Hair Straighteners also known as flat irons are a basic hair need especially for those curly hairs who want to try the straight hair updo or those who want to relax their curls into waves. Now, what is with everyone debating which is better between the Titanium flat iron and Ceramic flat irons anyway? Why do we have to choose one against the other?
Because hello, each type of flat iron is made for some specific purposes and women are known to have various preferences in which we will tackle as we look further into Titanium vs. Ceramic flat irons.
The Battle Between Titanium Flat Iron and Ceramic Flat Irons
Effectivity
This is one of the main criteria base on, this could be determined as the number of passes to straighten your hair. Titanium and ceramic are the two most common materials used in a flat iron. When it comes to heating up quickly, titanium wins but lesser brands are known to have hot and cold spots. However, it may not sit well with people with sensitive hair. On the other hand, ceramic is known for equally distributed heat.
Heat Conduction
This is known as the transfer of heat from one place to another or in a flat iron’s case, the time it takes for heat to take effect on the strands o hair. Ceramic is known for its far infrared energy that is known to effectively style the hair but gentle at the same time. There are tons of ceramic flat irons out there that immediately gives good results in just 30 seconds. However, titanium has a much faster rate of conduction than all the other materials. The titanium flat iron is very effective on thick hair but it could be a bit harsh on finer hair.
Even heat distribution
I know it can get really annoying to find a part of your hair not effectively styled well as the rest so you’ll have to do it over again, that could be very frustrating and time-consuming. The reason for this could be the development of cold spots on the plates, as the name implies, the plate would be less effective in transferring heat on the hair. Ceramic wins on this one as it is a material known for having a good and even heat distribution.
Price
You might have known about this already but ceramic flat irons are known for being more expensive especially if they are 100% ceramic. When it comes to price comparison between Titanium vs. Ceramic flat irons titanium flat irons are more affordable. Ceramic flat iron can get more costly since ceramic is known as an expensive material. Titanium produces the same results on the hair but at a lesser price.
Longevity
This is a basic part of the criteria when choosing the flat iron to buy, whether it is for personal or commercial use you would always want to buy the product that is worth your money. Ceramic may have the advantages of being energy efficient but it does not have that much as the same durability as that of titanium flat iron. Ceramic can be very delicate and would not do well if it underwent rough handling as it could lead to breaks on the surface which could result to tugs and snags on the hair that will result to damage. Titanium still wins this one as this material is actually a metal, and metal is known to have high durability. Do you know that titanium is also used in building planes and other aircraft? That’s what makes this flat iron very durable.
Convenience
Titanium flat iron is lighter than ceramic which makes it more convenient than its counterpart. Moreover, you won’t have to worry when you had a loose grip and it actually fell as compared to ceramic flat iron. 100% ceramic flat iron would need careful handling to avoid cracks. Ceramic flat irons are convenient for beginners in a way that newbies can make several passes on their hair without getting it burnt.
Versatility
Ceramic wins this one because of its “slowly but surely” nature. It may be a bit slow when applying heat on the hair but it still provides results, therefore, it can be used for all hair types.
Choosing The Right Type Of Flat Iron For Your Hair Type
Titanium flat iron
As the name implies, the metal plates of this flat iron are made of titanium. Titanium is known to heat up at the quickest time which makes the titanium flat iron a very fast hair straightener among all types.
Curly hair
The curly hair has a definite shape of S and on some occasions, it would even look like the letter z (which will need the flat iron). Curly hair has the definite curl in place without having to use products. Thick curly hair would require much heat to be straightened or relaxed so titanium flat iron would be best. Don’t forget to moisturize as curls tend to get drier when exposed to heat.
Straight hair
You might be surprised why I placed straight hair under the titanium type. Straight hair is actually very resilient of all types of hair and it also takes more heat to be curled which is why titanium is the best choice. Without the curls and waves, the natural oil from the roots will easily distribute down on the tips making straight hair a good match for the heat of titanium.
KIPOZI Pro Flat Iron is one of the best titanium flat irons out there as it always left my hair smooth and straight. What’s more is that I can have the same look as I had from the parlor with half the price! This could be one of the best flat irons for you too! The auto power off is another pro that I love since I’m mostly forgetful to turn my flat iron off. It can even work on your hair even if it is already wet to shiny and sleek straight hair. The temperature can be adjusted from 390F to 450F which is great for all hair types. The plates are made of titanium but these are floating and an inch wide making it very effective in styling the hair without the snags and tugs, It is also compatible when it comes to the voltage which is 110-240 volts making it safe to use. The 360-degree swivel of the cord makes it easier to work around with as well. It comes with a pouch with a safety lock thus making it very convenient for travel and storage.
