly for that.  

- It has a technology in it that can decide how porous your hair is and from that decides how much heat your hair needs and thus applies as well as maintains the optimum level of heat while styling, which is very important for fine hair like mine as it is so easy to fry your hair with one of these! 

- It also has a swivel cord which keeps the cord from getting all tangled - genius! 

- I found it heated up quick and maintained a constant temperature which made the straightening process so much quicker!

- The aluminum plates have a ceramic coating which helps close the hair cuticle and create shine.

It also has some important safety and functionality  features that most people don't think about much when buying a styler, but really should:  

- It has a sleep mode that will automatically shut it off if not used for 30 minutes. 

- The outer casting is made from Rynite, a fire retardant material ensures the outer casting does not get too hot when styling hair or handling the styler.

- A built-in micro-processor is embedded into one blade; this monitors and regulates the temperature on the blade five times a second.  If the temperature exceeds its maximum regulated temperature the thermal fuse will trip, resulting in the iron switching off.  This is a safety feature to prevent the iron from overheating. 

- It has a universal voltage feature which operates from110v to 230v by sensing the incoming voltage making it great for travelers. 

Of course even with the best styler, you still need the right technique to get good results and here is what ghd recommends for getting different looks with their styler:

Achieve straight, sleek locks

1.     After using ghd thermal protector before heat-styling, take your original styling iron and place a fine section of dry hair between the plates. Ensure that the iron is as close to the root as possible before closing the plates and gently move towards the tip of the section in one simple gliding motion.

2.     Repeat the process with each section of hair, gliding once from roots to ends.

Achieve stunning curls

1.     After lightly misting your hair with ghd thermal protector, section the hair and lightly mist with ghd creation spray.

2.     Place the ghd styling iron vertically 1 inch away from the root. Gently close the iron with minimum tension.

3.     Turn the iron clockwise by 90 degrees. Continue to turn the iron by another 90 degrees.

4.     For an intense curl, pull the iron very slowly away from the head in a continuous smooth movement.

5.     An s-shaped vertical curl is created. To complete the style repeat through all sections.

6.     Finally, separate and dress the curls with your hands.

Achieve seductive soft movement

1.     After lightly misting your hair with ghd thermal protector, section the hair, and lightly mist with ghd creation spray to add shine and hold when styling.

2.     Place the ghd styling iron vertically 1 inch away from the root. Gently close the iron with minimum tension.

3.     Turn the iron clockwise by 90 degrees.

4.     For a soft curl, pull the iron quickly through the hair away from the head in a continuous smooth movement.

5.     An s-shaped vertical curl is created. To complete the style repeat through all sections.

6.     Finally, separate and dress the curls with your hands creating soft and loose waves.

I would definitely recommend that you use a thermal protector spray before using any heated hair appliance especially if you have normal to fine hair.  I also tried the ghd thermal protector and it worked well, smelled nice and didn't leave my hair sticky.


What's really fun is their quarterly promotions which has the styler in a fun colour or pattern with a case and a couple of styling products.  This quarter it's called "Precious" and it really is!

It has a black and silver baroque design and it's $255 for the set.  Check out the ghd website here for this and their other stylers.  I noticed the other day that Sephora is also carrying ghd, so no excuses now!

- Lisamarie -