What is the best hair straightener for curly hair? Should I get a tourmaline one or a ceramic one? I've explained it all in my article below.
Just like those with straight hair sometimes envy the ones with those natural romantic curls, the ones with curly hair sometimes wish to sport straight and sleek hair.
Curly hair requires the best hair straighteners which are gentle enough to not burn the hair, but strong enough to iron the curls out. Check out below for the reviews for the top hair straighteners for curly hair.
Considering how long I take to straighten my curly hair with a regular iron I decided to switch to a hair straightener that was feasible with my curls and at the same time safe.
Speed was another necessity for me to tackle my busy mornings and I started hunting for a straightener that fits into all those parameters. Here’s what I found.
The best hair straighteners for curly hair:
| Hair straightener for curly hair | Material | Best feature |
| BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium-Plated Ionic Straightening Iron | Titanium | Great for voluminous curly hair. |
| ghd Platinum+ | Ceramic | Avoids breakage and protects colored hair. |
| Paul Mitchell Neuro Smooth Titanium Flat Iron | Titanium | Safe and portable. |
| ghd Max Hair Straightener |
Ceramic | Glides smoothly on rough hair. |
| KIPOZI Hair Straightener | Titanium | Great for thick curly hair |
| HSI Professional Glider Steamer Ceramic Flat Iron | Ceramic | Moisturizes dry hair |
| Remington 1¾in Wet2Straight Flat Iron | Ceramic and Titanium | Has 30 heat settings |
ghd Platinum+ hair straightener is the best for curly hair given its wide ceramic plates that are capable of taming curls. The straightener has a technology that monitors the heat 250 times per second, to ensure that it is evenly spread, avoiding damage, breakage, and fading of hair color. It looks sleek with its shiny matte finish.
Top Hair Straightener for Curly Hair 2024
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium-Plated Ionic Straightening Iron
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium-Plated Ionic Straightening Iron is one of the top selling straightening irons out there, suitable for curly hair.
The titanium plates heat up real quick and reach a temperature of 450 degrees.
Straightening curly hair is almost effortless at that temperature.
The plates are super smooth and glide through the hair without snagging. There is an in built ion generator that makes the hair smoother by getting rid of the frizz.
There is also an ultra thin version that looks very sleek, but I personally prefer this as it feels more comfortable to hold and use.
It also feels like I can get more volume of hair in the straightener to get the job done quicker.
My Ratings:
- Ability To Straighten - 4.5/5
- Damage Control - 4/5
- Features - 4.5/5
Customer review:
“This hair straightener changed my life. I have thick, curly hair and this straightener works miracles. It is the only straightener I have ever used that only takes one time to get a chunk of hair straight and keep it that way until I shower (never have to touch-up). It makes my hair soft and keeps the shine. Would recommend 10/10”
ghd Platinum+ Hair Straightener
GHD hair straighteners are award winning, professional grade devices, specially designed to make the hair sleeker and smoother, very quickly.
Curly hair, however is trickier, but the GHD Platinum + takes care of this. The plates are ceramic and are wide enough for curly hair.
They reach a temperature of 365 degrees, ideal for short hair or less dense curly hair. It does work on very thick hair too, but you might need a few more runs with the straightener to achieve the desired look.
The iron itself looks super sexy with a matte finish, with shiny metal in the hinge.
The straightener has a technology that monitors the heat 250 times per second, to ensure that it is evenly spread, avoiding damage, breakage and fading of hair colour.
My Ratings:
- Ability To Straighten - 4.5/5
- Damage Control - 4.5/5
- Features - 5/5
Customer Review:
“It’s exactly what I was expecting. I have bought GHD straighteners before and since my last one was stolen years ago I couldn’t afford a new one until now and I am pleasantly surprised that the quality and performance just got better. My hair is bleached but it feels a lot softer after a couple passes with the GHD in comparison to other brands leaving my hair with shriveled dry ends. I’m very happy and So far it’s seeming like a great investment 😊”
Paul Mitchell Neuro Smooth Titanium Flat Iron
The Neuro Smooth straightening iron by Paul Mitchell uses premium grade titanium plates that go from 0 to 450 degrees in under a minute.
The plates are smooth and glide through thick and curly hair, straightening it without pulling or breaking it.
The straightener has rounded edges, so I can make waves or curl the ends of my strands easily.
There is a digital display to indicate the temperature, and the plates heat evenly to avoid damaging the hair. The straightener has a customisable auto shut off feature that allows me to shut it off for upto 120 minutes for safety. This comes in handy when I’m traveling with it.
There is a two year warranty included for this product.
