with a hot iron straightener. DD wants a new one, and they really run the gammit (sp?) of prices......

Her hair is very thick and semi wavy.....she wants it poker straight.

Suggestions??? Also, what to put ON your hair before you straighten it???

__________________
Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

I have thick, coarse hair, with lots of body (not to mention frizzy!) I have owned several straighteners. I have paid from 150 dollars to 15 dollars for 'em. My favorite (my oldest DD's too!) is a cheaper model. It is by Remington, it's a wet2straight. It spooked me the first time I used it because of the steam, but my hair stays perfectly straight with it. It dries and straightens at the same time, but you can use it on dry hair. DD and I both use Intense Damage Therapy Heat Shield Styling Spray by Dove. HTH

__________________
Nicole

I've gone through every brand of straightener and nothing has worked as well has my GHD. A little pricey, yes but very much worth the money!

__________________
Shauna

My hair is semi curly. I use an Aveda Moisterizing Shampoo & Conditioner and then I use Aveda Stick Straight (the only product that has worked without giving me frizz). I use an ionic flat iron. Not sure what brand. I got it at Sally's for around $50. I tried a few under $30 from Target and none of them worked. I have heard good things about the new steam one since it doesn't dry your hair out as much but I haven't tried it.

__________________
Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

My DD uses a straightener almost daily. Although we've tried professional, more expensive ones, Hot Tools 2" ceramic straightener ($25-$30) works best for her. I've gotten them at drug stores and on ebay too.

My hair is coarse and wavy/frizzy too. I just have a cheap one I think I got for $20 at Rite Aid. . .it's ok. I have a friend who's hair is curlier than mine and she swears by that Remington wet2straight. . . .enough that I'm thinking I need to get one. When she straightens her hair it is stick straight and very smooth. . .you would never guess how curly her hair is. I would say go with that.

__________________
"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

I have to agree with the Wet2straight by Remington. I had a $200 Chi and I did not like it at all. My hair is thick and frizzy. The Wet2straight is the only one I have found that works on my thick and frizzy hair.

My hair is also thick, coarse and wavy and very frizzy. I have used several different straighteners but would also vote for the Remington wet/dry. I love it. Because it's not as wide as some, it's a little easier to use.

I use Pantene smoothing shampoo and conditioner.

I've got the Andis from walmart that I've had for years. It's $20-30, and works wonderfully. I have extremely thick hair (average amount of 3 normal people) that is also very wavy.

I straighten mine every day with a Farouk Chi. Get her a Chi they are the best you have to go to a salon for an authentic one or to folica.com. Sally's doesn't have them don't get the copy. JCPenney Salon has specials on them all the time and be sure to get a case for it so she doesn't burn the countertop.
Don't use the ones for wet hair and my sister the hairdresser says to stick to one inch. Ideally you'd want to straighten your hair one strand at a time so the less the better.
I use John Freida FrizzEase Heat Serum or something like that I can't remember the exact name.

__________________
The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I don't know anything about any of them - I'm interested in this thread, though.

Regarding the Wet2straight - if you are heating up wet hair, is that way more damaging than using heat to style dry hair? Or is that just an old wives' tale? I don't know anything about the latest tools, I just use my trusty old curling iron to pull on the few strands in the front when I don't like their direction (wavy, processed hair).

All of this is so educational to me!

__________________
"The errors of faith are better than the best thoughts of unbelief." - Thomas Russell

My hairdresser actually suggested that it was easier on the hair. He explained that when you are heating wet hair, it is removing the extra moisture (the water), when you heat already dry hair, it removes moisture as well, just moisture you would like to keep in hair. Personally I can say my hair and my daughter's hair have been healthier since using the wet2straight, then when we used a regular straightening iron.

Just beware the first couple times you use it. I scared the crap out of myself with all the steam ( I thought it was smoke!). Wasn't expecting it! I never burn myself doing my own hair, but for some reason when I help DD do hers sometimes I forgot and hold my hand over the straightener, and burn myself with the steam.

__________________
Nicole

I bought my authentic Chi on eBay.

I bought my Chi on Overstocks.com. I think it is authentic.

I have always been told not to use on wet hair by my sister who is a hairdresser and by the hairdressers at the salons I have gone to.

Yeah sorry guys I just meant you can't buy it at a regular store but the ebay and overstock ones are authentic.

__________________
The political system is broke and it's a joke.

Do you know if she was talking about the ones made especially for wet hair? I know I have been told never to use a regular one on wet hair.

