Unlisted Brand • Solia Ceramic Ion Flat Iron • Hair Styling Tools

mnc888 on 9/10/2006 9:34:00 PM more reviews by mnc888

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Tried it and definitely didn't see any great results at 300 degrees and I was not about to raise the temp to find out what it would do.. If it doesn't work at that temp for my fine hair its worthless to me.. I wouldn't recommend this iron.. I ordered the new FHI and will write a review as soon as I try it.. I have done alot of research and apparently the FHI is the best made iron when it comes to protecting your hair and that's what counts to me.. not straight, damaged hair. Hopefully it will do what they promise.

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cheer_tina2205 on 7/31/2006 10:54:00 PM more reviews by cheer_tina2205

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I've been using my Solia since February of this year, and it's the best thing I've ever spent my money on. To me, this was an expensive straightener. I got it for close to $90 on folica.com. That was quite a big of money compared to the $17 gold-plated Revlon it replaced. It was very much worth the extra money! I used to have to blow dry (and severely damage) my naturally wavy/curly hair every day to get it to straighten out. Now I just let my hair air dry, spray on some heat protecting spray, and straighten my whole head of hair out in less than 20 minutes. It stays straight until I wash it again. I know I gave it 5 lippies, but it does have some bad qualities. First, it doesn't eliminate all of my frizzies. Even using it at my roots, I still get fly aways at my hair line. Second, I can't get it to flip my ends under like everyone else does. That may be due to my styling products, because everyone else can do that just fine. Third, the outside of the straightener does tend to get hot after about 10 minutes. I read reviews where people said that theirs does not get hot, but mine does, so hot I can't hardly touch it. I would recommend this iron though. It's very high quality for much cheaper than a lot of other ceramic irons. If mine ever stops working I'll overnight a new one!

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Sharyg1 on 7/9/2006 12:11:00 AM more reviews by Sharyg1

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Tan, Warm   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I love this flat iron!. I own a Sedu, which I adore, and if I hadn't tried the Solia, would still be the only iron I would recomend. I had a friend come over to visit from the caribean. She had never used a flat iron in her life, but she tried my Sedu and was instantly in love with it. She asked me to order one for her; but I told her to get the Solia instead, because it was just as popular and less money. With the currency exchange she could use the extra savings. She went back home before her iron arrived. Since I was going there in about a week, she asked if I could bring it for her. I said "no problem. But I'll try it first to see if it is as good as my Sedu. If it isn't, I'll return it for you". She agreed. OMG! I loved it. It works just as great as my Sedu. However, the outside does not get as hot; and the shape makes it much easier to flip your ends. It is also heavier (which I personally prefer) giving me a better grip. I love,love,love this thing. Don't get me wrong, I still wordship my Sedu. But if it ever breaks down, I am getting a Solia. Don't get the $98 one. That is the one with swivel plates that most people complaint about (because the plates don't match up). Get the $88 one. No swivel plates, so you get a great grip; and it is also small enough to get close to your roots, but not too small. Just perfect! Pair it up with Redken Smooth Down heat glide, and voila! you have perfect hair. After trying the Sedu and Solia I wanted to kick myself for having bough that $398 Bioionic piece of crap. It didn't even come close to my Sedu. The Chi is not ceramic (only ceramic coated, and after a while starts to chip) and it shorts out in about 8-9 months. Not to mention how it dries out and damages your hair. The T3 doesn't hold a candle to it either, but it is deft. much better than the Chi. Look no further, if you are looking for the best flat iron, THIS IS IT! Oh, and my friend has had her Solia for a year, and every time I talk to her the first thing she says is: "I love the flat iron. I never had beautifull hair until I got it". She has every one back home hooked on it. Leaving in the caribean with the high humidity, it was imposible for her to have frizz free, let alone straigh hair. But not anymore. She now has what she calls DIVA hair.

