GHD hair straighteners are among the most popular flat irons for straightening or curling hair. In fact, the GHD IV was named the 'Best Hairstyling Gadget'by the Cosmopolitan in 2008. This high-end hairstyling equipment comes with lots of convenience and safety features such as quality ceramic heating plates, static-free surface, temperature protection, universal voltage, and sleep mode. However, the popularity of these gadgets has also made it one of the most counterfeited styling products. Non-authentic products feature no warranty and lack many of the exciting features that the original product is known for. Additionally, fake items can overheat and seriously damage your hair or even cause fires.

At present, there are thousands of dealers around the world who offer GHD. But how do you make sure that what you get is the real thing? Here are some tips to differentiate the real from the fake ones:

*Stay away from the second-hand products sold online or by dubious sounding companies. Always buy an original gadget from a reputed retailer based in your home country.

*Authentic gadgets feature serial numbers on the tag. Visit the official site of GHD straighteners and enter this serial number to activate the 2 year warranty on your machine. Fake serial numbers will not be accepted by the system.

*Genuine packing includes instruction booklet, serial numbered GHD gadget, and a power adaptor.

*Authentic products come with hologram stickers on the tag and inside the heating plate.

*While fake hairstyling machines feature plastic hinge pins, the real ones come with metal pins.

*Although the real products are sometimes available at discounted rates, remember to make sure that they are not fake ones that always come cheap. Generally, these gadgets are priced between USD 80 to USD 120. If you find an item that is priced about 50 percent lower than these rates, it is probably a fake.

How To Use It Right

Now that you have learnt to identify a genuine GHD, let us move on to learning how to use it correctly to attain the best results. Use these steps as a guideline while straightening your hair:

*Use a good quality heat protection product before beginning heat styling procedures like blow drying, straightening or curling. Heat protection sprays, serums, and creams prevent hair from becoming dry by locking in the natural moisture of the hair as well as adding moisture to the hair.

*Before straightening, blow dry your hair and make sure that it is completely dry.

*Run a comb or brush through the hair to untangle the hair and prepare it for the GHD.

*Before heating up the straightener, wipe off any residue on the flat iron plates with a soft cloth.

*Power up the gadget and let it heat up. After about 20 seconds, you will hear a beep and see the LED flashing, implying that it has reached maximum temperature.

*Start with a small portion of hair. Clamp the straightener on the hair near the base and slowly run it down to the tip of your hair.

*After straightening, use a styling spray to keep the hair straight for longer.