Counterfeit Flat Irons Damage Hair and Cause Safety Concerns
Replica flat irons may appear to be the real deal, but they soon malfunction or stop working completely. They also lack safety features and higher quality materials.
Hair straighteners have become important styling tools for women and it can be very frustrating when a flat iron doesn’t work as well as advertised or stops working in a year or less. It can also be damaging to hair when the metals and coatings on these flat irons are cheaper materials instead of ceramic, tourmaline, titanium or other high quality materials, as the buyer is led to believe.
If a product’s price is too good to be true, it is probably a fake, however replica hair straighteners are often sold at very high prices because they appear real. Unfortunately many fake hair straighteners are very well made knock-offs of popular brands such as KQC, GHD, Chi and others. Some of these are so convincing that salons may unwittingly carry them. This article suggests ways in which to spot a fake.
Why a Fake Hair Straightener Can Be Harmful
Though the quality of a product is sometimes reflected in the price, this isn’t always the case with hair straighteners. Many fake flat irons are so well made that the seller or supplier is able to sell them at the prices for the authentic tools. Buyers may also not be aware that they are fake or not bother to check. Though a well made fake may initially seem to work just as well as the real thing, there are safety issues; the lower quality materials and electrical components that are used in fakes may pose a fire hazard. These replicas do not contain the same safety features designed to prevent fire hazards by automatically switching off, that real, higher quality hair tools do.
Additionally, when substandard materials are used for the plates, coatings and heating coils, this causes damage to the hair though the buyer may believe it is safe for frequent use. As flat irons are electrical appliances that heat up to very high temperatures, poor quality electrical wiring and fuses cause uneven heating after a short while of regular use and stop working altogether within a year or two.
How to Tell Whether a Flat Iron is Counterfeit
There are several ways to spot a fake, even when the quality of the replica appears to be exactly like the real thing. In most real brands the first thing to look at is the plug. Higher quality hair tools will not have a simple two-prong plug (as in regular North American appliances), but will have the plug attached to a small box-shaped circuit breaker that is adaptable to both North American and European electrical outlets and voltages. Brands such as GHD will also have holograms on a label attached at the end of the plug cord and another on the hair iron itself.
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Also look for a serial number on the label or straightener. This serial should work when inputted on the brand’s website and is should be unique; it should not have already been entered into the site. If purchasing online, ask the seller to send the serial number so that it can be checked before purchasing.
Another way to spot a fake is to look at the underside of the instruction DVD; of it is labeled DVD-R, it is a copy. Though most people ignore the manuals that hair straighteners and other appliances come with, check for typing mistakes and poor print quality that may indicate it is counterfeit.
Where to Buy Authentic Hair Straighteners
To avoid losing money on a fake flat iron, buy from reputable sellers and be sure that there is a return policy. When buying second hand hair straighteners or ones from online sellers, ask for receits or customer references. Ask for detailed photos and compare them with pictures from the company’s own website.