Hair Straighteners/Dual Voltage

[flortlebap]

Hi all, a little help please!

Last time I went to WDW I remember my hair straighteners wouldn't heat up! Just wondering what to do now?

Do GHDs work over there (apparently they're dual voltage but I'm not sure)... If not, do I need to buy actual travel straighteners or just buy some USA ones? What do you guys do?

Thanks

 

[Figaro's paws]

Hi! When I went on my first trip to the world, I took my ghd's and they didnt work.....I was not happy! We did go to wallmart and bought some cheapie ones there, but they were useless on my thick hair. My hair is awful and without straightners in that heat I had to permenantly hide under a hat and hate all the photos!. Bit extreme for some, but it bothers me!

So the next year we went I was prepared - I actually bought a decent pair of american ones which I knew would be great for my hair and now I take then everytime we go. (think I got them on ebay).

I guess it depends on how much it bothers you, as I know some people wouldnt want to spend the money on something they only took on hols once a year if that, but like I said, my hair is really bad and along with the heat, its not a pretty sight!!

 

[flortlebap]

It bothers me a lot lol!

Where did you buy your good USA ones? Thanks

 

[janeyb]

Hi there,

I have the same problem as I have REALLY curly hair that frizzes up as soon as I set foot in Orlando!! The first time I went to FL I managed to blow up my very expensive hair straighteners, so I went to Walmart and bought the most expensive pair in the store. They are rubbish in comparison to GHD's and they don't straighten it half as well and it still starts to frizz went it's really humid.

This year I tried something else for the first time that I have now become addicted to and will never set foot in Florida without having it done again!

I went to the hairdressers and had a Keratin treatment done which was BRILLIANT!! It was expensive as I had one done that lasts 3-4 months but you can get one done that lasts just a few weeks. It straightens your hair, makes it MUCH more manageable and makes it really glossy. Apparently it's what Kate Middleton has done to her hair, that's why you never see it frizzing when she's about and about like it used to when you see her in old Uni photo's!!

The treatment that I had, you have to go into the salon have it put on your hair, then you can't get it wet or put it behind your ears for 72 hours (which was difficult), then you go back for the second part, so if you are considering this then allow enough time before you go away.

Once I had it done it was fantastic, I got caught in the rain a few times and it still stayed really straight and didn't frizz once either in Orlando or in the Bahamas when we went cruising on the Disney Dream. It took half the amount of time to dry and no styling - BRILLIANT!!

You do need to use the Keratin products afterwards though as normal shampoo strips it off and it won't last as long. The hairdressers gave me travel samples included in the price but I also bought shampoo and conditioner at Walmart to bring home as it was much cheaper.

Just an idea, but I thought I'd let you know about it and how pleased I was with it. Like I said it is exepensive (I paid £200 for the one that lasts the longest, but you can get one that will last you for the holiday for about £45 I think), may be worth a try, but beware you'll become addicted!!!

Jave a great trip!

 

[2Tiggies]

I ordered mine on Amazon.com and had them delivered directly to the resort. Dual voltage straighteners here when I looked were over £50. I got a decent set for under $20 including delivery. I just leave them in the suitcase so they are there to go back on subsequent trips and if we ever have to leave them behind for space/weight restriction reasons, it's not a great loss

 

[JintyB]

Wish I'd read this before we went last year. My GHDs didn't work I ended up wearing a sun visor which was preferable to the hideous frizz beneath it! Am going to note these tips for next time!

Jeanette

 

[disneyholic family]

Hi there,

I have the same problem as I have REALLY curly hair that frizzes up as soon as I set foot in Orlando!! The first time I went to FL I managed to blow up my very expensive hair straighteners, so I went to Walmart and bought the most expensive pair in the store. They are rubbish in comparison to GHD's and they don't straighten it half as well and it still starts to frizz went it's really humid.

This year I tried something else for the first time that I have now become addicted to and will never set foot in Florida without having it done again!

I went to the hairdressers and had a Keratin treatment done which was BRILLIANT!! It was expensive as I had one done that lasts 3-4 months but you can get one done that lasts just a few weeks. It straightens your hair, makes it MUCH more manageable and makes it really glossy. Apparently it's what Kate Middleton has done to her hair, that's why you never see it frizzing when she's about and about like it used to when you see her in old Uni photo's!!

The treatment that I had, you have to go into the salon have it put on your hair, then you can't get it wet or put it behind your ears for 72 hours (which was difficult), then you go back for the second part, so if you are considering this then allow enough time before you go away.

Once I had it done it was fantastic, I got caught in the rain a few times and it still stayed really straight and didn't frizz once either in Orlando or in the Bahamas when we went cruising on the Disney Dream. It took half the amount of time to dry and no styling - BRILLIANT!!

You do need to use the Keratin products afterwards though as normal shampoo strips it off and it won't last as long. The hairdressers gave me travel samples included in the price but I also bought shampoo and conditioner at Walmart to bring home as it was much cheaper.

Just an idea, but I thought I'd let you know about it and how pleased I was with it. Like I said it is exepensive (I paid £200 for the one that lasts the longest, but you can get one that will last you for the holiday for about £45 I think), may be worth a try, but beware you'll become addicted!!!

