Best Flat Irons: CHI Farouk

If you're serious about purchasing the best quality hair straightener / flat iron that you can find, you'll be wanting something from Farouk's CHI line. And if you're a woman with thick, unruly curls, (or wiry hair in general) you know precisely how difficult it is to find products that actually straighten your hair the way a professional stylist can -- and won't start to frizz up the second you step outside.

This article assumes you already know how to use one of these, but I will just mention that you probably don't want to use them every single day, and you'll definitely be wanting a protective serum of some sort before the straightening begins. This can be a spray or cream as well, but make sure it's something specfically designed to protect during ironing. CHI happens to make a very good product, but feel free to use whatever works best for you.

This CHI hair straightener is a very popular item, and while it is a bit expensive, it's not the most expensive product Farouk makes. Besides, you don't want to buy something cheap that might need replacing every few years, do you? No, you want something built to last, but won't require your living on Ramen noodles for next decade.

This CHI Turbo model is a little bit pricier, but that's because this is the professional salon model. It does all the same things the above model does, but this one has several heat settings and, well, it just looks a bit sexier, doesn't it? This is the 1 inch model. For the 2 inch model, see the next item.

Here we have the 2 inch CHI Turbo flat iron. A few dollars more expensive than the 1 inch model you see above, that's obviously due to the size difference. Otherwise, they're the same model with the same features found in professional salons.

Want something smaller than the CHI 1 and 2 inch model flat irons? You may be interested in this 1/2 inch Mini, then. The manufacturer says this was designed specifically for "textured" hair. I assume that means kinky or wiry, (which many curly-haired women have interspersed with the silkier bits) but I'm not entirely sure, to be honest.

This Wet/Dry flat iron from Farouk CHI is meant to be used on damp hair, without the need for blowing it dry first. If you're the type who wants to skip the drying step alltogether, this may be what you're looking for. It's pricey, to be sure, but if it does what it says if does, many would consider that price a bargain!