For approximately one or two years now I’ve been using the Chi Ceramic Curling Iron in a diameter of about 1 to 1.5 inches. This curling iron is ceramic from the core to the outside. It has three heat settings: low, medium and high. I have had a relaxer while using this curling iron. I’ve had completely natural hair and I’ve also had a texturizer while using this product. The texturizer is what I currently now have. I do like this product in that it does seem to get pretty hot; but even with the relaxed hair I felt that I could not use a setting lower than the high to get the curls that would hold for any amount of time.
I’ve used different products in my hair to protect my hair when using heat. Some of those products do build up on the ceramic iron and they don’t come off with soap and water. This is to be expected and I take full responsibility for this and do not have any complaints. I’ve used pressing grease, marcel wax and other oils and ‘cone products. The products do not come off. I’ve read a lot of information online about how great Chi Products are supposed to be and how great they straighten the hair and honestly I’m not impressed. I paid about $110 – $120 for it.
I don’t really find The Chi to be significantly better in terms of styling my hair than any other curling iron. Now what I’ve heard is that the ceramic irons do a little bit less damage to the hair because you use less heat. But, I use the same amount of heat that I use with metal curling irons if not more. I just don’t know if this product is worth the amount of money I spent on it. It still gets hot enough to curl the hair. But, I’ve found that the curl doesn’t seem to be shiny and bouncy without using grease on the hair first. I honestly don’t think it is worth over $100. To replace this I intend to purchase a curling iron from a regular store that is either metal or ceramic coated for significantly less money.
I don’t know if an iron that is ceramic is really more healthy for your hair than a regular curling iron; but I know the styling quality is no better. When my hair was very damaged the ceramic iron was the final straw because the heat was so high. Though the damage was my doing; this still concerned me when styling my newly grown healthy hair. I do notice that I curl and recurl my hair more to get a curl with the ceramic iron and I used more products like marcel wax etc. to try and keep the curls to hold. I know if the curl held properly the first time; I wouldn’t have the need to apply so much heat and product to my hair to get the look that I want so I feel in this way that the Chi iron can indirectly cause damage. Plus for me it’s just frustrating that something that gets so hot cannot accomplish the task you need accomplished.
