For people with curly and kinky hair, straightening their locks can seem complicated. You could get your hair chemically relaxed, but that causes a lot of damage. You could go get a blowout at a salon, but that can get pricey.
This is where a silk press comes in. It’s a great way to temporarily straighten your curly hair and give it silky softness that can last up to two weeks. Usually, it’s done at the salon, but with the right tools, you can do it at home to achieve amazing results.
There are two main steps in a silk press – first the hair gets blow dried to straighten it half way, then it gets smoothed further using a high quality flat iron to give it a shiny, straight, silky-soft texture.
So what are the best flat irons for a silk press? The best options for silk press flat irons are the ones that have negative ionizing technology, custom temperature regulation, and tourmaline ceramic plates.
In this article, we will cover what makes a flat iron better suited for silk press, and which ones we recommend for gorgeous silky hair.
Flat Iron Buying Guide
When it comes to choosing a flat iron for a silk press, consider a few things. First of all, most people who are doing a silk press usually start with very curly or kinky hair. This hair is considered type 3C or 4C.
If that sounds like you, you probably understand how important it is to use heat sparingly. Curly hair is more prone to heat damage because it is often dry.
So when doing a silk press, it’s important to use tools that deliver results quickly, so that you’re not clamping your hair inside of a hot tool longer than is absolutely necessary.
There are a few things that help flat irons deliver results quicker and with the least amount of damage. When putting together our list of recommended flat irons, here are the factors we looked at:
Plate Materials
Flat iron plates come in a variety of materials. You’ve probably seen a lot of ceramic flat irons on the market because they are quite popular. Ceramic distributes the heat evenly through the plates, preventing excessive damage or burning of the hair.
Tourmaline ceramic is even better, as it generates 20 more moisture-locking ions than ceramic alone, which allows it to smooth and moisturize the hair as it works. Tourmaline plates also utilize infrared heat which prevents static and leaves your hair feeling extra silky.
Another material that works well for curly hair is titanium. It’s a metal that delivers heat really fast, so you won’t have to run the iron over your hair more than once. It can help you reduce the overall heat exposure of your hair.
The titanium also produces negative ions, albeit not as many as tourmaline, that help make the hair smoother.
Custom Temperature Regulation
The best flat irons for a silk press are ones that allow you to regulate the temperature. The more precise you can get with it, the better.
This is because everyone’s hair is different and requires different heat levels to achieve the best results while keeping damage at bay.
We recommend avoiding flat irons that only have a high-low setting since one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to hair.
Safe Design
Safety is important when you’re handling hot tools. Poorly designed flat irons can burn not only your locks, but your hands and ears too.
We’ve combed through dozens of user reviews to make sure that the flat irons we’re recommending actually work well in practice, without injuring their users or frying their hair.
Price
Investing in high-quality beauty tools is important, but we are mindful of the fact that not everybody can drop $150 on a new flat iron. Some of our recommendations are more budget-friendly, but still perform well and give your gorgeous hair as a result.
Others might be a little more luxurious, but we made sure their performance justifies the price.
Best Flat Irons For Silk Press
Here are our top picks for silk press flat irons. Use the table below to see an overview of all recommendations, or scroll down to read the details about each one.
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ghd Platinum+ Styler | Smart Technology predicts hair type and needs, auto adjusts temperature |
| 2. | T3 Micro Lucea 1” Professional Straightening Iron | Smoothes and softens the hair during silk press, cute design |
| 3. | BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Digital Straightener | Features super-smooth titanium plates, high heat with minimal damage |
| 4. | CHI G2 Professional Hair Straightener Titanium Infused Ceramic Plates | Unique titanium-infused ceramic plates for fast results and even heat distribution |
| 5. | CROC Classic Silver Titanium Flat Iron | Durable titanium flat iron, heats up higher than most flat irons, minimal damage |
| 6. | FHI HEAT Platform Tourmaline Ceramic Professional Flat Iron | High heat tourmaline ceramic plates for shiny results, straightens and curls |
| 7. | CROC Premium Infrared Flat Iron | Infrared technology, great results with minimal damage |
| 8. | Calista StyleVibe Hair Straightener | Vibrating plates reduce heat exposure on hair, delivers impressive results |
| 9. | CHI Classic Tourmaline Ceramic Hairstyling Iron | Tourmaline plates, even heat and ionization |
| 10. | INFINITIPRO BY CONAIR Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron | Budget-friendly, tourmaline ceramic plates and multiple temperature settings |
| 11. | Deogra Flat Iron | Perfect for curly and 4C type hair, keratin and argan oil, negative ions |
1. Ghd Platinum+ Styler
This ghd styler is the cream of the crop. It’s a truly premium product that packs some premium features for those who are looking for the most luxurious experience.
