A few years ago, I bought a cheap flat iron to smooth out my naturally wavy hair, but ditched it when I struggled to get my hair to move smoothly through it, causing dents and making my hair feel fried. Since then, I’ve become a hair care minimalist, shampooing and conditioning once a week and and liberally applying hair powder whenever I’m feeling a little greasy. Sometimes, I curl it with a curling wand, but it’s usually such a time-consuming process, I usually just blowdry and go.
That is, until recently, when an opportunity to try the Zeva Professional Vibrating Flat Iron arrived. Founded as a natural nail care manufacturer in 1994 by entrepreneur Mike Rodich, the flat iron is the Minneapolis-based brand Zeva‘s first foray into professional-grade hair styling tools. What makes Zeva’s flat iron stand out from other brands is its vibrating element: The optional feature (which can be turned off) helps hair to run more smoothly through the iron’s ceramic plates, reducing frizz and stress on the hair, resulting in smoother, healthier strands.
Other unique features of Zeva’s flat iron include its Positive Thermal Coefficient Heating System, an advanced safety and electrical feature that the brand developed. It is said to allow the iron to heat faster, maintain the desired temperature, and prevent temperatures from exceeding 450 degrees Farhrenheit–meaning the hair has less propensity to get damaged by excessive heat. The product even includes a helpful guide to what temperature is ideal for your hair type. The flat iron also includes advanced circuit board technology to provide a safe, more durable, and longer-lasting product, tourmaline-coated ceramic plates–the combination of which is said to provide the smoothest-possible surface for less stress on the hair–and a heat-resistant pouch.
Recently, hair vloggers and beauty magazines alike have sung the praises of curling hair with a flat iron. Unlike a curling wand, a flatiron’s curved edges gives hair a slightly imperfect, messier, more modern look that’s more Lou Doillon than Shirley Temple. Before curling, I gave my hair a quick touch-up to smooth it out, for those looking for a more traditional flat iron experience:
In my experience, Zeva’s claims of a smoother flat iron experience proved to be true, as I discovered after spending a few weeks testing out the iron. Because I’m a flat-iron-curl novice, it took me a few tries to get the technique down. You start by clamping the hair closest to the scalp in sections, and then flipping the iron back, slowing pulling the hair through to the end. It results in a spring or wavy curl, depending on how long you clamp the hair. Ultimately, I achieved a soft, modern set of curls in a fraction of the time it usually takes me to curl my full head with a curling wand, and best of all, they make me feel French-girl cool.
$129.95 @ zevanails.com and @ Gem Salon + Spa (526 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-222-3839, gemsalonspa.com)
Photos by Jahna Peloquin