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

shelby101 on 6/21/2006 8:17:00 AM more reviews by shelby101

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

I'm loving this iron, and I sure spent a lot of money trying to find an iron that worked for me. In 6 months time I've bought two separate $30 flat irons (Revlon and Vidal Sasoon), and one $120 Chi flat iron (1" original). The cheap ones had the straightness fall out (or they couldn't quite straighten to begin with), and the Chi fried my hair. I must have gotten one that overheated or something, but I bought it from the salon and couldn't return it so I sold it to my friend. Then I broke down and bought this Solia off folica.com for $85. I love it. it straightens good, it heats up fast, and it has an adjustable heat setting. *update* i still have my solia, it served me well for a year and still works, but I upgraded to a Hai Elite Digistik which is now my HG. The difference between the two was although they both straightened, the hai elite digistik actually did more to change my hair texture instead of just straightening. it makes it smoother, flatter, and more silky than the solia did. (The solia gave me more body, similar to a blowout) however, the hai digistik would have been too hard for me to use as a beginner because the sides are not rounded and your mistakes show up easier. I recommend either, it just depends on what your skill level is and budget.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* happygirl1 on 6/2/2006 6:13:00 PM more reviews by happygirl1

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I just got mine from folica.com this past Tuesday. I used to have a CHI Turbo that I used maybe twice, because I hated it. It would snag my hair and it wouldn't even straighten it (and my hair is fine and wavy.. and I already blow it out smooth with a hairdryer). I used this first on the lowest heat setting, and it didn't do much. So I increased the heat to 240 (2nd lowest), and it works great. I don't like my hair to get super super stick straight, so I love how the Solia just gets rid of any frizz, and that I can flip it under so nicely. I'm going to allow my hair to air dry, and then use the Solia and see how it performs on my 'un-blowdried' hair. :) Also, my hair feels VERY soft and smooth after using this.. and I haven't bought a heat protectant to use with it yet (will do that this weekend). It was $98 well spent. I hope that I continue to be happy with it.

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sandymontreal on 4/5/2006 11:03:00 PM more reviews by sandymontreal

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

My Unil flat iron broke for the 2nd time after 3 years of every-other-day use, and I couldn't even last one week with it being in the repair shop before going online to buy a new flat iron. It came down to choosing between a Sedu and a Solia (the eternal flat iron question) and I chose the Solia because it was cheaper. Slightly regretting my decision because:

1) The plates don't match up, so I have to actually use my other hand to press on the tip of the flat iron (which luckily never gets too hot). I never had to do this with my old Unil.

2) Since I have to clamp down extra hard with my right hand to ensure proper hair straightening, I practically got carpel tunnel syndrome the first time I used the flat iron. I don't seem to strain as much now (after 3 weeks of usage) but I'm not sure if it's 'cause I've gotten accustomed to the pain or my technique has improved...

3) The indentations on the surface (top and bottom) of the flat iron dig into my fingers as I'm pressing the iron. What is up with this extra pain-inducing feature?!

The Solia goes up toe 450 degrees F, as opposed to my Unil that only goes up to 375. I used to set my Until to 340, but the Solia jumps from 310 to 370 so the extra heat worries me (hair breakage and such).

The effect: my hair is straight, yes, but not flat. The Solia does nothing to decrease hair volume, which may or may not be something you are looking for. All in all, if I had to do it all over again, I think I'd go with the Sedu...

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*TOP REVIEWER* Justina17 on 2/26/2006 3:22:00 PM more reviews by Justina17

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I bought this flatiron in May after testing just about everything out there. The Chi made it smell like I was BBQ'ing my hair. The Sedu made it a little to blah! and everything else I tried just couldn't get it straight. The Solia saved my life. I can flatiron my hair in less than 30 minutes. I used to blowdry my hair straight and it would take me almost 2 hours. It hasn't damaged my hair and I use it atleast 2 times a week. Yesterday I used it twice. It really keeps it straight. Even in humid, rainy weather. I works as good now as when I bought it. Love, love, love it!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* PinkLily on 2/12/2006 3:39:00 AM more reviews by PinkLily

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Recently, I permed my hair, hated the results, and now must straighten it every time I want to look halfway decent. I use the Solia Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron and I absolutely love it! It is an absolutely amazing flat iron! I have the 3/4" one; and even though my hair is very long, it works very well. Originally, I had bought the 1 3/4" one, and this was far too large and unwieldy since it takes such a long time to straighten my hair. Anyway, it takes only 1 pass to straighten my hair - yes, it is supposed to take only 1 pass, but my perm came out really kinky! And it leaves my hair feeling super-silky and shiny. I tried it side-by-side with the CHI and I prefer the Solia!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