Let’s start with the Smart Technology. This flat iron has a feedback system that predicts your hair type and heating needs, and adjusts accordingly, to give you the most amazing results based on your hair type.
This technology is so precise, it monitors your hair 250 times per second to adjust itself in real time. As a result, you’re getting smooth and shiny hair with the absolute minimum amount of damage.
This results in your hair being healthy, strong, shiny, and perfectly styled every time.
It also has a comfortable handle and a slightly rounded shape that allows you to use it for more than just silk pressing – you can curl, wave, and create other styles in your hair. This all-in-one capability makes it worth the hefty price tag.
2. T3 Micro Lucea 1” Professional Straightening Styling Iron
This 1” professional flat iron is great for doing silk press because it comes with ceramic plates and 9 heat settings.
Its advanced technology delivers smooth frizz-free results using rapid heat. If that wasn’t enough, the tool itself is incredibly cute in a sleek white and rose gold body.
What users rave most about, is how this little flat iron can make their coarse and dry hair turn silky soft and shiny without further damaging it. This makes it a great choice for silk press.
Although it’s not the cheapest flat iron out there, it’s one that features high-quality materials and has been thoughtfully designed, making it worth the price tag.
If you’re looking for something that works well, looks good, and delivers incredible results, this flat iron is for you.
3. BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Digital Straightener
The BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Digital Straightener is another great option for silk press. It helps you achieve super smooth hair with minimal contact and thus minimal damage to your tresses.
This flat iron uses nano titanium technology, which allows for even heat distribution and plenty of negative ionization that reduces frizz and static.
It also has all-directional floating plates, which means you won’t pull on any of your hair and the plates will run over each strand smoothly. This also reduces the number of times you’d need to run the tool through your hair, minimizing overall damage.
It has digital precise temperature controls so you can adjust the heat to the setting you need. It also has a handy feature where it will remember your usual heat settings and automatically apply them, saving you time in the morning.
If you’re interested in the power of titanium plates, look no further than this flat iron because it’s the best of the best in that category.
4. CHI G2 Professional Hair Straightener Titanium Infused Ceramic Plates
CHI is a great brand that makes professional hair care tools, and their flat irons are no exception. But what makes this particular flat iron so special, is its plate materials: titanium-infused ceramic.
Normally, plates are either titanium or ceramic. But in this flat iron, CHI was able to combine both to put powerful heat and smooth styling into your hands.
Ceramic and titanium are both great for evently distributing heat, but together they heat up quicker – only 40 seconds, and deliver the heat to your hair instantly, eliminating the need for you to run the tool through each section of hair more than once. As a result, you’ll be subjecting your hair to way less damage.
This flat iron also has a digital temperature control, ergonomic design, and a digital display that clearly shows you your settings. The temperature can go up to 425°F.
It’s a very popular flat iron among professionals and amateurs alike. One hairdresser says it can make even the most damaged hair appear smooth and healthy.
This flat iron is great for silk press because of how hot it gets and how smoothly the plates glide through the hair, providing instant results.
5. CROC Classic Silver Titanium Flat Iron
If you’re looking for a flat iron that can heat up enough to tackle even the most stubborn curls, look no further than this CROC Classic Silver Titanium flat iron.
This baby can heat up to 450°F (while most go up to 425°F) which can be really helpful for people with coarse curly hair.
It also features silver titanium plates, which lock in moisture and reduce frizz and static, keeping the hair healthier and giving your smoother results.
The CROC iron is one of the fastest heating irons on the market.
In addition to its heating and smoothing abilities, many people love how durable and sturdy this flat iron is. It’s a little heavier than most, but we love that about it. It’s a high-grade professional tool that will last you many years.
A word of caution: don’t go straight to 450°F – that is hot! Try it on lower settings first as the quality of the plates might give you the results you want without the added heat, trust us!
6. FHI HEAT Platform Tourmaline Ceramic Professional Flat Iron
This FHI Heat flat iron has all the components of a good silk press straightener.
It features high-quality tourmaline ceramic plates that heat up fast, provide even heat, glide smoothly over your hair, and deliver negative ionization for smooth and shiny results.
It also has an adjustable temperature regulator that lets you choose a heat setting anywhere between 140-450°F – you’ll have no trouble finding a setting that works for you no matter your hair type.
The plates have a beveled design to help them glide over your hair without pulling or snagging – an important consideration if you want to keep your hair healthy and thriving while styling it.
Not in the mood for straight hair? No problem. The shape of this flat iron gives you the option to create waves and curls, too.
We love the sleek red and black design, which looks great on any bathroom counter.