Jave a great trip!

is it what's referred to as japanese straightening? or brazilian straightening?

i've thought about it, but haven't done it yet.

 

[disneyholic family]

i found this article about keratin hair treatments - now i'm not so sure if i'll do it

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/features/keratin-hair-straightening-treatments

 

[Clare D]

I bought a set of the ghd dual voltage straighteners for our last trip and they worked just like at home with no problems at all. The good thing is I can use them at home or abroad. It was a bit of an indulgence though as I already had a set of ghds without the dual voltage function but having curly hair I didn't mind

 

[flortlebap]

Thanks everyone, I may now get them shipped to the resort, would it matter if they arrived before I did?

The keratin thing would have been great when I had longer hair, but it's mid length now so I need the straighteners to actually style it and then curl it at night! I'll keep looking

 

[UKDEB]

I've been through the same process others describe. Going back several years, my ghd's didn't work properly and I ended up buying a very expensive set of straighteners in New York. I've still got them and they're fine, BUT ever since the advent of the ghd dual-voltage variant, it hasn't been necessary for me to use them. As long as your ghd's are version IV or later, you should be fine.

I've long since moved on to Cloud Nine straighteners which are made by the group of individuals originally behind ghd. After selling the company, they were precluded from entering the market for a time, but they're now back with a superior product. I can't honestly say they work any better than ghd's, but they're much more attractive (black plates), have a variable heat setting and an ingenious cover which allows you to pack them whilst still hot. I think someone told me ghd have cottoned on to that aspect now, but it really is a boon for me.

 

[UKDEB]

Here's a picture of the plastic cover:

 

[UKDEB]

Me again! I ought to mention, because I'm not sure that I made it clear, that I have taken several different pairs of ghd dual-voltage straighteners (and my dual-voltage Cloud Nines) to the US and all of them have worked fine. I'm guessing (but maybe they could wade in) that those who have reported problems were using older, non-dual-voltage versions.

 

[April2012]

I am here now and was gutted when I found my GHD's didn't work. In the end we went to Walmart and had the choice of buying a transformer thingy bob that brings down the voltage (I think??) or buying a new pair.
We opted for a new pair so I paid $24.00 for some Wet to dry Remmingtons.
They are no where near as good as my GHD's but serve a purpose which way beats having to have frizzy big hair the whole holiday

 

[Lisa x]

I also have GOT to have straighteners for my frizz bomb and I have the dual voltage ghds which work exactly the same there as they do here at home! My previous ghds did not though which is why I upgraded to the dual voltage! Never had a problem and they are still like brand new years later!

!

 

[flortlebap]

I also have GOT to have straighteners for my frizz bomb and I have the dual voltage ghds which work exactly the same there as they do here at home! My previous ghds did not though which is why I upgraded to the dual voltage! Never had a problem and they are still like brand new years later!

!

In that case, I'm sure it must be compulsory so I need to convince my OH that I need to buy new ghds to ensure they work

 

[Rach78]

This thread has got me panicking too! Last time I went to DLRP for 3 days my straightners wouldn't work and my hair was grim! Can't have that happen for almost 3 weeks in Florida!
So I just went and checked my straightners. I have a relatively cheap babyliss pair that say they are multi voltage on the box. Funnily enough my better set don't seem to be dual voltage. I have lost the instructions though and wanted to know if you usually have to change a switch or anything to convert to different voltage as I can't see anything like that on them? Or should they just work if I plug them in when there?
Thanks
Rach x

 

[disneyholic family]

I am here now and was gutted when I found my GHD's didn't work. In the end we went to Walmart and had the choice of buying a transformer thingy bob that brings down the voltage (I think??) or buying a new pair.
We opted for a new pair so I paid $24.00 for some Wet to dry Remmingtons.
They are no where near as good as my GHD's but serve a purpose which way beats having to have frizzy big hair the whole holiday

we also bought a remmington when we were there. I agree, not good at all.

 

[Lisa x]

In that case, I'm sure it must be compulsory so I need to convince my OH that I need to buy new ghds to ensure they work

Haha......I would do the 'imagine if I buy a pair and they don't work, then I will have to spend more for another pair etc......by the time I have done, I could have bought dual voltage ghds and they will last years' thing!

 

[flortlebap]

This thread has got me panicking too! Last time I went to DLRP for 3 days my straightners wouldn't work and my hair was grim! Can't have that happen for almost 3 weeks in Florida!
So I just went and checked my straightners. I have a relatively cheap babyliss pair that say they are multi voltage on the box. Funnily enough my better set don't seem to be dual voltage. I have lost the instructions though and wanted to know if you usually have to change a switch or anything to convert to different voltage as I can't see anything like that on them? Or should they just work if I plug them in when there?
Thanks
Rach x

They should just work. However you need to check that the multi voltage covers the 110 that you need in the US - I have a pair which claim to be multi voltage but they're only 200 - 240 rather than 110 to 220. (I'm becoming a bit of an expert on the subject )

I do have curling tongs which have a voltage switch, though.