My Ratings:
- Ability To Straighten - 4.5/5
- Damage Control - 4/5
- Features - 4.5/5
Customer Review:
“I love this product, I have curly thick hair and it straightened my hair extremely quickly! I only have to go over My hair once or twice!”
ghd Max Hair Straightener
The GHD Max hair straightener comes with plates that are 2 inches wide, perfect for thick and curly hair.
The plates are smooth and made of ceramic, heat upto a maximum temperature of 365 F, and safe on the hair.
The plates heat up pretty quickly, in less than a minute, ideal for those rushed mornings. Like all GHD straightening irons, the Max also looks super good with the gold coloured plates set in a jet black body.
The edges are rounded for versatile styling and running through the hair without snags. It leaves my hair free of frizz, even in the most humid weather conditions and gives it a shiny and glossy finish.
My Ratings:
- Ability To Straighten - 4/5
- Damage Control - 4/5
- Features - 4.5/5
Customer Review:
“I have moderately thick hair and very long. Other stylers and straighteners need time to reheat after 2-3 sections of hair but this one is so quick to recover. And I have the wider plates to cover more hair for longer periods. I recommend this for anyone, it is definitely worth the price!”
KIPOZI Hair Straightener
Most professional hair straighteners are so expensive that you need to probably save up for months together.
If you are looking for a pocket friendly straightener that also does the job the way an expensive straightener does, go for the Kipozi Hair Straightener. This straightener comes with 1 inch wide plates which is great for thinner hair, but also works well for thicker hair if you run it through in parts.
The plates are made of titanium, which heat up to much higher temperatures than ceramic plates, so these are great for straightening curly hair.
The temperature in this straightener is adjustable. You can choose between three different temperatures depending on your type of hair and the results you want to achieve.
Customer Review:
“You don’t have to spend $100 for a flat iron when you can buy this one! This leaves your hair SPEC-TA-CULAR! And you can do curls with it as well. I have dry hair and with previous flat irons that I tried, damaged my hair more until my beautician recommended this one for me. My hair looks much different after I blow dry it and use the flat iron. Let’s not forget the beautiful pink and when you turn it on it gets hot in less than 15 seconds. This is my new best friend for my hair!
Leaves the hair soft and shiny.”
HSI Professional Glider Steamer Ceramic Flat Iron
The HSI Professional Glider Steamer Ceramic Flat Iron is a medium budget iron for curly hair that helps maintain its health.
One of the issues we usually face with steam straightening irons, especially at the high heats required for thick and curly hair is how the hair dries and turns brittle.
This HSI straightener has an inbuilt steam dispenser in which you can use a mix of argan oil and water.
This is infused into the hair as it runs through it to moisturise it and make it healthier. This ceramic iron has the provision to choose between two temperature settings - a 360 F for finer or thinner hair and 450 F, meant for thicker hair.
My Ratings:
- Ability To Straighten - 4/5
- Damage Control - 4.5/5
- Features - 4.5/5
Customer Review:
“This product works superbly. I am happy I've purchased it and have used it already on my clients and they love how their hair looked. Loving it!!!!”
Remington 1¾in Wet2Straight Flat Iron
Remington hair styling products are value for money. They fit every pocket and work like a pro.
The 1¾in Wet2Straight Flat Iron is perfect if you like to straighten your hair straight out of the shower before you head off to work.
Wet hair is also easier to straighten than when the hair is completely dry. The straightener comes with 30 heat settings, the highest being 420 F.
If you don’t know what temperature is the best, don’t worry.
Remington has taken care of that with an indicator to tell you what is best depending on whether your hair is wet or dry.
The plates are made of a combination of ceramic and titanium, and measure 1¾in wide.
My Ratings:
- Ability To Straighten - 4.5/5
- Damage Control - 4/5
- Features - 4.5/5
Customer Review:
“I've had three of these irons now, and I just keep coming back for them when I need a new straightening iron. They are absolute godsends for curly hair types. No frizz, no damage, and it actually works really well to keep my hair straight for days.”
Tips For Straightening Hair!
Straightening curly hair can end up damaging it if you don’t use the right products.
- Always use a hair straightener meant for thick hair, which does not cross 400 degrees. Use a good quality straightener from the list above
- Ensure that your hair is protected with a thermal protector before you begin straightening
- Keep your hair hydrated with a good moisturising conditioner to help repair the damage caused
- Give a break between straightening treatments to help your hair repair
Summary
Titanium plates heat up quicker than ceramic plates. They also heat up to much higher temperatures than the ceramic ones. So these are better for coarser, thicker and curly hair.
Hair straighteners are priced according to the materials they use and the safety features. It is true that the more expensive straighteners use higher quality plates and technology that ensures that your hair does not get burnt. However, make sure you read the reviews before you invest in one.