7. CROC Premium Infrared Flat Iron
This amazing CROC flat iron features a 1.5” wide plate – great for those with thick long hair as it helps you style it quicker.
But the best part about this flat iron is the infrared heat technology. It locks in moisture and eliminates frizz.
Using 100% Nano titanium floating plates, ceramic heaters, and an innovative ventilation system, this flat iron offers effortless glide with supreme performance.
With 18 different temperature settings (going up to 450°F), this flat iron can be adjusted for any hair type while keeping damage to a minimum.
In a single pass through the hair, it can straighten, smooth, style, and enhance your hair’s beauty.
Users rave about how quickly this CROC flat iron heats up and how quickly it styles the hair, leaving it feeling healthy and hydrated. One of the best things about infrared flat irons is how efficiently they work, without you needing to go over your hair more than once, thus reducing damage while delivering impressive results.
Although this flat iron comes at a steep price point, it works well, and if infrared is something you’re after – this is one of the best options on the market in that category.
8. Calista StyleVibe Hair Straightener
Did you know that flat irons can vibrate? This Calista StyleVibe hair straightener can!
The gentle vibration allows the plates to straighten with less damage as the actual contact with hair is reduced. Don’t worry though – it still straightens the hair to perfection, while preserving the integrity of your hair cuticles.
The plates themselves are made out of tourmaline ceramic, which is the ideal material for silk press as it provides the most negative ions, helping create soft and shiny results. It also locks in moisture and reduces frizziness.
A digital screen and custom temperature settings allow you to set it to whatever heat setting your hair needs to get good results without overheating.
The Calista hair straightener comes in a sleek lightweight body. It’s silver with hot pink plates, which is quite cute if you ask us. Due to its size, weight, and locking technology we think this makes a great travel flat iron for when you need to style your hair on the go.
For a flat iron that has so many great features plus a unique vibrating technology, it doesn’t cost all that much giving you a lot of bang for the buck!
9. CHI Classic Tourmaline Ceramic Hairstyling Iron
This CHI flat iron with 1.5 inch tourmaline ceramic plates is one of the best options for silk press.
It’s ergonomic design makes it simple and easy to use without worrying about hurting yourself. The device has a timer that automatically shuts it off after one hour, giving you peace of mind each time you use it.
The tourmaline ceramic plates heat up quickly, distribute heat evenly, and ionize the hair during styling, which locks in moisture and prevents static, leaving your hair silky-smooth.
It features a temperature dial that allows you to regulate the heat up to 410°F, offering enough heat for the most stubborn of curls.
Due to it’s amazing ionizing and infrared heat technology, it makes a perfect choice for silk press and leaves your hair looking and feeling amazing.
10. INFINITIPRO BY CONAIR Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron
On a budget? No worries. You can stil have perfectly shiny and smooth hair with this InfinityPro By Conair flat iron.
At such a low price point, we’re genuinely impressed with all the features this flat iron has.
Firstly, it uses tourmaline ceramic plates, which are ideal for a silk press. Tourmaline ceramic plates heat up fast and distribute the heat evenly to prevent burning or dehydrating the hair.
It also provides your hair with a lot of negative ionization, reducing frizz and locking in shine.
It has a temperature wheel that lets you choose between 30 different heat settings. This particular flat iron can heat up to 455°F! We don’t recommend going that high unless you really need to, but the option is there. As if by magic, this flat iron can heat up within 15 seconds, saving you tons of time in the morning.
By all accounts, this is a great flat iron that seems to provide professional results at an affordable price point.
11. Deogra Flat Iron
Another great budget-friendly option that is specifically advertised for use during silk press is this Deogra Flat Iron.
There are a few unique features about this flat iron that we’re in love with.
First, its tourmaline ceramic plates are infused with keratin and argan oil, giving your hair a moisturizing and nourishing treatment every time you’re styling it.
This helps the flat iron seal your cuticles, lock in any moisture, hydrate, strengthen, and condition your hair all in one go.
Secondly, in addition to the natural negative ionization that comes from the ceramic tourmaline plates themselves, this flat iron also has a negative ion outlet – a little hole that emits millions of negative ions while you’re running the tool through your hair, giving you even more smoothness and shine.
The flat iron has six temperature settings going up to 430°F that you can adjust easily with a button. The rounded shape of the flat iron allows you to use it for straightening and curling so that you can style your hair any way you want depending on your mood.
We also love that it comes with accessories – a heat resistant glove to keep your fingers safe from burning, and two sturdy hair clips to section your hair for better styling.
Reviewers agree: if you have a curly hair type, this flat iron can do wonders for you. For such an affordable price, this little tool packs a big punch as far as features go. It makes a great companion for anyone interested in trying the silk press technique.
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