Are Expensive Hair Straighteners Worth The Money?

The increase in usage of hair straighteners (flat irons, hair irons) has meant that we now have an ever growing selection of straighteners to choose from. However, it seems that more and more of them are becoming increasingly expensive and this article goes some way in exploring what you are getting for your money and more importantly are they worth the high price tag?

Firstly, the price range of flat irons varies quiet considerably with the cheapest one around $10 and the most expensive ones close to $200. Given such a price range it is clear that there is likely to be a significant difference in both quality and performance of these irons. The best way to establish the difference is to first look at the features of the cheapest, most expensive and one from the mid-price range to see if there are any clues to what extra features, if any, you are paying for,

The following are some typical features found on hair straighteners in varying price ranges:

Cheapest ($10-$40) - Two heat settings: Low for fine, easy-to-style hair and High for hard-to-style hair. - Goldtone plates. - Power indicator light - Ideal for smoothing and straightening curly hair. - 3/4 inch plates

Mid-range ($40-$80) - Sapphire ceramic plates are unmatched for equal heat distribution. - New Infra Red Heat technology seals in hair's moisture and luster. - Faster heat-up time than conventional coil straightening irons - Variable temperature settings (140ºF - 410ºF, 60°C - 200°C) for all hair types - 3/4 - 1.5 inch plates.

Most expensive ($80-$200+) - Scratch-resistant, durable ceramic or Tourmaline plates. - 1 - 2 inch plates - Far-infrared heat and negative ion by tourmaline renew the vitality of your hair: seals the cuticle and eliminates frizz. - Variable temperature settings

Based on my research there are a number of conclusions to draw about each of the price ranges.

The cheaper flat irons tend to have a smaller plate width, do not have ceramic or Tourmaline plates (which give much better results) and they don't have fine temperature controls i.e. they typically a number of preset temperatures for different hair types. These flat irons tended to be geared towards occasional use and for finer hair rather than for thick or curly hair. They have a shorter life, especially if used every day.

Mid-range flat irons tend to use Ceramic or Tourmaline plates, which were on average at least 1.25 inches in width. Obviously the wider the plates the quicker and easier it will be to straighten your hair. Models in this range can handle all hair types and are made by some of the better-known makers. They also have much better temperature controls which go up to as high as 200°C which is needed for really difficult curly, coarse hair.

The most expensive straighteners were also made using Ceramic plates and more of them did use Tourmaline, which gives even smoother results than ceramic. The plate width on average tends to be wider and the overall constructional quality just that little bit better. The most expensive model, $195, researched is made by one of the top makers and comes highly recommended by the hair industry. It is exceptionally well made, having seen one at my local stylists, but I also suspect just the name alone will add $10-$20 dollars on the price tag.

Overall it all comes down to how much you can afford to spend but I would strongly recommend that you save up the dollars and go for something in the $80-$130 price range. Within this range you will get all the key features you should have in a good flat iron: fine temperature control for different hair types, heats up quickly, fits well in your hand, and has a plate width of at least 1 inch. You will also get a well-made straightener, which will still work for in years to come.

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Far Infrared Energy and Far Infrared Saunas - 40 Fascinating Facts

Although more and more people are learning firsthand about the fabulous benefits of owning a far infrared sauna or heat therapy room, many others still possess very little knowledge of this important subject. The following information has been compiled to help spread the good news with the hope of placing more people on the path to greater health, relaxation and happiness.

1. Infrared light lies between the visible and microwave portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Infrared light has a range of wavelengths, just like visible light has wavelengths that range from red light to violet. Near infrared light is closest in wavelength to visible light, and far infrared light is closer to the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Far infrared waves are thermal, meaning they are felt as heat.

2. In the electromagnetic spectrum, far infrared wavelengths measure between 5.6 and 1,000 microns. One micron equals one micrometer or one millionth of a meter. Wavelengths of between 6 and 14 microns are believed to be the most beneficial to humans and other living things on Earth. The human palm emits far infrared wavelengths of between 8 and 12 microns. The energy output from far infrared saunas so closely match the human body’s radiant energy that nearly 93 percent of the sauna’s far infrared waves reach the skin.

