Titanimum

Rusk RSK686/RSK732 Str8 Iron Review

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“Take baby steps to hair straightening perfection”

 

There was absolutely no way that I was going to get through writing a review for the Rusk RSK732 Professional Str8 Titanium-Infused Ceramic Flat Iron without succumbing to a bit of word play with the word ‘Rusk’ so I’m getting it out of the way early. With a rusk being an iconic baby finger food that was very popular a generation ago, will the Rusk RSK732 Professional Str8 Titanium-Infused Ceramic Flat Iron become a famous straightener of our time, with the next generation reminiscing on just how good it was ‘way back when’?

Smooth Operator

Much is made in the world of Straighteners marketing hype about plates and, of course, as the main attraction, so there should be. The latest buzz is all about titanium, with this Rusk model being ‘infused, with titanium. So should you enthuse about the titanium infuse?

My hair is increasingly dry as I get older and due to damage and breakage, unless I use a straightening iron on it, I literally look like the proverbial bag of spanners. To put it simply, I need a bit of a miracle when it comes to my straighteners.

The Rusk gave me good results. In fact, the first time I used it on a portion of hair at the side that has a habit of flicking it, I had to do a double take. It was amazing. But. When I used it on more layered sections that admittedly need the split ends trimming, it struggled to do anything with the ends – and I am meaning anything. Now I have admitted that my hair needs split ends sorting, but other straighteners have made a better job than these. Maybe for hair that is in a much better state than mind would produce a much better result and indeed, if you check out other reviews, a fair few users truly do enthuse about the infuse, but I’m just left a bit neutral I’m afraid.

Hello Gel-lo

When people think about gel in connection with hair, they instantly think of the styling product, and if you’re of a more mature age, may even think of cheap plastic pots filled with transparent green slime. But the Rusk RSK732 Professional Str8 Titanium-Infused Ceramic Flat Iron is having none of that 1980’s stuff, as gel here refers to sol-gel technology. But what actually is sol-gel technology? Well to put it bluntly, I have absolutely no idea, but what I do know is that the idea is that it makes it easier for your hair to pull through the straightening plates.

Now call me a cynic, but as we have come so far in terms of technological advancements in straightening irons that actually I now expect any pair of straighteners to come with this as standard. In fact, I don’t expect it to be touted as a feature that I should be getting excited about. It’s as if unless it is listed as a feature, I should expect my hair to get tangled in the straightener as if that’s the norm. Let’s be honest, when we are ironing clothes do we expect the iron to get a little stuck and create a burn mark as if that’s just how it is? NO!!! That being said, yes, my hair did go through the plates smoothly – as it should – it’s a straightening iron.

Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy

I am a girl who appreciates the simpler things in life (you should meet my husband) and electronic gadgets that are easy to use please me. Not only am I busy, very busy, but also my mind has been a little frazzled from years of strong meds. This isn’t an excuse for my lack of ability to work out complicated things, but just a fact. So I like my straightening irons to be easy to use and deliver superlative results. For me, this is where the Rusk RSK732 starts to impress.

The buttons are easy to use and the super, duper digital display means you know what temperature you’re at – I’m a real fan of a digital display as it makes me feel all hi-tech so I’m loving this element of the Rusk. Other people have moaned about the fact that the temperature resets each time you switch it on but I expect this. When I get in my car I don’t expect it to turn left as I turned left into my drive. When I put my oven on I put the temperature on again. I just don’t see the problem.

Could a pair of straighteners cause you to have a meltdown?

Well hopefully not, but the Rusk RSK732’s have no automatic shut-off – dramatic pause – I can actually hear a stony silence from the readers of this review. Yes, we all now kinda expect straighteners to come with this feature, and even though we are highly unlikely to need it, the fact that it isn’t there does make me feel a little nervous. In fact, it’s one of those things that I will be worrying so much about leaving the straighteners on, that I will accidentally leave them on even though usually I am meticulous about these kind of things. It’s a bizarre fact, but then I do think it is bizarre in this age of technology for a manufacturer to leave this feature out. It annoys me – deeply.

So you will probably now be able to confidently guess what one of the cons of these straighteners is, but here’s the rest too.

PROS – nice looking straighteners with a professional vibe, digital display is a hi-tech winner for me, hair glides through the plates really well

CONS – NO AUTO SHUT-OFF!!! & Average straightening results on damaged hair

So do I actually like the Rusk RSK732 Professional Str8 Titanium-Infused Ceramic Flat Iron? Well actually yes – the review probably makes things sound a bit more negative than they were when using the straighteners. But I wouldn’t buy them – sorry, they just weren’t for me.

