Whats the difference between ceramic and tourmaline flat irons?

Choosing the best flat iron or curling wand for your hair can actually be much more difficult than it seems. Besides how many different brands and settings exist, there are also different types of materials the plates and barrels can be made of. So should you use a ceramic, tourmaline, or titanium hot tool? Turns out, one isn't always strictly better than the others. What you choose will depend more on your needs and hair-type. So to find out exactly what the differences among these various hot tools are, I emailed with a couple of experts.

Nick Stenson, Matrix SoColor Celebrity Stylist, and Jenny Johnson, Senior Stylist at Blackstones Salon, both let me in on how to determine which type of flat-iron or curling-wand material is best for your hair. According to Stenson, a hot-tool coating will be effective if it produces negative ions and infrared rays. These aspects, he explains, will help styled hair have that glossy finish without causing harm to strands. "The more negative ions produced, the better the end results on the hair," Stenson adds. But for the best results possible, make sure those ions and rays are coupled with the right coating for your hair-type. Here's everything you need to know about three main types of hot tools:

Remington T-Studio Silk Ceramic Flat Iron, $30, Amazon

According to both Stenson and Johnson, regardless of your hair-type or how damaged it is, you can use a ceramic iron. Ceramic provides the kind of protection that regular, aluminum plates don't by allowing hair to pass between plates without breaking or snagging, explains Stenson. It also has a lower potential to burn hair, adds Johnson. However, it may not always give the smoothest possible results, or be the easiest to use for extremely coarse or curly hair.

Best for: Fine and/or damaged hair

2. Tourmaline

HSI Professional Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron, $37, Amazon

"Tourmaline is a semi-precious, crystal silicate material that is ground to create a smooth coating that naturally produces negative ions when heated," says Stenson. Because tourmaline tends to generate exponentially more negative ions than ceramic plates, this coating is perfect for those who tend to suffer from frizz, flyaways, and static. It's also great for making coarse hair shine, says Johnson. But even though tourmaline will help keep hair straighter, longer than ceramic, because it is a gemstone, it is more prone to wear and may not last as long as ceramic or titanium tools, explains Stenson.

Best for: Dull and/or frizzy hair

3. Titanium

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium-Plated Ultra-Thin Straightening Iron, $130, Amazon

Although titanium is similar to tourmaline, it heats faster and more evenly, and is also the longest-lasting because it is a metal instead of a gemstone, says Stenson. Due to its even and extra-hot settings, titanium can't be beat when it comes to styling hair that is typically hard to straighten. However, Johnson warns that these higher temperatures that titanium tools reach can be damaging to hair if used improperly. She therefore does not recommend that fine hair opt for this type of hot-tool.

Best for: Coarse and/or unruly hair

Regardless of what type of tool you end up choosing though, remember to always use a heat protectant to keep your hair healthy while you style it.

Image: DjordjeDjurdjevic/E+/Getty Images

The two most common options in flat irons are tourmaline and ceramic. Both are used by professional hair stylists but they offer distinct advantages and disadvantages. Here’s a short primer on tourmaline and ceramic flat irons and what makes them different from each other.

Tourmaline and ceramic flat irons are called such because of the materials that make up the iron’s heating pad. Tourmaline lines the surface of a tourmaline flat iron, while ceramic is the material that lines the heating pad of a ceramic hair iron. The difference in material is actually what distinguishes the two from each other, since tourmaline has different properties when heated compared to ceramic.

Negative Ions

Tourmaline flat irons are said to produce a greater number of negative ions compared to ceramic straighteners. Negative ions strengthen the hair and produce a sleeker, shinier finish. Negative ions are said to promote better hair health and protects the hair strands better from the heat and mechanical damage of ironing.

Ironing Time

Although ceramic heats up pretty fast, tourmaline is known to heat up faster than ceramic irons. You get the work done in half the time, which means you are exposing the hair to heat for a shorter period of time. This is significant since hair is not damaged by the kind of flat iron you use but by the amount of heat applied on the hair. Shorter ironing periods are definitely better and safer for hair.

Cost

Tourmaline hair straighteners cost more compared to ceramic ones, but the advantages are usually worth it. Although ceramic flat irons also produce negative ions, tourmaline straighteners produce more and heat up faster, which helps avoid too much damage on the hair.

Most manufacturers also produce tourmaline and ceramic flat irons which are less expensive than pure tourmaline ions. These are good choices for those who want to consider the price tag but still want to enjoy the benefits of tourmaline plates.

Selections

Because of the expense you can find more selections of ceramic hair irons compared to tourmaline. You can find tourmaline hair irons from high end brands but these usually cost more than your usual hair irons. Ceramic plates are more affordable and you can find them almost anywhere.

However, with the popularity of tourmaline hair straightening, more and more manufacturers are creating lines of tourmaline or tourmaline and ceramic hair irons, so there are bound to be more models of tourmaline straightening irons now compared to several years ago.

If you are looking for a great hair iron it is best to stick to either ceramic or tourmaline plates. Both are designed to keep heating to a minimum and both produce negative ions which prevent too much damage on the hair.

If your budget permits, choose a tourmaline plate over a ceramic one, since this has been found to produce better results and less damage compared to its ceramic counterpart. It also important to use a heat protectant on your hair every time you straighten, regardless of the kind of hair iron you are using.

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