evie13 on 2/6/2006 8:55:00 PM more reviews by evie13

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this to replace my Conair flat iron last summer. And my hair has never in my life looked better. It doesn't damage my hair and it when I'm done, my hair looks fantastic and healthy and it stays that way between washes. It doesn't take a lot of pressure or time to straighten. I have very thick hair and with the Conair I would have a hard time straightening my roots and would have to go over the same spot over and over again and it would still be a little thick. With my Solia, I never have to go over the same spot twice. It's not the cheapest one on the market, but it's definately not the most expensive and it's great.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

smallnspicy on 1/13/2006 5:25:00 PM more reviews by smallnspicy

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is by far the BEST FLAT IRON EVER!!!!! My friends have used their Gold N Hot and Hot Tools Flat Irons on my hair, with so-so results... but I finally decided to invest in one of my own, so I did a little research on consumers reviews on folica.com and I have no regrets on choosing this one!! It's the perfect price, not a cheapy one, but definitely doesn't drain your wallet! It glides EXTERMELY SMOOTH down your hair, and it makes it stick straight! I'm filipino so I have that thick coarse ethnic hair that has a natural wave that doesn't easily come out, esp when the weather is wet or humid. But after using this Solia Flat Iron, my hair comes out better than when i'm not using it, and stays that way til you wash it again. People notice how much shinier and smoother your hair looks and feels, so i'm glad that it's not frying my hair. I have just-below-shoulder length hair, and it only takes me under 15 minutes to do my entire head. It's a wonderful, great, amazing flat iron that i would recommend to anyone!!!!!

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jen92116 on 1/13/2006 2:47:00 AM more reviews by jen92116

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

It's hard for me to tell if this is the *best* as this is my first flat iron, however, my hair dresser has used two other types and I can say this does work great. First of all, I have thick, coarse Asian hair just below my shoulders. It is considered straight but it has gotten a little wavy through the years. My hair dresser have used Superstar and Solano on me in the past. With Solano, I noticed she can get my hair REALLY straight and flat. But noticed a little snagging and she did 2-3 passes each time. With the Superstar, it doesn't make it super straight, noticed a lot of snagging, but it's great for curling the ends. As for the Solia, I find it easy to use for someone to use on themselves. I got a hang of it pretty fast! Also, one pass tames my hair. It heats up REALLY fast and is also great for curling ends. Just be sure to use a heat protectant (with any heat appliance!) Another plus is that it goes up to 450 degrees -- perfect for those with stubborn ethnic hair and hair like mine! I love my Solia and would recommend to anyone looking for a great flat iron at a reasonable price.

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*TOP REVIEWER* mchampion on 1/9/2006 7:45:00 PM more reviews by mchampion

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I just got this in the mail today and am so pleased with this flat iron. I have been using a Chi and it gets totally too hot even though it does work pretty good. I bought the tourmaline flat iron by Solia and it rocks.My hair looks like silk from sliding the iron down just one time and I can adjust the temp unlike the Chi. No regrets here and Folica.com had it at a great price.I would highly recommend this great ceramic flat iron. UPDATE: I kept this about 24 days and it started making a "frying" noise where the swivel is at. I eschanged it for the same product and it seemed to work fine. Well, I have had this one around a month and now it is doing the same thing. I LOVE the iron itself but the noise in the swivel makes me a little nervous. Anyway, I'm keeping it.

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sherrence on 11/26/2005 11:05:00 AM more reviews by sherrence

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This is an AMAZING product for an oh-so-reasonable price! I purchased the 1 3/4" version from folica.com for $98--about half of the price of a comparable Sedu or T3. The Solia has something called "self adjusting plates" that supposedly "creates perfect contact between the plates and your hair." This self-adjusting feature doesn't allow you to really clamp down hard, but ... you don't need to. My porous, curly, fine frizz-prone, flyaway hair just glides through the ceramic blue plates and comes out soft, shiny and stick straight. In one pass. And, it STAYS straight. All the live long day! Even in humid New Orleans! It heats up literally in seconds and has a dial that allows you to adjust the temperature. 300 degrees works perfect for my hair, but it can go much hotter for coarser or thicker hair. The Solia also feels substantial in your hands. Solid and sturdy--not at all like the cheapie Vidal Sassoon Ceramic Flat Iron it replaced. Bottom line: great quality + great price + great results = great product!

3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No