Two rotation buttons are located below the top of this barrel, and sit above a slide switch that lets you control the Airstyler’s three heat settings – low, high and cool. Its 2.7m cord then extends from the bottom. The floating plates (set on springs) ensure an even pressure and grip on the hair, helping it to pass through the tool smoothly. There are nine heat settings that make it easy to select the correct heat for your hair type and texture. It’s also easy to switch between temperatures, so you can use a recommended 180°C for the bulk of the hair and a cooler setting for the thinner, more fragile front sections. The straighteners heat up in just 15 seconds and feature automatic switch-off after one hour. First, there is the keratin and macadamia protective technology. What they have done is infuse the plates with a macadamia and keratin conditioner that is activated by heat. So as you glide the plates through your hair, the conditioner protects your hair from heat damage. It also gives your hair a glossy finish. To put the Airstyler to the ultimate test, we spent a month using it exclusively. We styled our hair for everyday events, for meetings and for nights out. Some days we went big and bouncy, others we opted for straight and sleek. We also styled our hair with waves, and curls.

It’s the same scenario with hair dryers. Remington sells many different types in a variety of colours and styles. BaByliss on the other hand has just around 10 of them but they are some of the most recommended in the market. When it comes to straighteners for instance, Remington has over 30 different types. There are premium salon straighteners, men’s straighteners, 3-in-1 straighteners, 4-in-1 straighteners and so on. They also have many different sizes of flat irons to suit all hair types. Diversification into hair care products began in 1937 starting with electric shavers. From then on, it changed hands several times until it landed under Spectrum Brands.All hair straighteners work by heating the hair using metal plates. This causes the hydrogen bonds in the hair to break (a process that also takes place when the hair is wet). The straightening tool then passes over the hair, holding it in a new, flat position. The hair retains this new shape as it cools and the hydrogen bonds reform. If the hair is wrapped around the tool rather than held straight while cooling, then the hair will take on a loose curl shape instead.

The attachment we were most excited to use, and the one that takes this styler from a standard hot brush to a Dyson Airwrap dupe, was the hot tong. After drying our hair to 80% and dividing it into four large sections, we methodically moved around the head, curling small strips of hair one at a time. Someone else wrote: "GHD quality at a fraction of the price. These straighteners prove you don't always get what you pay for. Sometimes you get much, much more! I can't praise them enough." For all three styles, we held the tong in place for around 10 seconds at a time but this will depend on your hair type, how well it holds curls and how damp it is. Size-wise, it’s just 22cm long and weighs 300g, which is substantially lighter than the Dyson Corrale at 561g. This makes it much easier to toss into a tote bag and carry around with you out and about. As a result of its compact size, the heated plates here are slightly narrower than average, but the “floating” spring mounts adjust to the contours of your hair, allowing the straighteners to effortlessly glide over sections of hair without any tugging or snagging. This will reduce the time it takes to style your hair, and means that the Unplugged’s 20-minute battery life will go further than you think. Tired of having to choose between sleek, straight hair and coveted curls? Then the Sleek & Curl Expert is about to become your new favourite styling tool. Designed to let you effortlessly create both straightening and curling styles, no two hair days will ever be the same.

BaByliss

Beauty heavyweight Revlon offers a simple but good-value option in these straightening irons. The ceramic coating on the floating heating plates is infused with moisturising coconut oil, paired with ionic technology to maintain hydration in the hair shaft and discourage frizz and flyaways. In fact, the BaByliss 3Q Hair Straighteners boast many of the features of their high-end contemporaries, using sensors to work out the correct temperature for your hair, maintaining heat and leaving a salon-shine finish. If you have more delicate or damaged hair, then the lower temperatures will certainly help keep your hair healthy. The 3Q straighteners aren’t the quietest in operation and sometimes make a rather disconcerting buzzing noise; but they represent good value for money in the middle of the market.