Turboion Croc Classic Straightener Review

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“Hopping and Bopping to the Crocodile Rock”

Woah! If you ever wanted a set of straighteners to mess with those eye to brain visual messages then this is it. Straightening irons are meant to be – well, er – straight are they not? Well not the Turboion Rbb Croc Classic Straightener with its unusual shaping, but quirky looks or not, are they actually all about the alternative shape, or is there also a nifty pair of ironing plates underneath that mis-shapen exterior too?

Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes

Yes, just as your Mother told you, beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Whilst my temptation with any review is to perhaps go for the actually straightening results first, there’s just no getting past the difference in shape with these and as it is the dominant feature, let’s go for it.

Firstly, do I like the look? On first appearances personally it’s a no from me. On looks alone, they look heavy, and those pointy bits in all honesty look a bit sharp. They conjure up visions of those raised bits cutting into my finger joints and it the straightening irons being ultra-hard to hold.

But, hang on…did your Mother not also say that beauty is skin deep and warned you to not to judge a book by its cover? Well with that in mind, when you actually hold these it is a whole different kettle of fish. I have dexterity issues and without boring you with the finer detail, I live in severe pain so lifting straightening irons to my hair as well as manoeuvring them to style is not easy, with some days being worse than others.

These were amazing – I would go so far as to say ergonomic perfection..ish. This was helped also by the fact that they had a comfortable soft grip too. The ability to be able to hold my straightening irons this easily very definitely enhanced my styling ability. But why an ish? These are quite a slim iron. Again, for me with my issues they were too thin but that would probably not be a problem for others and could actually be a positive but I am sure you will know what is best for you.

Finger clickin’ heat

Today’s straightening irons are all about instant heat and the Turboion Rbb Croc Classic Straightener clearly wants that to be a major selling feature. My thick, coarse, damaged etc hair likes a lot of heat to make it do as it’s told and my body does not like to be kept waiting. These heat up impressively quickly meaning that I’m not having to be a master of multi-tasking, whilst admitting that this is actually a real skill of mine. Other reviews on the internet seem to say similar so well done Croc.

The Turboion Rbb Croc Classic Straightener is an actual mind-reader

Ok, it sounds like a sensational headline, but this is the first straightener I have come across that when you actually find a temperature that truly works for your hair, when you turn on your straightening irons the next day, it will remember that exact temperature. This feels like a huge bonus. But I stress feels. I’m a bit of a stresser and double-checker so for me, I don’t trust technology all the time and may be tempted to double check myself which kind of defeats the whole object I suppose. I like fiddly bits on my gadgets and like fiddling with it all otherwise what’s the advantage having it there? But that’s me…

Digga Digga Digga Dig The Digital

…But whether you like the memory facility or not, the digital display is a clear winner, with the use of the word clear being used intentionally. The display is very easy to read, being located on the top of the unit and a quick glance and you know exactly where you’re at – nice!

Straight as a strand of dry spaghetti

I like my hair straight – salon straight. I don’t want to look like a try hard who sat at home with her straightening irons trying her best but didn’t quite pull it off. I was really impressed at the result with these and actually surprised. As the straighteners are thin I suppose I made the mental assumption that the plates would be too but this is not the case. My hair passed through the Titanium coated ceramic plates easily and my hair is not the best condition as well as being mighty thick. Condition was definitely looking improved but hand on heart I have had better results from other straightening irons when it comes to shine.

One thing the Turboion Rbb Croc Classic Straightener’s did struggle with was curls. Admittedly my dexterity issues can get in the way but I feel it was more those pesky crocodile bumps that caused the problem. I just couldn’t get them in a good enough way to get the straighteners in a prime curling position. Sad. But true. I did manage a flick or two, but would say that if you are looking at the Turboion Rbb Croc Classic Straightener as a multi-functional styler then you may be heading for disappointment.

The review seems like a bit of a swamp full of crocodile highs and lows so let’s have a look at the Pros and Cons.

PROS – the croc style ergonomic shape is a really comfortable experience especially if you have dexterity issues, the plates produce a very straight straightening result, the ability to ‘lock-in’ your optimum temperature as it remembers it from last usage

CONS – curls are not great with this unit (this may be due to the ergonomic design), some people may not like the shape of the Turboion Rbb Croc Classic Straightener, no added extras like travel case
I do like these straighteners but would suggest that these are not for everyone at all. They do take a bit of getting used to and they don’t really rock as a multi-purpose styler. They are a higher price point and I’m just not convinced they are worth it, but at a slightly lower cost they’d be more of a winner.

