Putting the InStyler to the test
By Connie ThompsonOf all the gadgets featured on infomercials lately, one in particular is striking a cord with thousands of women. It's called InStyler, an electric styling device that looks like a cross between a flat iron, a curling iron and a brush at a price of more $100. MultimediaWatching the infomercials, you'd think it's last styling tool you'll ever need. "Its just like a curling iron, but it straightens your hair at the same time and it just looked effortless." said Veronica Santiago of Seattle. The pitch was enough to convince her to have her husband buy it for her as a gift. We actually thought Santiago's hair looked fine, for having just been washed and air-dried. But Santiago said we just caught her on a good day. "I'm tellin' you, it depends on the day of the week," she said. InStyler has three heat settings - low, medium and high. The rotation is triggered by squeezing the handles. Santiago says using the InStyler was awkward at first. But now it takes about 5 minutes to do her hair. Customer reviews online run the gamut. Some users rave: "Good straightening. Soft curls, Smooth hair. " Others, however, rant: "Noisy, awkward, damaged hair, and skin burns." Santiago says you should definitely use the detachable burn guard that comes with the product. "It does seem to get hotter than your normal curling iron," she said. Her overall rating on a four-star system with one star being the worst and four stars being the best: "I would give it a three and a half." But what about really curly hair? Since KOMO News intern Candy Oftebro came along to watch, she decided to give it a try, even though her curly hair had styling product and was not shampooed and air dried as recommended. Her expectations were low. "Given that it has mousse in it, it wasn't brushed out all the way because the mousse is kinda holding the hair together. It actually did a great job," she said. "Being someone with curly hair, it's usually hard to straighten and, I'm honestly impressed. " Oftebro gives InStyler three stars, with the potential for a higher rating under ideal conditions. Other users say it depends on the texture and length of your hair. One mom who purchased the InStyler for her mixed-race daughter whose hair is more kinky-curly, said the InStyler did not get her daughter's hair "dead straight" like she was hoping. She gave the InStyler away and went back to a flat iron. I have also received complaints about malfunctions with the product, and trouble getting results from customer service. There's also concern that some heavily discounted InStylers offered online may be unauthorized clones. If you're thinking about buying on, go online and check out the review sites. It's pretty easy to distinguish everyday consumers from "paid testimony" types. Then buy the product in person at a major retailer, where you can avoid shipping and handling, and maybe even find a sale. For more information: eOpinons: New InStyler Hair Rotating Strengthening Curling Iron |
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February 9, 2012
- Roseburg, Oregon
