GHD Iron Oil (GHD Iron Oil Thermal Protection Spray)

Member Name: moog27

Product:	GHD Iron Oil Thermal Protection Spray
Date:	30/08/09 (132 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: smells nice, attractive bottle

Disadvantages: the price, it doesnt do as it says, leaves hair very greasy

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About GHD
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Many of you will have heard of the name GHD (which stands for 'good hair day') in relation to their famous (and rather expensive!) hair straightening irons. In the last few years GHD have become an extremely famous creator of salon-professional products which not only includes their high quality range of hair straighteners but also items like shampoos, conditioners, brushes, various styling products and finishing products. GHD products, especially the hair straighteners are known for being expensive (the hair straighteners costing around £90) but I swear by them as they straighten my hair better than any other straighteners I have used. The product I will be reviewing however is the GHD iron oil which is designed to be used in conjunction with GHD hair straightening irons.


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The Bottle
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The GHD iron oil comes in a rather stylish black, 250ml, pump action bottle. The bottle looks very proffesional ( I will include a picture). The writing on the bottle is mostly white and there is an attractive gold pattern on part of the bottle. The bottle has a black plastic cap covering the pump, which is pulled off when you want to use the spray.


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About the Spray
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The iron oil spray is a salon approved oil free formula (rather strange considering it is called iron OIL!!!!), which is designed for use with ghd ceramic hairstyling irons. The intention is to create straighter, smoother, static-free hair the professional way. When you use the formula you are greeted with a really nice salon product smell, which is not strong or overpowering at all which makes the product pleasurable to use. Because only a very small amount of the spray is needed, the bottle does last an extremely long time (a fair few months).


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How To Use
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The iron oil can be used on either dry hair or on wet hair before blow-drying.
To use on dry hair before using ceramic straighteners it is recommended that you use sparingly and lightly mist over dry hair. In terms of using the spray, I would recommend that you hold it about 15cm away from your hair and then press the pump to get an even but light spraying, it is then a good idea to comb through your hair before styling so that it evens it out and covers all of your hair!
To use on wet hair, spray in the same way before blow-drying and then style as usual.
When using ceramic straightening irons after using the iron oil spray, you will hear a fizzling noise while straightening and steam will come of off your hair as you style so don't worry - its not smoke!!

It is wise to avoid your eyes when you are spraying! (trust me!)

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The Claims
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The bottle makes several claims, which I will evaluate individually:

- Protects against heat -

Although this is a hard thing to judge, I have not noticed any difference in my hair whether I use the spray or not. Because of the reasons which I will explain below I no longer use this spray and my hair is in no worse a condition than it was when I was using the iron oil, so in regards to the claim that the spray protects against heat, all I can say is that there is no real difference.

- Increases shine -

I believe that I have given the iron oil spray a fair few trials, yet every time I have used it, as soon as I straighten my hair it makes it feel and look really greasy and other people who have used the spray have commented on this too. Now unless you class greasy looking hair as 'shiny' then the spray really doesn't fulfil this claim. Even when the most minute amount of the spray has been used on squeaky clean hair, it makes my hair go greasy so there is no shine, just greasy dullness.

- Improves hold -

I have found that my ghd straighteners are so effective that my hair keeps its style well anyway, and I have not noticed an improvement in hold when using this spray, unless it is assuming that the greasiness will hold your style!

- Eliminates static -

Usually when I straighten my hair without using the iron oil I do get a few static areas of hair but I can normally deal with these easily by slowly re-straightening them. When using the iron oil I have to say that I have noticed that my hair is less static but this is only when a more generous amount of the spray is used which unfortunately means my hair becomes even more greasy than when just a small mist is used! It is a shame because although the spray does help reduce static, the effect of the greasy appearance just isn't worth it.

- Helps repair damaged hair by revitalising every strand -

Again, this is not an effect, which I have noticed. My hair was in no better condition when I was using the spray than it is when I do not use the spray. I know that it is better for your hair to use a spray that protects against heat but I really do not think this spray makes much of a difference.

- Helps you achieve straighter, smoother hair -

My ghd hair straightening irons are extremely effective and by just using them alone I can get very straight and smooth hair. When using the iron oil spray there is no real difference other than the hair looks more lank and greasy.


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The Cost and Availability
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The GHD products are only available in some salons or on the Internet. The price for the iron oil on the official ghd website is £13.45 which in my mind is far too expensive for a product which doesn't do as it says.


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Overall
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Unfortunately I cannot recommend this product because I was extremely disappointed with it. I was so impressed with my GHD hair straighteners but this iron oil just does not live up to the ghd hype. Obviously different peoples hair will react differently to this product and it may well work for some people, however everyone who I have spoken to that uses this product has complained that it leaves their hair far to greasy and does not do as it says on the bottle so I have nothing positive to say about the product in relation to effectiveness. The only real positives I can come up with are that firstly the bottle is very stylish and attractive and secondly that the product has a very pleasant smell. Other than that I am afraid to say that I could not possible recommend the product because my hair actually looks and feels better if I don't use the spray at all! I will be on the look out for a heat protection spray that works well and doesn't leave my hair looking lank and greasy.

Summary: Shame it makes my hair so greasy