Ceramic Flat Iron
Ceramic is a long trusted material that has been used mainly on dinnerware such as bowls and plates but now this organic material is also used to straighten the hair and for people to enjoy various hairstyles as they want. There are actually two types of ceramic flat irons, one is ceramic coated and the other is made of ceramic material.
Kinky hair
Kinky hair may look stubborn but it is actually isn’t. This hair type is very much damage prone since it is fragile. The fine and delicate nature of the kinky hair makes it break easily when exposed to heat and harsh handling. A ceramic flat iron would be better for kinky hair because it is gentler to use on the fine strands. Add more moisture to kinky hair before and after styling to achieve those stylish yet healthy locks.
Wavy Hair
Wavy hair is prone to frizz so I’m putting it under ceramic flat iron. While it may be in the middle of straight and curly, the waves will need a gentle heat that won’t result in damage or breakage. Use protective products on your waves to keep it in good shape.
What Happens If I apply to much Heat on My Hair?
Why do I keep on emphasizing on choosing the right flat iron? This is because there are really those hair types that are prone to damage even when dealt with just a small amount of heat. Are you worried if you might apply too much heat to your hair? Here are some signs that the heat might be too much.
• You smell burning hair
This is one definite sign that your hair is screaming help. Stop and lower the temperature immediately.
• Your hair does not go back to its natural state
When you’ve straightened your hair but it does not go back to its curly or wavy style and it has become looser or the straight hair looks dry and limp then that’s when you know it is already damaged by too much heat.
• Split ends alert
Split ends is one sure sign that your hair is damaged by extreme heat Have them trimmed and if possible refrain from styling for a while until your hair has recovered.
What Are The Similarities And The Differences Between These Two Iron
The Similarities
Emission of positive ions: Both the ceramic flat iron and the titanium flat iron make awesome results. They are the same when it comes to releasing negative ions. Negative ions are known to neutralize the positive ions being released because of the heat. Positive ions are known to result in hair damage. It would help to have a flat iron that emits negative ions to counter the effects of the positive ions and both of the ceramic and titanium flat iron do the job.
Conduct Heat effectively: Both ceramic and titanium flat iron can conduct heat effectively which is a very important quality for hairstyling otherwise it would be useless. The only difference is the amount of time it takes for the plates to heat up to achieve results. (in which I am going to explain further in this article.
The Differences
How much time does it take to heat up? With ceramic flat iron, it approximately takes 30 seconds for the plates to heat up but titanium flat iron is quicker as it takes less than 15 seconds to heat up. This could be due to titanium as it is a metal with this original characteristic.
Amount of Heat: Titanium naturally wins this one as compared to ceramic making it very effective on coarse or fine hair. For those with delicate hair types, ceramic is a very good choice because it produces the right heat to style your hair.
Evenness of Heat distribution: In this basis, ceramic flat iron wins because heat is equally distributed in all areas of the plate. Titanium flat iron, on the other hand, will develop hot and cold spots in the long run which will result to un-uniformed hairstyle, which will have you do it all over again.
Final Thoughts
So that’s about it, now which among the two irons really wins? Some may say that titanium is better than ceramic because titanium heats up pretty quickly and has better durability. However, others would argue that ceramic is better as it is effective and gentle on the hair at the same time but it does not damage the hair as much as titanium does.
The verdict:
So which should be the winner? Titanium vs. Ceramic flat irons?
It is a tie since both have their own pros and cons.
The answer actually depends on the type of hair that you have, titanium flat irons are good for thick and normal hair, especially for those stubborn curls. Since titanium heats up very quickly and the heat increases in the long run then it is great for thick hair. Ceramic flat irons, on the other hand, are perfect for delicate hair and hair with thin and fine strands. The best Ceramic flat irons are known to have a constant and even amount of heat throughout the process which answers the rationale behind its appropriateness for thin hair.
There you go, Here’s my comparison between Titanium flat iron and Ceramic flat irons don’t forget to share if you find this article helpful and add up some thoughts below, I’ll definitely love some.