Sorry, no Crocs on Amazon UK 🙁

Izutech KTX 450 Pure Titanium Review

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“Hey, big spender, are you really a hot contender?”

I’m a huge fan of a certain quality brand of straightener and whether consciously or not, am always comparing any straighteners I review to my go-to brand. I’ll hold my hand up and say that Izutech is not a brand I have even heard of before so I approached this review with a certain amount of trepidation. It has a fairly weighty price point so surely that makes it a hot contender for being a brilliant pair of straightening irons?

Big plates, better portions?

We all know what bigger plates mean – more food, or to metaphor this into a hair styling review, bigger plates should mean more ease of styling. The Izutech KTX 450 LT Pure Titanium Digital Flat Iron is proud of its not just wider plates, but longer plates too. My hair is not an easy beast to tame with it’s thicker than thick consistency and damaged ends, but these bad boys managed to get a lot of hair into one pass. This is a huge bonus for me and as the results were pretty impressive from attempt 1, my perception of the Izutech was already on the up. In fact, if I was to be hand on heart honest, the results were better than my ‘best’ straightening irons.

You know when your tummy does a flip because you love something? Well the Izutech did just that – cross my heart, hope to die, if I ever tell a lie. Was it that I actually had found a straightener to rival my precious preferred brand? Wider plates mean that as you can fit more hair into each pass that results are quicker, and for more, the results were more even too. I sometimes have to go over my hair again as I’ve missed a small section out, but these definitely made things easy.

T-T-T-Titanium!

I know that sounded a bit like a sneeze, but the power of Titanium is made out in marketing terms to be as powerful as a sneeze (in case you are interested a sneeze may produce exit velocities in excess of 650 miles per hour). Now I have previously been a bit on the fence when it comes to Titanium, but actually the Izutech KTX 450 LT Pure Titanium Digital Flat Iron has been a bit of a revelation.

Previously with other Titanium infused irons I’ve had mixed results, but with the Izutech at last I could see what all the fuss was about. My hair looked healthier whereas usually even if I get a good straightening result, I never get the enhanced shine/health look that many brands of straightening iron bang on about. I keep saying that my hair is a bit dull anyway due to damage, years of coloring and bleaching, years of strong meds and not great health, so to get a result with added shine was actually quite emotional for me. Thanks Izutech!

Black is Black – I got my baby back

With apologies for the reference to the 1970’s song lyrics, especially if you are of a generation where the 1970’s are like AGES ago, there’s something about a pair of black straightening irons that I really like. To me, the understated look is quite classy, but also I work on the theory that if a brand don’t feel the need to bling the color up, then it means two things -:

  • They feel confident enough in the straightening iron’s performance that there is no need to make it stand out on a shelf.
  • The company are investing the real money in the technology and performance, NOT superficial looks.

As well as a really nice look, the Izutech KTX 450 LT Pure Titanium Digital Flat Iron has another interesting feature. The outer ‘shell’ has a DuPont construction which basically means that if the unit gets really, REALLY hot, it won’t warp. Now I’ve never actually heard of a unit that DID warp, but maybe it is a manufacturing issue Izutech KTX 450 LT Pure Titanium Digital Flat Iron that us mere mortals never knew about. To be honest, it doesn’t impress or interest me, but it’s there anyway.

Dial-a-digit

Or maybe that should read use your digits to dial up the temperature, as the Izutech has a cute little inner dial to control the temperature. On an average pair of straightening irons this wouldn’t bother me, but it’s amazing how when you like the performance of a straightening iron, suddenly you think that the dial feature is the bees knees.

The dial goes from 250-450 degrees Fahrenheit, with the upper limit being pretty standard nowadays for the maximum heat. I doubt that things can get much higher than this to be honest without risking damaging hair but 450 should get through even coarse heads of hair.

And the dial is a nifty little thing that is easy to use and easy to control. Backed up by the digital display which is another much appreciated feature, it just cranks up the functionality of the straightening irons as well as it’s believability as a premium product too.

So PROS and CONS – I’ve sort of hinted that I’ve enjoyed using it, but is that enough to secure a positive outcome?

PROS – the wider and longer plates are superb and produced great results on even my manic mop, titanium technology made my usually dull looking hair shine, the dial and digital display were really useful when on a product that really works, nice looking straightening irons that exude class.

CONS – the warp technology sounds effective but actually do we really need it, high price tag means it is beyond the affordability level for some people but it is worth it.

Well what can I say – I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Izutech KTX 450 LT Pure Titanium Digital Flat Iron. I actually didn’t expect to, but I am definitely going on the record to say that they are on a par with my previous favorite premium brand’s straighteners. I am going to use both, but will not be surprised if I end up using the Izutech as my ‘go-to’ pair of straightening irons.

BaByliss Pro Wet-To-Dry Nano Review

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“Babyliss Pro Wet-To-Dry Nano is a bit of a Nan-oh..”

You know when you read the name of a product and think ‘wow – that is JUST what I’m looking for!’? Such were my feelings when I saw these straighteners, which combined a very well-known and reliable brand with the ability to straighten wet hair, something I’ve dreamt about but never thought I’d achieve. But with that dream of wet-to-dry close to becoming a reality, do these actually deliver what they so boldly state?

Sizzle without the sizzle

For me, the idea that you can straighten wet hair straight from towel drying would be A-MAZING. So often I have craved for this technology but never thought the day would come. I am an incredibly hard-working woman (blush) and work very erratic hours, so I could be washing my hair at 6 a.m. or at 10 p.m. depending. Whether it’s washing before work, or washing before bedtime, I would love to cut out the hair drying stage and go straight to straightener. It would save at least 10 minutes a day which is a huge amount of time in my hectic world, and I believe that it would help my thick, damaged mop of hair to straighten better as in theory, my hair would already be flatter if it was wet.

Now a hugely important thing to mention is that despite the name, Babyliss clearly don’t expect you to try to use these on dripping wet hair. Apart from the risk of electrocution, it would just be silly. However, and pardon me for going over the top a bit, for me this means don’t say wet hair in the title. I say about going over the top as I have a background in autism and I am aware that certain people can take things very literally. If it says wet, then not everybody would make the assumption that it meant damp. Yes, wet-to-dry sounds a whole heap better than ‘damp-to-dry’ but maybe Babyliss should have a rethink – in my humble opinion.

But the main thing is does it work. Well, er, ish…

I was terrified to have my hair anything other than slightly damp as I have frazzled my hair with that tell-tale sizzle sound when I tried to cut corners this way with a straightening iron that you shouldn’t do this with. So on damp-to-dry hair, it kinda worked. I say kinda as it straightened really well – really well – but after about an hour it became a little fly away again, a bit like it had now totally dried out so needed one more iron. Now I may have panicked and may have rushed a little. In a salon, this may save time and give incredible results but I would always make sure that the hair was totally 100% dry before assuming you’re finished. But you live and learn…

Back to basics

I’m a lover of straighteners that look the business. For me less is more, and colour doesn’t do it for me. Now I like the blue, if it was a nail varnish, but I don’t really like it on my straighteners. It looks a little cheap and forced, a little like in Babyliss HQ they just wanted to find something different and decided on ice maiden blue. It’s quite a cold color, and it makes me think that the unit will be cold when I pick it up, so it’s a good job that the unit isn’t prone to getting too hot to handle. BaByliss Pro Wet-To-Dry Nano

The unit is lightweight and I do like that. I’ve said it before but will say it again – I have issues with dexterity so a straightener that is easy to handle is a huge bonus for me. I get better results and don’t feel out of breath after my attempts to straighten those hard to reach areas. But….lightweight here looks a little cheap, thin and flimsy.

Quick March!

Technology marches on at an amazingly fast rate in the world of straightening irons, and the BaByliss Pro Wet-To-Dry Nano has an impressive list of innovations here. Spring loaded floating plates are designed to ensure that the hair stays in place better so that the heat gets to the hair evenly and produces a superior look. Nano Titanium plates conduct the heat in a way that provides a high heat but also helps to protect the hair at the same time. The hair’s natural moisture is locked in, the hair is kept at its optimum for a result that is shiny, sleek and healthy. Straightening time is less so there is minimal resultant damage. Ceramic technology means that plates heat up very quickly and maintain that temperature. And last but not least “The Ryton Housing Has An Outstanding Resistance To A Wide Variety Of Aggressive Chemicals And Can Withstand High Temperatures For Long Periods Of Time”.

Put this all in simple terms, and the Babyliss is designed to deliver a superior look, whether you are straightening or curling, and does so whilst keeping the hair in the best condition possible.

Do I think Babyliss achieve this with the BaByliss Pro Wet-To-Dry Nano? The answer is actually yes – I liked my hair after, but I am not convinced that I LOVED it.

Here are the PROS and CONS

PROS – If you can straighten the hair effectively from damp it would be a huge bonus to my life where minutes matter, the technology is impressive

CONS – You cannot straighten from wet, just damp, the unit is a little cheap looking, and I’m not convinced that the results are amazing
I’m finishing the review a little down-hearted. In fairness to Babyliss, in order to make this a realistic view I straightened my hair when it was damp and I imagine that had my hair been dry, the results would have been fantastic. But then it is advertised as wet-to-dry so it needs to deliver on that main selling point. For me it just didn’t.

