As my regular readers will know, I have INCREDIBLY thick hair. Depsite having 7 inches chopped off for the Little Princess Trust in the summer, it has grown back fairly quickly, and as such, it takes me quite a long time to get ready in the mornings. As a Mum with two young children, our morning routine is pretty hectic and recently my hair has been lacking some attention. It takes so long to dry and straighten that I have resorted to just tying it back – not a very professional or attractive look for my new job!
I was recently asked if I wanted to trial a new straightener from Xtava. These pro-satin flat iron straighteners retail at just £29.99, but the write up felt like they were made for me. The box actually states “thick-haired girls rejoice” and with temperatures of up to 220 degrees, these straighteners promised to make even thick hair straight with minimal effort. I was really keen to give them a go.
About the Product
The Xtava Pro Satin Flat irons feature new, highly efficient, infrared heat technology which is proven to cause less damage to the hair cuticle as you straighten.
They feature an extra-wide, 5-cm bottom floating plate, plus upper Dual-Plate technology that maintains even heat. The advanced microprocessor allows you to choose from 11 temperature different settings between 130°C-230°C – making it suitable for all hair types from fine flyaway hair to thick course hair like my own.
The Xtava Pro Satin Flat irons heat up in just 90 seconds and have an auto-shutoff function for added peace of mind.
For more efficient use, they have a 360 degree swivel cord and a long cable length.
The Xtava Pro Satin Flat Iron straightners are available to purchase at Amazon here.
First Impressions
My first impressions of the Xtava Pro Satin Irons was very positive. The packaging is stylish and smart, and as such, I felt that the irons would make a great gift to any image conscious female! The initial box features a gold spotty design, and within this is a black presentation box with magnetic close.
Inside the box is a black storage bag which has a silver heat protected lining inside, presumably to protect the bag if the irons are still a little warm when packed away. I was really impressed with the length of the wire, as there is nothing worse than having to sit right next to the wall when doing your hair. The longer cable length and the fact it can swivel 360 from the straighteners means that you can have a fairly substantial amount of freedom whilst straightening.
My Experience
The Xtava Pro Satin Flat Iron Straighteners are extremely straight forward to use. Once turned on using the small power button on the inner side, the product starts to heat up. You can see the irons are on by the red infa red light on the inside of the irons, and the display shows the temperature rising (rapidly) as they heat up. You can also use the up and down arrows on the inside to move the temperature up and down as you wish.
As my hair is long and extremely thick, I went for the maximum heat setting which is 230 degrees. It goes without saying that this is INCREDIBLY hot, and as such, you do need to use the irons with caution. Your hair does feel very warm as you are touching it, so it goes without saying that you should avoid touching the irons themselves (there is even a label on the cable to remind you of this should you forget!!)
I split my hair up into sections and was able to straighten my hair relatively quickly, taking about 15 minutes from start to finish. As someone who has a LOT of hair I was really pleased with this length of time. The thicker plates really do help you grab larger sections of hair at a time, and you are still able to curl round the plates slightly at the bottom to provide a less severe effect at the edges.
At just £29.99 I wasn’t expecting to be blown away by the Xtava Pro Satin Irons, particularly as I have been in the ‘GHD camp’ for some time now. However, I have to say, I was actually VERY pleasantly surprised. The heat on these irons is extremely impressive. There was no snagging or pulling and they glide very easily through even thick hair. The finished effect is as straight as I would have achieved with my GHDS and for just a fraction of the price.
Overall, for the price I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with these straighters, and it is great to see a product that finally works as well on thick hair as it does on normal or fine hair.
I would definitely continue to use the Xtava Pro Satin straightening irons and if someone is looking for straightners with more of a limited budget, I would definitely recommend trying Xtava.
Pros:
- Very easy to use and set up
- Long and flexible wire.
- Fast heat up
- Range of temperatures to suit all hair types.
- Fast straightening
- Pro Satin and infra red to protect the hair even at high temperatures.
- Attractive packaging and storage bag.
- Extremely good value for money at just £29.99
Cons:
- Not a con as such but something to be aware of – the higher temperatures are EXTREMELY hot, and as such, you do need to use with caution. I perhaps wouldn’t recommend using the highest temperatures if you are using every day, and maybe to alternate with a cooler setting to maintain hair quality.
Want to win your own?
We have one set of Xtava Pro Satin Irons to giveaway! To enter, simply use the gleam app below – there are various ways to enter! GOOD LUCK!
Win the xtava Pro-Satin Infrared Straightener #16
*Disclosure – We were given a set of Xtava Pro Satin Irons free of charge in return for our honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