__________________
Nicole

You guys are making me tired just reading this thread.

I had my hair chemically straightened about a year and a half ago and I will never go back to curly. My hair is straight and shiny and it looks and feels healthier than it ever has. I laugh in the face of rain and humidity.

Most of the time I run my fingers through it and let it air dry. If my hairdresser reitres or (God forbid) dies before I do, I'm just going to shave my head.

__________________
bite me and get a brain!

Here's a good guide that I used, even though it is older (2007)
http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-th...ron?&id=436764

The GHD is the very best you can get.

Be VERY careful of the ones on ebay, most are NOT authentic!
I did some research (a lot) before I bought mine, and I thought I would get a good deal on ebay.. I then found out how much they are counterfieted, and then checked on the website for the irons, looked at their packaging and then back to ebay and saw the difference in the fake ones! It is hard to spot, but you can if you train your eye.
Do a google search on counterfiet or fake chi and there was another brand.. I think it was T3 or something like that. They are highly copied and are junk that will ruin your hair.

Tourmaline, ceramic plates are the best way to go and like Sexysmurf said, the ionic is even better for the hair. However, be careful of the plates, you do not want a straightener that will "tug" at your hair as you straighten it, which some of the cheap ones do.

I finally gave up on ebay, out of fear, and went to my JcPenney salon and bought what the girl recommened, I believe it is called "pro choice" or something on those lines (will have to check). It is Tourmaline, ceramic plates, but not ionic. It was $50 and even my hair dresser who was trying to get me to buy the $200 Paul Mitchell at the salon said it was a lot better than she thought it would be. I had her try it on my hair after I bought it, and she had her nose upturned to it..until she started using it. She said, "wow, this is pretty good, doesn't pull the hair very much and straightens nicely".

So, for $50, I got a good deal, and one with a guarantee from the salon (if I didn't like it, I could return it within 30 days). But it worked out for me.. so I like it!

On my hair, I have tried many products, but I really like the VO5 Heat spray (thermal something or another..LOL). I spray it on my wet hair and it protects from the heat of the blow dry and the iron. I then will either use Paul Mitchell Skinny serum, or something on those lines to smooth my hair.

Just make sure you use something to protect from the heat. I tried all the ones in the salon, and found I liked the VO5 the best..at $2.75! good luck!

Funny that I came across this thread....was actually standing in the store looking at the Remmington Wet2Dry ones last night. Not happy with the one I have now. and want to switch. I didn't buy it, but after reading this thread I ran back to the store and got it!!! Can't wait to use it this morning. My hair is also very coarse and think....plus add a bit of friz to it and it is just a hot mess lol. Hopefully this will help. Thanks to everyone for all the great tips!!!

What I found to be the biggest problem with Chi brand on eBay is the way the listings are worded. I did a search for Chi and a bazillion showed up. The crooked sellers have a cheap straightening iron with a bottle of Chi brand heat protector spray so their listing shows up when a search is done for Chi.

how did you like it??? I am headed out this afternoon to go on the hunt.

__________________
Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

I cant get a curl to stay in my hair, it's straight and apparently it likes it that way, funny how straight haired people want curls and curly haired wants straight

__________________
Books just wanna be FREE! See what I mean at:
http://bookcrossing.com

My other favorites
www.paperbackswap.com
www.wheresgeorge.com
www.geocaching.com

I got the 1" wet 2 straight yesterday at Wal Mart (Target didn't have it) and DD used it this morning. It seemed to do the job faster on wet hair than her other one did on dry hair. I'll try it out later this afternoon.

Thanks for all the input.

__________________
Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

I love wavy and curly hair. As someone with very straight, fine hair, I cannot imagine anyone wanting to straighten hair.

cj/

__________________
I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

If you had to live with it, you'd be singing a different tune. I haven't missed my curls one minute since having my hair straightened.

__________________
bite me and get a brain!

So far...i've LOVED it!!! Saves a lot of time too! Now I don't have to blow dry and then straighten my hair. Definitely keeps my hair a lot straighter then the other brand I had before. Nice because it has 3 different setting...dry...damp & wet hair. I got mine at WalMart for about $22. HTH

Interesting thread. My dd straightens her hair a few times a week and her flat irons keep breaking. I think this last one was broken when we bought it! It's good to see what works for all of you. I think I'll make a list of some of these for the next time we go shopping.

__________________
Cecilia

"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas