As I have written about previously, my only thought when I joined Her Campus was the aspiration to improve my writing skills and the chance to be able to spew my thoughts for the internet to see. I have been blessed, however, to develop so many beautiful friendships that have driven my experience at college. An unexpected added benefit has been the ability to receive products from companies for free to review. I have previously reviewed Amika’s Soulfood and Perk-up, a hair mask and dry shampoo, respectively, that spoiler alert, I LOVED. So, when Amika reached out to me again to review their limited edition Polished Perfection Set that was a collaboration with Netflix’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, I was thrilled.
This set contained a set of stickers based on the movie, the perk up dry shampoo I previously reviewed, and a “mini thermal straightening brush.” I was especially intrigued by this straightener because I have never used a straightening brush, and I almost never style my hair. I have fairly curly hair that is shoulder length and very thin. Typically, the only styling I do is putting in a bun with a scrunchie because I genuinely really love my natural hair, but it is fun to switch it up at times. According to Amika’s website, the straightening brush is “perfect for bangs or touch-ups, the dual-voltage mini polished perfection features a heated ceramic base and bristles with heat-resistant nylon tips for safe + easy styling.”
I will have to admit that I technically did not use the brush for the intended purpose. I figured that since my hair is short and fine I could use the brush on my whole head. And holy cow! It worked! In fifteen minutes, my hair went from unbrushed curls to straight and sleek.
There were a few curls and waves that needed touch-ups with a traditional flat iron, especially the roots and the ends because I could not get close enough to effectively straighten those sections. I was very pleasantly surprised at how effective the brush was on my hair and how easy it was to use. Another reason I steer clear of straightening my hair is that I am afraid of burning myself. I know the saying is beauty is pain but a burn seems pretty painful. The good news is that it is pretty difficult to injure yourself with this beauty tool. As Amika wrote on their website, only the brush itself gets really hot while the back, sides and the bristles stay relatively warm. In fact, the brush itself did not get extremely hot which may be a detractor for some people and may have something to do with the slightest of waves in my hair, but there was no steam coming up from my head which I counted as a personal success.
So overall, I really really loved this brush for straightening my whole head and definitely for touch-ups. This brush may not be for everyone because my hair is easier to straighten then some and the shape of the brush, as well as the lower heat, makes it hard to get a super sleek look.