Hot Tools Digital Nanoceramic 1" Flat Iron/ Hair Straightener Review

I've never tried a Hot Tools product before, so I decided to buy it on my trip to Ulta, since it was on sale.

FEATURES/PROS:

• NanoCeramic ultra smooth surface
• Patented pulse technology (I'm not sure what that is...)
• Variable heat settings, up to 430° F, using digital display and buttons 
• SUPER FAST heat up time (around 10 seconds)
• New State of the Art design. I suppose it does look cool and technological.
• Soft grip handle. I love it!
• Rounded plate edges to curl ends in or flip them out
• 1” Solid NanoCeramic plates perfect for styles of every length. Apparently the NanoCeramic plates are the newest technology in flat irons.
• 10 hour auto shut off
• On/off switch
• 8 ft. tangle-free swivel cord
• One-year warranty 

CONS: 

• The buttons are really annoying when you are curling your hair. I keep accidentally pressing them, which changes the temperature setting. and I can't find a good place to hold it.  Even though you CAN lock the temperature setting, so that the heat won't change when you accidentally press the buttons, I still find it annoying when I do.
• ONCE AGAIN, I got a defective iron. It's plates aren't parallel. Gah!
• I followed the Hot Tools temperature setting guide, and decided to set it to 370 degrees. (The guide suggests 280-330 for fine, thin hair; 330-380 for wavy, medium-textured hair; 380-430 for thick hair) Unfortunately, my curls did not even last me HALF a school day! Disappointing...
• As this flat iron heats up, not only can you smell it (though it doesn't smell as burnt as the Biosilk one), but you can also hear it. It's very strange- there are cracking sounds that let you know it's getting hotter. Weird.
• Snags hair sometimes between the plates.

I decided to give this flat iron a second chance before I returned it. I straightened my hair at 380 degrees, and it stayed the entire day, but got a tad bit messy after I took a nap. I recall very clearly that the Fahrenheit flat iron kept my hair stick straight even after I slept overnight... and then another night.

Overall, if you want to buy a flat iron, I recommend buying a non-digital one, because the only difference is that these are more annoying. It's fine for straightening, but I wouldn't go anywhere especially to buy this one. 3 out of 5 stars!

Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator Review

My sister has a new-found favorite skin-care product! According to her, the Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator smooths fine lines, shrinks pores, and makes your skin look smoother and more supple over all. She was introduced to it by Sephora as a reward for the Sephora Skin Care Challenge (buy 4 skincare items and receive 1 reward), and she LOVED IT!!

Although it's a bit pricey (comes in 2 fl. oz. bottles for $120), it's rated 5 out of 5 stars on almost all reviews, and they are said to last a while. The only con that I have noticed on various reviews is that it smells bad, but I never even noticed it. The scent is kind of coconut-y...

My sister then went on the Perricone website to buy more of it and some other products as a Mother's Day gift for Mama. Here are some of the other products that my sister purchased:

-Face Finishing Moisturizer (very good hydrator, rated 5/5 stars, $65 for 2 fl oz.)

-Cold Plasma (smooths skin, said to smell like fish, but also said to be worth it. I guess we'll find out... rated 5/5 stars, $150 for 1 fl. oz.)

-Perricone Super Antioxidant (like vitamins, ours came with 14 caplets, there is also a 60 caplet bottle. $30 for 60 caplet bottle/30 day supply)

Mama just opened her gift and will be testing it out shortly!

Prices are similar on http://www.amazon.com/ .

Biosilk Ergonomic Tourmaline Ceramic 1" Flat Iron/ Hair Straightener Review

I bought this hair straightener with high hopes because I had seen numerous good reviews for it, and it is made by the same designer as the CHI flat irons, Farouk. Unfortunately, it isn't as great as I thought it would be.

Features:

•Generates more ions than traditional irons


•Tourmaline and Ceramic technology

•Seals the cuticle and repels humidity

•Ergonomically balanced

•Instant heat for quick styling (Less than 30 seconds to heat up!)

•Adjustable temperature control 180 - 420 degress F

•Multiple styling abilities with one tool


Pros:

-The temperature setting for this one because it's on the side of the flat iron, not inside, so I don't have to worry about accidentally burning myself when I change the temperature.

-I was surprised at how fast this flat iron could heat up! It seemed like a mere 15 seconds had passed after I plugged it in and turned it on, and it burned me when I touched to see if it was warm. Be careful!
-Compared to my last flat iron, the Fahrenheit one, this Biosilk hair straightener is lightweight. I'd say, the lighter a flat iron is, the better because it allows you to do your hair faster and more efficiently.

-Like the Fahrenheit flat iron, it has a swivel cord so that you can curl your hair with it, and the cord won't get in the way.

-I like the sleek feel to this; the edges are rounded and the outside is all smooth, and it just looks nice (=

Cons:

-Within 45 seconds or so, I know it has heated up because I can SMELL it. It smells like something is burning, and I know it's not just this flat iron in particular, because I tried out my friend's CHI and it smells the same. I guess Farouk just likes the aroma of burning flat iron.

-My flat iron was probably defective, which was why it was on sale, beause its plates don't close properly. There is a gap between them when it closes, so it doesn't clasp my hair well. Mine is not the only one that does this; I read a couple reviews in which people have the same problem, so make sure to look for these problems when you are purchasing a flat iron!
 
-I'm not sure if this is due to the plate deficiencies, or it's just the insufficiency of the flat iron, but my straight hair does not last very long. With the Fahrenheit hair straightener, my hair remains straight for as long as I don't wash it. On the other hand, this Biosilk one doesn't even last me a school day, which was a huge disappointment for me.
 
Website: http://www.biosilk.com/tools/iron.html
 
 
Comes in black and blue: