Chi Flat Irons

About the Company:
The CHI flat iron is produced by a company named Farouk Systems Inc, based in Houston. The name comes from the chairman, Farouk Shami. His mission is to give fellow hair artists a safe workplace that is free from harsh chemicals. Farouk produces high quality (professional) hair care and spa products. One product line they are famous for is their CHI hair straighteners.

Interesting features of CHI flat irons:

• all have a 10 foot power cord
• the power cord has a 360 degree swivel to prevent tangles
• they all use only 20 to 25 watts of power which is amazing  considering they are basically a heating element in a plastic housing
• they heat up in under 1 minute (some people report in under 10 seconds)
• the ceramic plates maintain an even heat
• can both straighten and add curls, waves and flips (with a little practice)
  

The CHI models:
There are 4 types of CHI flat irons available. They include the original, the turbo, the nano and the mini.

The Original CHI Flat Iron

• has all the features above.
• uses a fixed operating temperature of a 302 to 356 F or 150 to 180 C
• the ceramic plates are 1" wide

The CHI Turbo

• has a variable heat control which allows for temperatures between 175 to 356 F or 80 to 180 C
• comes with felt heat protection
• comes in 3 sizes, 1", 2" and the popular 7/10" model

The Nano

• comes in a 1" wide model
• has specialized nano technology to sterilize itself, in other words, the unit will not allow bacteria to grow on it. This is extra important in salons or if you plan share your CHI flat iron with someone else
• operates between 300 and 350F which is 150 to 180 degrees C

The CHI Mini (aka the wee chi)

• basically the same as the Chi original but only 1/2" wide plates
• great for adding little curls quickly
  

Science of ceramic flat irons:
The ceramic plates have been shown to release negative ions. These ions break apart bigger water droplets in your hair into very tiny particles. This helps ensure even moisture balance. It also reduces static which is a major cause of "the frizz".

The high heat of hair straighteners also helps seal the cuticles making your hair smoother. This also helps reduce friction and reduce frizzyness.

Popularity:
The original Chi flat iron is quite popular. There are 897 customer reviews at Folica.com with a rating of 4 out of 5.

Complaints:
If you read the reviews you will soon discover that the main complaints have been with the power cord or the unit no longer getting power. A couple of wise customers (perhaps salon professionals) noted that a big cause of the problem is with people wrapping the power cord around the body of the CHI flat iron. In order to prevent that problem, it is recommended that you fold the power cord in a manner similar to how it arrived and/or gently store the folded cord in a paper towel tube to protect it. In addition, it is also recommended that you always use your ceramic flat iron on dry hair and to use a leave in conditioner for best results.

Warranty:
The Chi flat iron comes with a 1 year warranty and after warranty work can be found for around $35

Pricing:
Some of the best pricing can be found at Folica.com and it should be noted that in general there is caution about buying from the online auction companies because many hair care companies will not warranty new products unless they are sold by an authorized dealer such as Folica.com (and to be honest, the price difference does not warrant the risk).

Many of the Chi flat irons for sale at Folica.com come with free shipping (nice) and a free $20.00 heat pad which can also be used as a storage pouch. Just look for the little free shipping truck above while you are shopping.

Other Chi Products:
Farouk/Chi also makes leave in conditioners (Infra Treatment conditioner) and moisturizing products (Silk Infusion and Keratin Mist)
 

If you are thinking about getting a CHI flat iron for either yourself or as a gift this holiday season is a great time to be shopping for one.

Why?
Folica.com is now offering some crazy deals at their site. For example, they have discounted selected flat irons by as much as 60%. For example, the CHI turbo 1" model (rated 4.10 out of 5) is 61% off right now.

And as usual, they offer free shipping on all CHI hair straighteners too. So, if you wanted to save a bit of money, now is a good time to be shopping for one.

And this weekend, Folica is offering a very special sale. Between Friday, December 5th at 4pm ET (1pm PT) and midnight PT on Sunday, December 7th you will get an additional $20 off any order of $100 or more. And of course they still have free shipping on all flat iron purchases.

A lot of women who are interested in getting a CHI flat iron ask questions like "Are they worth it?", "Are they really any better than the kind at my local drugstore?", etc.

If you have never owned a CHI it is a tough decision to make. Obviously if the price is not realistic for you, then of course, go for a cheaper one at the drug store. But, if you can afford it, even if you have to save up for a couple of months, go for a CHI.

Why get a CHI?
There are 2 reasons. First is better quality parts. The CHI is made for professional use and as such there tends to be higher quality control than you 'sometimes' find with lower priced hair straighteners. And if you have been researching long enough, you will discover that the Original CHI did have issues of its own. The good news is that there have been many more models released since the Original CHI and they have fixed all of these problems a long time ago.

The biggest reason though is in the ceramic plates. If you buy a CHI, the ceramic plates are of a higher quality. Just the other day, I saw an add for a generic hair straightener that used a Teflon(tm) coating on its plates. Do you really want something designed for cookware on your hair? Think of the heat damage. The ceramic plates on the professional straighteners use a special type of ceramic that releases negative ions. These ions break apart the water droplets in your hair into a super fine mist. That helps seal in moisture, it allows the straightener to work in much less time than a store bought model. The net result is a better looking hair style, done in less time and with less damage to your hair.

So, if you have the funds, you really should consider a professional straightener like a CHI over a generic drugstore model.

On a personal note, my niece bought the Original CHI model. She and her sister use it almost every day. They started out with a store bought cheap model. After burning out 2 drug store flat irons in less than 2 years, they saved up and got a CHI. And they would never go back. It's one of those things ... once you try it, you will know what you are missing.

Their only regret is that they bought it locally and spent a lot more than they should have. If they would have known about Folica they could have saved almost $50.

It is important to regularly clean your ceramic flat iron so that it do the best job possible. The trouble is, not many of us know how often or what to do to keep our CHI straightener clean.

Frequency of cleaning
If you regularly use a styling product with your flat iron, then you really should clean your CHI after each use.

If you do not use any styling products (like me) but use it regularly (4 or more times per week) than you should clean it at least once a week.

If you use it only one time a week you can probably get away with cleaning your CHI once a month.

Cleaning Process
The CHI will stay hot for many minutes after you turn it off. PLEASE BE CAREFUL! Always unplug your flat iron for 5 to 10 minutes before you clean it.

Take a very soft cloth and spray it with a recommended flat iron cleaning product. DO NOT USE HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS! The reason is these cleaners can sometimes contain abrasive particles that can scratch the plates.

Wipe the surface of the plates clean. Be as gentle as possible while at the same time remove all residue (it may take a bit of effort the first time).

Why do I need to clean my hair straightener
Well, as you use the flat iron, especially if you use styling products, a build up of gunk will begin to form on the plates.

That buildup causes excess friction between your hair and the plates. In the worst case scenario it can be bad enough to cause breakage of the hair. Also this buildup causes poor heat transfer and that results in poor styling results. When that happens, people begin to make 2 or 3 passes through their hair which compounds the heat damage to your hair.

So, protect your investment and keep your flat irons clean and spiffy so they can continue to give you sleek sexy straight hair.

I hope you found my CHI hair straightener page informative and useful. If you have any comments or questions you can leave them in the guest book above.

If you would like to bookmark CHI Flat Irons for future reference you can easily add it to your favorites or to your lensroll. If you would like, you can also email this lens to a friend.