3. Certain alternative healing practices such as palm healing, a practice with some 3,000 years of tradition behind it in China, rely on the human body’s ability to emit far infrared radiant energy.

4. Far infrared radiant heat is a form of naturally occurring energy that heats objects by direct light conversion. Direct light conversion warms only the object and does not raise the temperature of the surrounding free air.

5. A good example of far infrared heat is the light produced by the sun. This is the heat you feel penetrate your skin when you stand in the sun and miss when you walk into the shade. It has nothing to do with ultraviolet light, which can damage your skin. When people do not receive adequate amounts of far infrared heat, they often can become ill or depressed.

6. Far infrared radiant heat provides all the healthy benefits of natural sunlight without any of the dangerous effects of solar radiation.

7. The radiant heat of a far infrared sauna is efficient because it warms the sauna bather directly. The body absorbs as much as 93 percent of the heat, causing perspiration and producing a vast array of health benefits.

8. A far infrared sauna will deliver hyperthermic benefits in a much shorter time period (i.e.10 minutes) than a conventional sauna (30 to 45 minutes).

9. Unlike in traditional saunas where temperatures range from 140 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit (60 to 105 degrees Celsius), the temperatures of far infrared saunas typically range from 100 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (38 to 65 degrees Celsius).

10. The temperature inside a far infrared sauna is adjustable and comfortable. This allows a person to perspire faster and to tolerate a longer period of time inside the sauna. Typical sessions in a far infrared sauna last 30 to 45 minutes and can be repeated to maximize the benefits.

11. A far infrared sauna is usually warm within 10 or 20 minutes, whereas a conventional sauna can take more than an hour to reach optimal temperatures.

12. The lower heat range of far infrared saunas is safer for people with cardiovascular risk factors or fragile health because lower temperatures don’t dramatically elevate heart rate and blood pressure.

13. Far infrared saunas benefit all your organs of elimination, from your lungs to your liver to your kidneys to your skin.

14. Far infrared rays improve blood circulation, stimulate endorphins, lower lactic acid, kill certain bacteria and parasites, and burn calories. Proponents of hyperthermia, also known as fever therapy, maintain that using far infrared energy to therapeutically induce higher body temperatures helps fight infections and even cancer. Their argument is supported by the human body itself, which radiates infrared energy for the benefits of warmth and tissue repair.

15. Studies indicate that benefits of far infrared sauna use include: muscle relaxation; stress, tension and headache relief; reduction and removal of body toxins; increased cardiovascular strength; increased blood circulation; strengthened immune system; improved lung function, and refreshed, moisturized skin.

16. Far infrared sauna therapy has helped people with cardiovascular conditions such as congestive heart failure and angina. It enhances endothelial nitric oxide, lowering blood pressure and improving cardiovascular function.

17. Using a far infrared sauna can help strengthen the body’s immune system by stimulating increased production of white blood cells by the bone marrow and killer T-cells by the thymus.

18. Bathing in a far infrared sauna in the early stages of a cold or flu has been known to stop the disease before symptoms occur.

19. Far infrared sauna use can help promote rebuilding of injured tissue by having a positive effect on the fibroblasts, the connective tissue cells necessary for the repair of injury. It also can help increase growth of cells, DNA syntheses, and protein synthesis, all of which is necessary during tissue repair and regeneration.

20. The radiant heat of far infrared saunas has been shown to be especially beneficial to people with sports injuries, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other chronic pain conditions.

21. Far infrared saunas have been used to treat sprains, bursitis, rheumatism, muscle spasms, neuralgia and hemorrhoids. They have also been shown to relieve acne, eczema, psoriasis and burns.

22. Far infrared saunas are now used in health facilities for a range of health problems such as menopause, ulcers, insomnia, asthma, bronchitis, ear infections, and allergies.

23. Far infrared radiation is believed to be the only antidote to excessive ultraviolet radiation.

24. When far infrared heat penetrates a bather’s body, he or she can experience a refreshed mind, relaxed mood, reduction of aches and pains, improved metabolism, and systemic regularity leading to an overall feeling of wellness.

25. Far infrared saunas are recognized by health practitioners worldwide as perhaps the most effective method of removing both chemical and heavy metal toxins from the body. Far infrared saunas are thought to be 7 times more effective at detoxifying heavy metals such as mercury, aluminum, and other environmental toxins than conventional heat or steam saunas. For many chronically ill patients as well as people who are well and wish to stay that way by reducing their toxic burden, the far infrared sauna is the detox method of choice.

26. The effects of toxin, chemical and pesticide poisoning can be greatly reduced by the far infrared sauna’s detoxification action. People who work with chemicals, as well as home gardeners who frequently use fertilizers and pesticides, are advised to use far infrared saunas on a regular basis.

27. Far infrared heat can penetrate into the skin about an inch and a half to two inches deep and can have therapeutic benefits, such as helping to dissolve fat deposits under the skin. Since toxins may be stored in the fat, the deep penetrating heat of a far infrared sauna can help eliminate them, especially toxins such as heavy metals and acidic compounds.

28. Far infrared saunas can help clear cellulite, the gel-like lumps of fat, water and debris trapped in pockets beneath the skin. European beauty specialists routinely incorporate daily far infrared sauna baths in programs to reduce cellulite.

29. Far infrared sauna use can be of significant benefit to people trying to lose weight. A 20 to 30-minute session in a far infrared sauna has been touted to burn as many calories as a six-mile run.

30. Far infrared saunas offer the same benefits as traditional dry saunas, if not more. Plus, far infrared saunas don’t rely on any type of water. You don’t have to worry about setting the sauna up on a waterproof floor or near plumbing, and you don’t have to worry about mildew.

31. Far infrared saunas are more cleansing than conventional saunas because they are designed to generate more than two to three times the amount of perspiration. A higher volume of sweat means a more thorough flushing of toxins from the body.

32. In a study performed by U.S. researchers, the sweat of people using a conventional sauna was found to be 95 to 97 percent water, while the sweat of those using a far infrared sauna was 80 to 85 percent water with the non-water portion principally cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, toxic heavy metals, sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia, and uric acid.

33. Unlike a traditional sauna, which requires a closed atmosphere to maintain heat levels required for therapeutic results, a far infrared sauna can be used with its door or window completely open if far infrared penetration is the only objective.

34. There are some definite advantages to using far infrared sauna thermal heaters, such as no high heat claustrophobic reaction and better air circulation. Far infrared heaters heat the body, not the air, so a bather is more comfortable and cooler. Far infrared saunas require 90 percent less electrical energy than conventional saunas, and no plumbing is required for a far infrared sauna.

35. Generally speaking, far infrared saunas are less expensive, easier to install, and require less maintenance than traditional saunas. They come in many sizes and are often quite portable, making them a great choice when limited space is available.

36. Most far infrared saunas use ceramic elements to generate gentle heat. Another option, although quite costly, is to use far infrared bulbs, which can provide warming and stimulating color therapy.

37. NASA has utilized far infrared therapy to help maintain fitness levels of astronauts in weightless environments.

38. Hemlock is a softwood ideally suited for use in far infrared saunas. Hemlock is a very strong wood that is quite able to withstand the heat of a far infrared sauna. It is also abundantly available, which means the end cost to the consumer is less than it might be for another wood type.

39. In addition to hemlock, wood choices for far infrared sauna construction include basswood, birch, oak, poplar, spruce and western red cedar. When a wood type is stated to be hypoallergenic, it means that the wood contains minimal allergens and is therefore less likely to cause an allergic reaction. Typical wood allergies, however, are caused by sawdust.

