Not Fair: Is the ghd Eclipse the best straightener for afro hair?

With the recent surge in humidity, it seems we’re all currently fighting a losing battle to stay frizz-free. Myself included. My hair’s of the type that straddles the fine line between beachy and Bon Jovi if left unattended to (less “It’s My Life” more “Livin’ on a Prayer”). At the slightest hint of moisture, my hair immediately goes on high alert and curls in on itself much like a hedgehog would at the sight of oncoming traffic, transforming into something reminiscent of a bicycle helmet. I like to think of it as my body’s defence mechanism against the plethora of lumps and bumps that I subject it to on a daily basis.

At the heart of my anti-humidity beauty artillery is my trusty pair of ghds. Ever a fan, I was particularly curious when I heard about their Eclipse  straighteners, £195 - even more so when I read the claim that the new tool even “makes light work of styling the toughest of textures, such as very thick, curly or afro hair”.

Challenge accepted, ghd. So off I went to try them out on my unmanageable mane of wayward 80s-rocker locks and to test them out on that of my friend’s, who by stark contrast to me has simply the most amazingly groomed Afro-Caribbean hair that I have ever seen.

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For starters, these straighteners look pretty cool. They turn on with a welcoming space-age-esque sound and heat up very quickly. The stand-out difference, though, between these and their predecessors comes courtesy of their new patented ‘tri-zone technology’ which uses six rather clever sensors in the plates to maintain a constant temperature of 185 degrees, also ensuring that no heat is lost during styling.

Why 185 degrees you ask? Well according to ghd HQ, it’s the best temperature for producing optimum results without effectively, flambéing your hair (a temperature maintained across the entire ghd styler range). This newest kid to the ghd block claims to provide great results even after a single stroke as well as providing faster styling time and better results than any ghd styler yet.

So are they worth paying the hefty £195 pricetag for?

For my hair type (thick and coarse South Asian hair), I found that the plates glided smoothly from root to tip without any snagging – only one stroke was needed to help my hair continue with its well-practised facade of “naturally” smooth and sleek. They were easy to use and I liked the fact that the plates stayed at a much more hair-friendly temperature compared to other brands. The results lasted an impressive three days (until my next hair wash) and I was able to create soft waves with ease too.

But now for the ultimate test: how did they fare on the bountifully bodacious, chemically untreated afro hair of my finely-tressed friend? Although easy to use, our tester found that the results (whether straight or wavy), didn’t last more than about 20 minutes before her hair started to curl back to her natural style. She also opts to cycle around London and found that the results didn’t endure a short bike ride either. She did however like the modern touches to the new model, but overall preferred the slightly more affordable originals for her hair type, as in the past they’ve provided smoother, longer-lasting results with their size offering greater manageability too.

So overall, if you have wavy or unruly hair, these are a great straightening upgrade – effective, easy to use, with some eye-catching modern updates too. However, if you have untreated Afro-Caribbean hair, don’t expect a miracle.

That said, we did all agree that ghd provides one of the best ranges of heating appliances out there. Whichever model you ultimately decide on is entirely down to personal preference and your particular styling needs - either way, you’re in good hands.