Which Baby is Best for You?
Babyliss pro Hair Straighteners produced some of the best flat irons 2014, 2015 and 2016 had to offer and look set to stay at the top of the game in 2017.
Recently I came across their BaByliss Pro Porcelain Plate Flat Iron and was really surprised by its cheap price tag (under $40!!!). I must admit I was pretty excited. Had I found the holy grail of cheap but good flat irons? Or has Babyliss dropped the ball?
So today I would like to compare the Pro Porcelain’s quality, effectiveness, and features with the more expensive Babyliss flat iron models.
Hair Like a Porcelain Doll
This Babyliss flat iron has ceramic plates coated with porcelain. This alternative to a tourmaline coating is very good at conducting an even temperature without hot spots. They do not produce as many negative ions as titanium plates but there’s still enough to keep moderate frizz at bay.
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Is it Your Type?
The BaByliss Pro Porcelain Plate Flat Iron seems to be pretty effective on most hair types. The one-inch plates have variable heat control up to 450 degrees so that you can cool it down for thin hair and heat it up for coarse or curly hair.
If you have a shorter hairstyle, the Pro Porcelain is not your best option because the plastic housing makes precision difficult and you can’t get close into the roots. On the same note, if you’ve got the super long hair you’re probably better with a straightener with wider plates.
Conclusion: these Babyliss pro hair straighteners are pretty good for any hair type as long as you’ve got a mid-length style.
Nice and Hot!
flat iron experts say that the optimum temperature for hair straightening is around 365 degrees, give or take a little depending on whether your hair is fine or coarse. These irons can go right up to 450 (NEVER put that much heat in your hair – the cortex will melt and you’ll end up with a frazzled mess!). But don’t worry, they have a variable temperature control so you can set it to the right level for your hair. The porcelain plates heat up really quickly and the heat seems to be fairly evenly distributed.
Straight out of the Shower?
Now I just want to throw another model into the mix! One model that’s making a splash right now is the Babyliss wet and dry straightener. This straightener claims to work on damp (not dripping wet!) hair so that you can skip the blow drying stage altogether and get on with styling. The BaByliss Pro Wet-To-Dry Nano Straightener has the titanium plates and all of the same features of the traditional Nano with this added ability.
I’m not rushing out to buy a wet to dry straightener just yet. My concern is that the technology hasn’t advanced to the stage where the straightener can cope with all that extra moisture. It might feel dry, straight and shiny when you first finish styling, but I’d be afraid of a frizz explosion later in the day!
I flicked over to Amazon.com and found that the Babyliss pro wet to dry flat iron reviews are quite mixed. Some people absolutely love it and won’t live without it while others are less than impressed. It usually costs around $140.
Given a choice between the BaByliss Pro Wet-To-Dry Nano Straightener and the BaByliss Pro Porcelain Plate Flat Iron, I would probably go with the wet to dry, mostly because I’m a real snob when it comes to materials and I love the strength, heat, and reliability of titanium. I think I’d mostly use it on dry hair, though.
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Versatile Style
While this company does produce a range of curling tongs such as the Babyliss pro curling tongs and the titanium miracurl, they’re not really necessary if you know how to use a flat iron to make curls. I often point people in the direction of the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium if they want a model they can use to curl.
The BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium has the right amount of heat, narrow plates and thin housing to make gorgeous flat iron curls that last all night. I’m always recommending this straightener to friends who want to be able to curl as well as straighten.
I’m not convinced that the BaByliss Pro Porcelain Plate Flat Iron will have the same styling versatility. The thicker plastic housing makes it difficult to get in close to the roots (nobody wants a halo!) and will also lead to kinks and angles when you try to curl.
Just a Little Flimsy
One thing that’s coming through loud and clear in the flat iron reviews of the Pro Porcelain is that it’s a little lightweight, and not in a good way! A number of people have complained that the plates don’t touch and some say that their model lasted less than a year (that being said, others reported that they lasted ages). I guess it comes back to “you get what you pay for” – if you buy $40 straighteners, you can expect about $40 worth of use from them. Hey, it’s much less than the cost of one trip to the hairdressers!
At This Price, It’s Worth A Try
If you’ve got your heart set on the Babyliss quality, style and name, but can’t stretch to $140 for the titanium model, then the BaByliss Pro Porcelain Plate Flat Iron is a pretty good option. It has one of the best babyliss flat iron prices you’ll ever see at just $40 (approximately – prices are always changing). Why not check out what it’s going for right now?
In terms of flat iron ratings, the Pro Porcelain is proving pretty popular. It has an overall customer rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars after well over 1000 reviews on Amazon.com. Most people say that it’s great for the price but some find it frustrating that the plates don’t touch and some say it just didn’t last as long as it should have.
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Summary: Which Baby is Sweetest?
Babyliss usa is one of the top hair straighteners brands in the world. I frequently recommend the BaByliss PRO Nano Titanium as the best professional hair straightener for people who want the versatility of being able to curl or straighten.
But does the BaByliss Pro Porcelain Plate Flat Iron live up to the babyliss hair straightener name?
Yes – up to a point. It’s a good option for any hair type, heats up quickly and evenly and most of the reviews are fairly positive. There is some concern over how long it will last and that the flimsier construction means that the plates don’t always align.
The BaByliss Pro Porcelain Plate Flat Iron gets a 3.5 out of 5 star rating from me: it’s an okay straightener but not one I’d buy for my salon (or for myself!).
The BaByliss Pro Wet-To-Dry Nano Straightener gets 4 out of 5 stars – it’s a great idea but I’m just not convinced the technology’s there yet.
And finally, I give the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium 4.5 out of 5 stars for its versatility, quality materials and lasting power.
In my opinion, the Babyliss ceramic straighteners with porcelain plates are just not at the standard of the Babyliss titanium models. That said, they’re nearly $100 cheaper, so it’s hardly a surprise.