40. Respected retailers of far infrared saunas or heat therapy rooms include Amerec Sauna & Steam, EZe Products, Finnleo Sauna and Steam, Great Saunas, Helo Sauna and Steam, SaunaGen, and Seamax Enterprises Inc

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Home Kitchen Appliance

Home kitchen appliances make your domiciles technical and convenient. With cooking gas, electric chimney, dishwashers, electric kettle, fridge, food processors, toasters and coffee makers in your kitchens, are you still wondering who the real homemakers are. Remember the good old days when your mother-in-law screamed ‘if you can’t stand the heat, get out.’ Reducing your stress and domestic working hours, they, no doubt are working wonders!

Cooking three to four meals a day with special requests for cocktails and cakes can leave you in excruciating pain. Even the kitchens with modest means are boasting about these flip of a switch gadgets. So such promising brands in the market, we are all set to rock the evening for our guests. Make philter instead of soda fountain drinks for the party or that perfect cake for your daughter, put your favorite shade of lipstick on and break free of the kitchen constraints. Falling under the domotics (information technology in the domicile) umbrella, home kitchen appliances can now be networked together to even out the electricity consumption and energy distribution. A kitchen without them does not only look primitive but also a one with fundamental flaws.

Gone are the days when you would catch on fire (figuratively) whenever organizing a barbeque and people from miles would come to watch you burn. Imagine if even a single day is celebrated as kitchen appliances turn-off week, no marks for guessing that the world’s economy would be the price to be paid. Like the different speeds of the blender you can choose the pace of your life. Successful in shaping your destiny, kitchen appliances have brought with them a revolution in the world of cooking. So now you decide if you want to work hard or play smart. All right future birds, so what’s cooking tonight?

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Home Kitchen Appliance

Home kitchen appliances make your domiciles technical and convenient. With cooking gas, electric chimney, dishwashers, electric kettle, fridge, food processors, toasters and coffee makers in your kitchens, are you still wondering who the real homemakers are. Remember the good old days when your mother-in-law screamed ‘if you can’t stand the heat, get out.’ Reducing your stress and domestic working hours, they, no doubt are working wonders!

Cooking three to four meals a day with special requests for cocktails and cakes can leave you in excruciating pain. Even the kitchens with modest means are boasting about these flip of a switch gadgets. So such promising brands in the market, we are all set to rock the evening for our guests. Make philter instead of soda fountain drinks for the party or that perfect cake for your daughter, put your favorite shade of lipstick on and break free of the kitchen constraints. Falling under the domotics (information technology in the domicile) umbrella, home kitchen appliances can now be networked together to even out the electricity consumption and energy distribution. A kitchen without them does not only look primitive but also a one with fundamental flaws.

Gone are the days when you would catch on fire (figuratively) whenever organizing a barbeque and people from miles would come to watch you burn. Imagine if even a single day is celebrated as kitchen appliances turn-off week, no marks for guessing that the world’s economy would be the price to be paid. Like the different speeds of the blender you can choose the pace of your life. Successful in shaping your destiny, kitchen appliances have brought with them a revolution in the world of cooking. So now you decide if you want to work hard or play smart. All right future birds, so what’s cooking tonight?

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Small Appliance Parts

If you really think about it, it’s the small appliance parts that make your everyday life so much easier. You wake up in the morning and you use an oven toaster – those are small appliance parts working right there. In the late afternoon in the office, you pour yourself some coffee from the coffeemaker – those are small appliance parts working again.

Indeed, most of our day is spent depending on small appliance wonders, and it’s only right that we learn to use them safely and that we prolong their useful lives by taking care of them. Below are some useful tips.

Follow safety instructions. Never forget to read the manufacturer’s handbook, because it contains pertinent information about the care and use of your small appliance and its parts. Be extra careful with small kitchen appliances – not all of them can get wet. Never plunge small kitchen appliances in dishwasher water, for example, unless the handbook tells you that it’s safe. Negligence or simple actions like this can hurt you.

Be careful where you plug appliances. Make it a habit to plug your small appliances directly into wall outlets whenever you can. If you have to use extension cords, read the cord’s electrical rating first; it should be able to handle wattage that is either at least equal to or more than your small appliance’s wattage. Overloading can cause your small appliance parts to ignite and possibly cause a fire. Also, remember to turn your small appliance off before you unplug it. Never attempt to pull out the plug by pulling the cord; instead, firmly hold the plug and then disconnect.

Clean small appliances with proper chemicals. You can possibly damage small appliance parts if you clean them incorrectly or use the wrong chemical, so again, refer to your manufacturer’s manual. Some nonstick surfaces can be cleaned with off-the-rack cleaners, but be careful not to do this too often, as it may cause surface chipping or fading.

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Why Can't We Invent a Toilet That Flushes ... Forever?!

All I wanted for my birthday was for my toilets to work. Well, that’s not really the only thing; it’s just high on an extensive list. You see, I’ve lived in the same townhome for seventeen years this month and things are beginning to decay, along with its owner, but I’ll get to that later.

I only have a few dislikes in life; two of them that I really detest are: stoplights and malfunctioning and obstinate toilet mechanisms.

Stoplights are easy to hate…they turn red when you’re in a hurry and don’t want to stop, plus, we so much waste gas sitting at them. I probably waste more gas by driving around the block to avoid them. Why haven’t more American cities utilized the roundabout that much of the world utilizes?

Toilets are another story altogether.

They often continue to fill wasting precious water because the design of the internal mechanism is archaic. Ostensibly, there’s a black ball that is supposed to float to the surface of the contained water and shut off the valve when the tank is full. Well, it never floats high enough and constantly requires time and attention.

Having reached that frustrating station in life where the toilet is becoming a close personal friend, because of too much coffee, tea, wine, water, or whatever, I now visit my confidante during the night more than I used to.

Finishing my business, I sleepily get back into bed while the toilet is filling. I wait, thinking the contraption will shut off eventually. I pull a pillow over my head, so I won’t hear what I’m thinking about. But it’s still there, running monotonously.

Peeved, I get up, take the tank lid off, pull up the rod, slam the lid back on and storm off to bed. But now, I’m too upset to get back to sleep. Brother, I gotta get a life or more patience.

In my usual pragmatic manner, I really tried to solve the problem: I’ve bent the rod attached to the ball to make it lower, given the intellectual understanding that the pressure of being further under water would add more force on the ball to surface; I’ve lubricated the valve with so much WD-40 that an oily film now coats the inside of the tank; I’ve extended the ball to the absolute end of the rod, thinking that if it was further from the valve and lower in the water it had to pop up and shut the system off.

Right.

In a world with of such fancy gadgetry like: cell phones that take pictures and connect to the Internet, satellite guided navigation systems mounted in the dash of your car; wireless hand-held computers; watches that do everything but make coffee; his and hers individualized inflatable mattresses complete with a sleep numbering system; implanted chips in our pets to identify them if they get lost…why can’t we invent a toilet that flushes, forever!?!

I know I know, I should just be happy and grateful that there aren’t any telemarketers bugging me at 5:15 pm each night anymore. Did you ever notice that they never sell new and improved toilet flushers? I should just eat mass quantities of chocolate, it's supposed to help men cope.

Anyway you look at it, toilets are a pain in the butt (sorry, I couldn’t resist myself).

Long years ago, my Dad remodeled his bathroom. The color of the era was pink. This past year, the toilet went kaput and a new one was needed, but do you think a pink one could be found? No one sells pink anymore, we were told. Not even to Mary Kay with her pink Cadillac’s?

And what’s up with padded toilet seats? I hope I don’t get any of those for my birthday. I hate it when I go to someone’s home and there’s a padded toilet seat. They just don’t seem natural. How do you clean it? They’re just weird to me.

And where did the blue water things go? None of my friend’s use them anymore, did blue go out of favor just like pink? I digress.