Not currently available on Amazon UK or Canada

Hot Tools Pink Titanium Digital Salon Review

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“Hot Pink Straighteners to make you blush”

What is it about buying a pair of straighteners that makes it such a mammoth task? The search to find the holy grail of straightening perfection is seemingly one that is set to last for ever…..or is it?

“You shoot me down but I won’t fall – I am Titanium”

So Sia and David Guetta got themselves a huge hit record along with the royalties that go with it, but is Titanium such a hit when it comes to straightening plates? Glide was pretty even and there was no snagging or tell-tale flyaway due to inconsistent heat patches, so on this point alone the PINKTITANIUM is a winner. My hair can show split ends and ‘flare-out’ even after straightening, but with these my hair still had the desired straightened look at the end of the day. Shine was also enhanced, again quite an achievement as my hair can dry out and start to resemble a hay bale.

“I got the right temperature to shelter you from the storm”

Sean Paul thought he had the temperature right, but has the PINKTITANIUM got it licked? With heat settings going up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, these straighteners have a fair bit of power behind them, but where they perhaps have the advantage over others is that the digital display allows you to see exactly what temperature you’re at. But as great as this is, it’s fair to say it is hard to actually trust what it says. Yes, I’m a little paranoid, but it does seem like a bit of a gimmick to give it the edge over competing irons. In reality, a switch that says low, medium and high will give you the same straightening results. But if I’m to be honest I was sucked right in and loved being able to not only read the temperature in all its LED glory, but also to be able to adjust it. It felt like I was in control of my hair straightening destiny, and it’s a feeling I kinda liked. Be aware that whilst you can lock the temperature in place (I know – amazing!), it is also easy to accidentally knock it off. You have been warned!

“Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH! (Daylight come and he wan’ go home)”

The ‘Banana Boat Song’ may be very traditional, but the length of that cord is definitely of the moment, with the current trend being for longer cords that give you the flexibility to get to all those awkward head spaces with ease, as well as having an appeal to professional hair stylists who need to maneuver around a styling chair. Unlike some other competing straighteners with lengthy cords, this one didn’t get itself in a tangle and this was a real bonus.

“You are beautiful, no matter what they say, Words can’t bring you down”

I agree with Christina Aguilera’s sentiments I really do, but I’m struggling. This is a bit of a contentious issue if, like me, you like your possessions to have a classy look, but these just aren’t doing it for me looks wise. The metallic pink strip, button and branding are great if you’re Barbie, but not everyone born of the feminine gender loves pink. Furthermore, as far as I’m aware, straightening irons can be used by men also. But then that’s just my personal opinion. And I have to say it, that ‘HOT’ button branding is just ‘NOT HOT’ for my taste. It’s just a little tacky and cheap but don’t let this deter you from buying a straightener that really works!

“Whoah, the girl I love, she got long black wavy hair, I do declare!”

Led Zeppelin talked about the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ as well as the lyrics above, and when it comes to curls and waves, the PINKTITANIUM is a real performer. The rounded edges to the plates mean that it has the flick licked, whether you like it flicked under, or flicked out. Many straighteners struggle to perfect poker straight straightening, wavy waves and curly curls, but not this pair of straightening irons. This is one of the most overwhelming positives of the PINKTITANIUM and if you are looking for versatility when it comes to different hair styling options, then you may well have arrived at the end point of your search.

“Oh it’s a Safety Dance, Well it’s a Safety Dance”

Very reassuring is the fact that it has an auto shut-off feature…after 10 hours…

So the dog has heat exhaustion, your bedroom wallpaper is blackened and there’s a charcoaled outline of the straighteners in your carpet…then they turn off. Really? It seems like a misprint, but in the spirit of turning a negative into a positive, I assume that such a claim could only be made if the manufacturer was mega confident that their product would NEVER overheat. That makes these straighteners mega safe – sorted!

So to summarize, here’s the main PROs and main CONS.

PROS: Versatile as good at straightening and curling, impressive cord, Titanium plates rock

CONS: Record-breaking auto-shut off time of 10 hours, cheaper looking, temperature controls easily knocked.
So would these straighteners make you blush with pride or out of shame? Well on balance they’re good – very good. I have a real issue with the look but the world would be a sad place if we all liked the same thing so as performance is really where it’s at, these are definitely a pair of straighteners that are worth purchasing.

Sorry this model is not available in the UK.