So, about a month ago, a nice man named Brian from a company called Misikko contacted me about maybe, possibly sending me one of their professional grade flat irons to try out and then review here on the blog (do you think he was trying to say something about my hair? : )).

I honestly don’t get just tons of such requests, but some of the ones I do get are not really my thing, so I politely decline.

But let me tell you this: I have never had a professional grade anything when it comes to my hair, so you better believe I answered that email quick, fast, and in a hurry.

In fact, I ran upstairs and did a tap-dance in my husband’s office while I told him the good news…which made it kind of hard to understand me since I was little out of breath by the time I got done.

But he got the general idea, especially since he’s heard me grumble some about my current flat iron, which was purchased at a large chain store which shall remain unnamed and which, if I am very nice to it, and allow it heat up for at least 5 minutes, might get my bangs (the only things I attempt to straighten with it) close to a semblance of tame.

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Here’s that picture again that I don’t like (man, my teeth look weird), but it’s a perfect example of the results I usually get from my current straightening iron.

Now, let it be known that my bangs are definitely in need of a trim here, so the scraggliness is my fault. But the frizz, the flatness, and the random flips are all the flat iron’s doing.

Let’s consider this our “before.”

Since this is 5 Things Thursday, let me tell you five things that I’m loving about my new Hana straightening iron from Misikko:

1. It heats up super-fast, and it gets super-hot. When the red light flickers, it’s ready to rock, and it took maybe 15 seconds for that to happen. On its highest setting, my hair is too hot to touch immediately after a pass with the iron.

That never happened with my other model.

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(She’s pretty too!)

2. It handled my bangs like, well, like a pro.

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This is pretty much what my hair looks like after showering, applying product, letting it air-dry, and then sleeping on it. Not terrible, but a little out-of-control.

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I’m so inexperienced with hair tools and heat that, looking back, I’m amazed at my foolhardiness in even trying this move.

But it only took a few passes and a couple of burnt fingers and yelping before I got this.

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Quite an improvement over this, if you ask me. And in about half the time.

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3. It makes pretty curls!

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Yeah, I know it’s called a straightening iron, but did you know you can curl your hair with them too? Simply clamp down on an 1” wide strand of hair, halfway down its length, wrap the bottom of the strand around the barrel of the iron once, and then, with the iron still firmly clamped on your hair, pull it downward until all the hair has gone through.

If you need more details, this Youtube video is great (plus the girl doing the tute is just ridiculously gorgeous!).

I was about to run out the door to teach BODYCOMBAT, so I didn’t have tons of time, but it only took 5 minutes to take my curls from frizzy and flippy to smooth and more defined. (Please tell you me can tell which side got curled because my husband couldn’t, poor man).

4. It came with tons of fun, unexpected extras!

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I was expecting the iron by itself, but instead I got:

1. A foldover pouch to hold it

2. A rubber mat to put it on in between uses—totally practical since there are scorch marks on top of our bathroom dresser upstairs from the times I’ve left my iron on too long unattended (meaning between uses, not meaning just sitting there on with no one around. That has never happened. *cough*)

3. Cute little scented paper rosettes

4. Round brush (I’m ashamed to say I don’t have one like this)

5. Nail files + hand sanitizer

6. Sleep mask

7. Towel

8. Storage bag

9. Eyelash curler from e.l.f. (best one I’ve used so far…as in it actually curled my eyelashes, imagine that)

10. Eye-brightening shadow (which I’m wearing in the next pictures) from e.l.f.

11. Powder brush from e.l.f.

12. Fabric rose

(I suppose I should note that I’m pretty sure I got this as a gift package for the review and that it is not the normal packaging that comes with a Hana product order…but I could be wrong).

5. And, most importantly of all, since it is a straightening iron, after all, it STRAIGHTENED beautifully!

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I only straighten my hair once every very blue moon (I think the last time was right after Della was born, and she’s 15-months-old) because it takes so stinking long and requires at least two repetitions of the process to get it really smooth.

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It used to take me 45 minutes on the first pass because my hair is so thick. But this is after 30 minutes, which included about 1/2 a dozen interruptions from a fussy toddler and a 4 1/2-year-old who thought the world had ended when I wouldn’t let him eat his Cheerios with the world’s tiniest baby spoon.

Yup, I’m pretty much in love.

In fact, the only thing that I don’t love is the fact that the iron itself gets quite hot on the outside where the actual plates are, even with the rubberized coating. That didn’t happen with my other model, but that may be normal for high heat models.

It’s not a super-big deal as long as I remember not to touch that part while I’m working with my hair.

Disclaimer: I received zero payment for this post (unless you count the product that I reviewed) and every opinion I’ve expressed has been 100% mine and 110% genuine.

I was super-excited to get something that I knew I could use but which I’d always held off investing in because I wasn’t sure it would really be “that much better.”

Um…yeah. Happily wrong on that one.

Also, please understand that I am not comparing my new Hana straightening iron to other professional grades (although this one appears to have very good reviews in general) but instead to my own limited experience with straightening irons so far.

But let me tell you, it has been a vast and welcome improvement.

If you’re interested in the particular model I used, it’s the Hana Titanium professional ceramic flat iron with tourmaline. You can check it out here.

I can’t wait for the hubs to get home and see my shiny, straight hair (he loves being able to run his hands through it without getting them stuck : )).

See you soon for Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL!

0 Comments

  1. Omg, your cute husband looks like Bradley Cooper! ( One of the sexiest men alive!). Lucky you¡

  2. I have the same straightener and I received goodies with my shipment as well!!! Great straightener…

  3. Super cute! I love your curly hair, I am envious that you can wake up and have cute waves (I even like your bangs before they are straight) but your hair looks so so so pretty straight! you look like a movie star!

  4. Sooo awesome!! My sister has been complaining about how duddy her straightener is, too! Maybe if she’s suuuuper nice I’ll consider this one as a “who’s your favorite big sister now?!” birthday present :]

  5. I’m so in need of a new straightener. I have one bigger one and since getting bangs it does not work on them! I want this one! : ) And your hair looks beautiful (and I have to say your teeth do NOT look weird.)

  6. Hmmm…firecracker. Depends on the moment, for sure, Amanda! When I’m tired…definitely not. I tend to get really quiet and somewhat cranky.

    But with lots of energy and a good mood…umm…yeah, I pretty much talk exactly like I write, move my hands a lot, and make lots of goofy expressions.

    So…maybe. ?? : )

I love hearing from you guys!