The weather right now is playing havoc with my hair. One minute it's torrential downpours, then snow, then temperatures hitting the high teens – and my midlife hair is really suffering as a result. Since turning 40, my hair texture has changed drastically, and frizz is a constant battle, even without the weather's contributions.
I've had my eye on GHD's cordless straighteners for a while now as a way to take back a bit of control, but haven't been able to justify the cost. However when I saw the ghd Unplugged reduced by 29% on Amazon earlier today, I decided now was the time to invest.
The £86 discount takes the ghd cordless straighteners down to £212.99, which still isn't cheap. And I was initially put off by some of the reviews on Amazon, many of which complain about battery life. This is also noted in our round up of the best cordless straighteners, however the device still secures the top spot when compared with other models. It's also voted the best option for travel in our ranked list of the best ghd straighteners.
My need for cordless straighteners wasn't for full hair styling. As my hair has changed I have definitely become more self conscious about how it feels and looks. And so what I really wanted them for was peace of mind if I get caught in bad weather. Knowing I have them to use for touching up – eliminating frizz, adding shine and calming flyaways – gives me a greater sense of confidence in general.
woman&home beauty writer Lucy Abbersteen confirmed this for me in her full ghd Unplugged review, in which she says: "It's best for styling hair that's already closer to straight, or for refreshing hair that's already been straightened, but its portability can't be denied."
And the reviews online were similar. One of many I read said: "I have long, thick hair, so I did not buy this for full styling. I bought this for portability and touchups. The styler goes up to 185 degrees, which is too low for full styling for my thick hair, but it's enough heat for a touchup and to smooth out the frizz."
After testing the device thoroughly, Lucy found the device to last approximately 20 minutes after a full charge. "The Unplugged is more of a tool for touching up your style – which is how the brand markets it, too – as it won’t last anywhere near long to straighten naturally curly and coily hair from scratch," she adds.
The Unplugged is exactly what I need, and despite the high outlay, I know it will work as excellent value with the amount of use and added confidence I'll get from having it. But it's definitely worth remembering the tool is not designed for full hair styling, and deciding whether or not it fits your individual needs before buying.
Shop more ghd deals
ghd Duet 2-in1 Styler | RRP: £379 now £317.99
ghd's wet-to-dry tool scored a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars in our ghd Duet Style review. It's not cheap, but if you're after one tool that (almost) does it all, this is a decent discount and a good time to invest.
ghd Helios | RRP: £179 now £141.99
Voted the top product in our list of the best hair dryers for fine hair, the ghd Helios is fast and powerful for a soft and shiny finish – tested in our ghd Helios review. Available in a variety of gorgeous colours, it looks good doing it too.
ghd Original | RRP: £129 now £96.99
The OGs, ghd's classic hair straighteners will never go out of style. Having owned a pair of these, I can attest to the quality and longevity - mine were still going strong after a decade. A simple but very reliable device, as proved in our ghd original styler review.
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