Well, to be forthright, I’ve already solved the problem. Or I should say my Dad did. He couldn’t stand the toilets running on either (it’s a family thing), so I bought the replacements and he changed all three of them for me as a birthday gift...how ‘bout that?

Thanks, Dad. I love being a kid, even if, an inept, 58 year-old one.

These new flushers are revolutionary though, no ball, no rod...no foolin’. It’s a self-contained plastic mechanism that’s a complete mystery, just like Santa Claus.

The only obvious drawback is when it stops working, I can’t bend, submerge, oil or extend anything. I’ll have to buy a new one. Therein lies the rub: planned obsolescence. The manufactures are always a step ahead of us, huh?

Well, at least it’s one item that I can check off my “All I want for birthday” list. I wonder if I’ll get the Ronco onion chopper or the Chia pet I’ve ask for? Hmmm.

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A Quick Guide to Air Purifiers For Your Home

Every year the air pollution levels in the United States of America are rising dramatically and there doesn’t seem to be a lot we can do as individuals to stop these levels from rising.

In our houses the air quality is said to be up to 100 times worse than the quality of the air outside!! With the air pollution levels in city areas being up amongst the highest in the world imagine how bad the air we breathe every day in our own homes in. This “poor air quality” in our homes can be caused by the build up of dust, mould spores, pet hair, smoke, bacteria and more. No wonder more and more Americans are suffering from respiratory problems such as asthma and allergy cases are increasing exponentially.

Many people think that the only people who need to invest in an air purifier are those with extremely serious cases of asthma or allergies but this is not true. If we don’t have something to help keep the levels of pollutants in our homes at a reasonable level guess what will do most of the “cleaning” for you. Your lungs. Imagine all those particles floating around that you breathe in every day being trapped in your lungs. Yuck!!

Air Purifiers, especially for those in inner city areas are becoming a necessity.

But, there are so many different types, which one is best?? Let’s run through the main types and their differences.

HEPA Filter Air Purifier – uses a fan and a cloth filter that traps pollutants that are 0.3microns or larger which means that pollutants are taken out of the air altogether however smaller particles like those in chemicals, gases or smoke are not trapped. This air purifier can also make more noise than most.

Ozone Air Purifier – This machine releases ozone, which is an oxidant that destroys certain bacteria, gases and chemicals. Unfortunately while ozone is very effective on these pollutants, once it reacts with them it can leave other pollutants behind as a result of this reaction and it does not destroy many other major allergens and chemicals.

Carbon Air Purifiers – the carbon filter in these machines is highly effective in trapping odors, gases and chemicals in tiny pores throughout the carbon. Unfortunately the carbon won’t trap most allergens however some carbon air purifiers combine with a HEPA filter increasing the effectiveness in the household.

Ionic Air Purifier – these filters release ions into the air, which causes particles to gain either a positive or negative charge. The machine also has collection plates with either a positive or negative charge to attract the charged particles (with the opposite charge) to them, trapping them. Charged particles will also be attracted to other particles with the opposite charge causing them to be too heavy to float in the air; therefore they drop to the floor. These machines are quiet and effective on tiny particles but don’t remove odors or kill germs.

UV Light Air Purifiers – UV light can sterilize germs, bacteria and mold if passed under it for sufficient time. This will stop them from growing and reproducing. Some people say that in UV air purifiers the time these pollutants are under the light is not long enough. If combined with a HEPA filter it can increase the effectiveness on disease causing microorganisms but it is still not effective on allergens, odors, gases or chemicals.

Purifying Hydroxyl Radicals – Hydroxyl radicals are created naturally on Earth when oxygen atoms combine with a hydrogen atom pulled from water vapor. They destroy mold, bacteria and virus pollutants faster and more effectively that ozone but still don’t work on other allergens. There is a machine that combines hydroxyl radicals, UV light and negative ions to create the most efficient air purifying system available. Unfortunately, at the moment it may only available from one manufacturer.

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