This went on sale for half the RRP and I couldn't resist! I have owned and loved the first L'Oreal Steampod since 2014, and after many years of service it's time to finally retire it. For the longest time I researched and debated whether to get the version 3 of L'Oreal Steampod but decided on this one because you have the option to use it without steam, handy for when I need to save an extra minute or ran out of distilled water.
I wanted a straightener not just for straightening, but for enhancing my naturally wavy hair to give it a more polished look by adding waves to sections where the waves are a bit wonky or less defined. The swivel cord is a must for waving or curling hair with a straightener, not so much the weight or the size of it. Of course it will be bigger and heavier when you compare it to a standard straightener with 1 inch plates, but this has wide plates and it feels around the same weight as my old L'Oreal Steampod with smaller plates, but feels sleeker and more maneuverable. Unlike the Steampod, I don't have to worry about which side of the straightener is pointing downwards, as the steam is coming from the middle of the plates rather than on one side. Brilliant!
I have long thick wavy hair, and the wide plates makes styling so much faster as I can just grab thick sections of hair. The comb may or may not be helpful, it really just depends on you but you can remove it if you find it drags rather than smooth your hair. Detangle your hair first and go slowly.
I love the idea that you have two options to add water for steam, and watching tutorial videos on YouTube before using this really helped. Every now and then I struggle with the water reservoir but I think it's down to user error and I am improving with practice.
Is it worth it? Absolutely! Shop around for deals and compare prices. Even though I don't often use this especially now that the weather is warming up and I can't be bothered using hot tools on hot days, and I started a hair detox where I am focusing on keeping my hair healthy and hydrated through masks and air drying, come the holiday season I will be glad I have this product ready to give me a salon look from home for special events.
I have owned a few hair straightening tools, all on the pricier side, from GHD to Bio:Ionic and the aforementioned L'Oreal Steampod, and this one is by far my favorite. When you use steam to style your hair, it gives your hairstyle longevity til the next time you wash it.
So my current straightener is at least 10 years old, does the job but doesn’t get quite hot enough to do it properly. Using the VS Sassoon steam straightener was a breath of fresh air! The water tank/filling up feature took me a second to get used to but got it sorted in the end! Now it’s super easy to use. I use the 180 degree temp and I have pretty think wavy hair (although it’s just above shoulder length at the moment), although you could probably go a bit hotter for curly hair. There is also the option of using it without the steam. Works pretty well! I would recommend taking off the detachable comb as it was getting stuck in my hair for some reason. There is also a pipette to fill up the water tank if needed which would be good if you need to travel with the straightener. Overall great product!
Tips: Remove the detachable comb.