Beauty

The 9 Best Hair Straighteners for All Hair Types

Looking to swap out your flat iron? Hairstylists share their picks for the best hair straighteners….

Winter is a great time to explore heat styles, be they flat-ironed looks or voluminous blowouts. Accordingly, you might be on the lookout for the next best hair straightener to take yours to the next level.

While hairstylist Mickiela Smith of MMSMITH.CO notes that there are many factors that go into heat styles (scalp conditions, hair state, type, etc.), she explains that since cold air is typically more dense—holding less water and humidity—cooler days can mean that thermal manipulated styles become easier to maintain.

“When it comes to hot tools, preserving the integrity of your hair should be your top priority,” says editorial hairstylist Naeemah LaFond. “That sleek glassy finish or smooth silk press shouldn’t cost you the health of your hair. When shopping for the right tools, technology and functionality are key factors. It’s important to know that all straighteners aren’t created equal.”

Luckily, to help you out in your search, ten professional hairstylists are weighing in on what they consider to be the best hair straightener on the market. Read on for their recommendations.

T3 SinglePass Luxe 1” Straightening and Styling Iron

Larry Sims—who counts Regina King and Alicia Keys among his clients, and works with Gabrielle Union on her hair care brand—says this straightener is his favorite because of its advanced technology and versatility. Heat is dispersed evenly through the plates, he explains. “Using the T3, you can literally glide smoothly over the hair in just one pass.” And, he adds, “Its stylish round edge design makes it easy to achieve any desired styles, from waves to voluminous curls to flips to straight and sleek hair.”

T3 Micro Singlepass Ceramic Straightening and Styling Iron

BaByliss Pro® Porcelain 2″ Straightener

Celebrity hairstylist and barber Nigella Miller says this one is her favorite because of its porcelain ceramic plate technology. “I feel like it gives me the perfect straightened look I’m going for. Having 4c hair, I need a straightener that’s going to heat up enough to smooth out my curls without having to do multiple passes. The ceramic plate just seals my cuticle which gives me the perfect curly to straight look.”

BaBylissPRO Porcelain Ceramic 1” Straightening Iron

The NuMe Megastar

Erinn Courtney (celebrity hairstylist and braider for Rickie Thompson, Nazanin Mandi, and Willow Smith, among others) says the NuMe Megastar straightener has been her go-to straightener for years. “It’s sleek and ergonomic. It’s very comfortable in the hand, and that’s important to me since I do a lot of braiding and need to protect my hands,” she says. “The hair always come out super straight, soft and shiny. And because the Nume is on the smaller side, it’s really easy to create curls and styles other than simply straightening.”

NuMe’s Megastar X Professional Grade Hair Straightening Iron

$199

AMAZON

Amika Confidante Moisture maintenance styler

Naeemah LaFond—who serves as Christopher John Rogers’s go-to hairstylist for his iconic shows—reaches for this one because of its “infrared heat technology that penetrates deep into the hair shaft, heating the strands evenly and gently from the inside out.” She adds that it looks great on any countertop “with its super sleek and glam matte black and gold finish—beauty and brains.”

Amika The Confidante Moisture Maintenance Styler

$150

AMAZON

HAIRBEAURON 3D Plus by Bioprogramming

Mickiela Smith is a fan of this device, which heats up to 360 degrees. Smith calls it a “more holistic and healthier way of smoothing the hair.”

Hairbeauron 3D Plus [Straight]

$350

BIOPROGRAMMING

GHD Platinum+ Hair Straightener

Celebrity hairstylist, Adir Abergel, whose clients include Emma Watson and Kristen Stewart, says he loves this straightener because of its technology. “This iron recognizes each section of hair and adapts the correct amount of heat that is necessary for each section of hair.”

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Celebrity

Lizzo’s Bold Transformation and Powerful Message Ignite Fan Debate

Grammy winner Lizzo is back in the spotlight this time, not for her music, but for a new chapter on a different path in her life. The “About Damn Time” singer sparked a flurry of comments when she took to Instagram over the weekend, showing off a noticeably trimmer figure. But she wasn’t just turning heads with her transformation. It was the statement she made alongside it.

In the clip, Lizzo spray-painting the words “Bye B####” across the cover of her Special album felt like a bold yet symbolic move. Alongside the clip, she wrote, “End of an era.” The four words reverberated across social media, leaving fans and critics alike wondering. What era was coming to a close, and what’s next?

Lizzo’s body positivity and self-love advocacy have long been central themes of her work, which makes this moment all the more provocative. Several fans lauded her evolution, viewing it as a sign of natural maturation. Others were unsettled, wondering if her transformation changed the message she had long promoted.

Social media erupted in response. Some commended her for calling her own shots in a changing era, while others debated whether this decision was consistent with the fearless body-acceptance philosophy she had long personified.

The Special era was a watershed moment for Lizzo, cementing her place among the industry’s heavy hitters. From songs of self-empowerment to adrenaline-infused performances, she clearly illustrated that confidence isn’t about a stain on a scale. It’s about knowing who you are. By spray-painting the album cover, she appears to be closing a chapter to clear the way for something else.

Artists evolve. As musicians do, Lizzo is trying her skills out on fresh sounds; her evolution physically, emotionally, and artistically is hers to narrate. Whether this moment is a rebrand, a shift in perspective, or an artistic expression, one thing is certain: Lizzo is fully owning being Lizzo.

With an “end of an era” declaration, fans eagerly wonder what comes next. Will she bring in a new sound? A new way to think about body image? An utterly wild card project? If Lizzo has a specialty, it’s ensuring that the world never knows what to expect.

Whether you love, hate, or celebrate it, her latest move shows she still owns her narrative and is not afraid to rattle the bones.

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Celebrity

Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Dominates Spotify’s Global Chart for Ninth Consecutive Day

Kendrick Lamar’s powerhouse hit “Not Like Us,” is showing no signs of slowing, spending its ninth consecutive day atop Spotify’s Global Chart. The track, which debuted on top on the strength of dethroning The Weeknd and SZA, shows no signs of losing momentum. Lamar’s blistering anthem has fended off all challengers, racking up 11.4 million streams this week alone, despite fresh competition from Drake and PartyNextDoor’s new album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U.

This newest milestone only enhances the song’s already historic run. Before this week, “Not Like Us” spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and a record 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. The track also solidified its legacy on Spotify’s Billions Club, crossing a billion streams on the platform earlier this month.

The series, it turns out, has also been involved in a legal battle that continues to roil the industry, beyond its streaming success. (A Model Company)/Duckwrth With Allure Records, Drake Accuses UMG of Defamation, Alleges Payola Tactics at His Expense Previously, Drake Filed a Federal Lawsuit Against UMG Earlier This Year Drake Filed a Federal Defamation Lawsuit Against The Label This Year (image) Drake filed a federal lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) the label that allegedly used payola tactics at his expense. UMG has vigorously denied the accusations, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to the current feud between the two rap titans.