GHD Festival Collection Platinum+ Styler

[affiliatelinks/productsample] It’s really a long while since I’ve even considered new stylers – I’ve been really happy with my regular GHDs which have lasted a very long time. I can’t even remember when I got them but I know I had Cloud 9s before that.

I’ve been waiting to write about these for a while now – they were sent several weeks ago, but there are some strong claims here – 70% stronger hair, 20% more shine and twice the colour integrity. I think the last two are impossible to verify although I have had comments about how shiny my hair has been looking. It transpires that ‘colour integrity’ is measured as less colour fade, but it’s compared to a styler working at 230 degrees, while this one is 175 degrees. So, I think we can completely ignore that.

I come and go with straighteners – I over-used them for a long time (because that straight and glossy effect is so addictive) and ended up watching little pieces of hair break off at the ends. So, I did a sort of re-hab (almost torture in frizzy weather) and haven’t had the problem since as I never went back to daily use. But, it was a wake-up to me that quality of styler really matters (I would easily choose GHD above others), the temperature you style at really matters and how often you use them really matters. I quite often end up in hair conversations with people who say their locks are dry and hopeless – they’re astonished when I suggest not frying it every day.

Specs that I like on this particular styler are the automatic sleep mode that switches them off after 30 minutes of non-use (who hasn’t had THAT sweat-breaking moment on the way to work wondering if you did actually turn them off?) and the 185 degree temperature.  If you’re straightening or styling at anything above, you might as well pop your ends in a chip pan. There’s a predictive technology element that delivers heat depending upon the thickness of your hair. In use, it’s, well, as easy as it gets but I wasn’t expecting anything else. The plates heat up in 20 seconds flat so you can start smoothing as soon as you’re ready. It’s pricey at £175 HERE non affiliate HERE but there is a less expensive version at £139 HERE non affiliate HERE that takes five seconds longer to heat up and if you’re prepared to forgo the predictive element (shhh.. I didn’t notice the predictive parts) it looks like the better deal. I’m shallow and easily swayed by the fact that they’re a kind of metallic rainbow colour – all shade-shifty and shiny, and limited edition.

All I can really say is that my old GHDs are proper work-horses – and still going strong I might add. But, if yours are at the tail end of their time, I’m happy to recommend these.