Looking for a portable, no-fuss hair styling tool? Meet the ghd Unplugged, a cordless hair styler that you can use to straighten, curl or create wavy hairstyles without having to deal with tangled wires. Compact and sleek, this innovative styler promises to pack the same hair-taming performance of regular-sized ghd tools. To test it out, we tapped our Co-Founder, Creative Director and resident hair styling enthusiast Kersie Koh. Read on to know her thoughts.
*The product was sent as a press gift. The views and opinion of the reviewer are independent and purely editorial.
First impressions, claims, and design
The ghd Unplugged cordless styler has ceramic heaters that keep it at a fixed 185°C heat setting. It’s also available in a white variant.
"My hair is naturally wavy and frizzy so I definitely always style my hair before leaving the house," Kersie shared. And as a consistent user of hair styling tools, Kersie's quite familiar with the ghd brand. "I already own the ghd platinum which I use mainly to straighten or neaten my hair and the ghd Curve Soft Curl Tong to get a wavy hair look."
When she heard of the ghd's latest innovation, she was intrigued by its cordless concept. "I love anything cordless but I know that means battery life is key. That may potentially affect the design and effectiveness of the product." Sufficient heat is also another consideration. It should be hot enough to keep her hair in place but not too hot that it damages her hair. Will the Unplugged be the one to meet her expectations?
The ghd Unplugged cordless hair styler features a hybrid co-lithium technology that promises a controlled heat setting and 20 minutes of continuous use. It also uses USB-C charging, so you can fully charge your Unplugged in two hours with your laptop, car, or a socket for convenience. The brand also claims that the styler's ceramic heaters were designed to heat up in 45 seconds and maintain a fixed 185°C temperature so you can style your hair without excessive heat. It features a straightforward power button and battery indicator, so it's pretty user-friendly even for hairstyling newbies.
"I was surprised how sleek and handy the product was," Kersie recalled. "It's very lightweight so it's definitely very portable. With its small design, I noticed the styling plates are rather small too and wondered if I can style my long hair effectively and quickly."
How to use the ghd Unplugged
To see if Kersie's questions will be answered, she decided to try the ghd Unplugged cordless styler daily for a week. Due to the styler's compact size, Kersie used it for "straightening and neatening" and adding a bit of curl to the ends of her hair to give it more body. In that sense, the styler did "a very good job" in creating a quick and easy hairstyle.
In terms of the battery's longevity, a fully charged Unplugged is more than enough to tame any existing frizziness. "So far, I have no problems using it to tame my long, frizzy hair which I can do easily under five minutes," Kersie said. However, there are some hair hacks that you can do to make your hair styling experience even easier. Kersie suggests using a detangling comb prior to picking up the Unplugged. "The fewer kinks you have in your hair, the easier and smoother it is to style as well as deliver neater and shinier results."
A before and after comparison of the ghd Unplugged's hair-taming performance.
Because of the Unplugged's smaller heating plates, Kersie wouldn't recommend using the Unplugged to create big waves or curls unless you’re "super skilled at styling your own hair". Aside from having to adjust to the Unplugged's compact size, it's also a matter of preference. "I’m much used to and prefer creating wavy looks with the ghd Curve Soft Curl Tong that is designed with a barrel and spring-activated lever for optimal grip and control," Kersie explained. "But sometimes I just need a quick straightening and tidying of my hair to look neat, and for this the Unplugged delivers beautifully."
Final thoughts
Willing to splurge on a handy hair styling tool? Consider this.
"Priced at ~USD372.51, the ghd Unplugged is a bit of a splurge but if you’re looking for a sleek and handy styler for quick effective hair neatening to look put together, it does a really good job," Kersie said.
"If you’re in a hurry to leave the house, you can even carry this in your handbag for use later since it's so small. After using, you can also keep it safely back in its heat-resistant carry case. I don’t like dealing with long cables that get entangled all the time during storage so I would say I’m pretty tempted," she added.
If you're looking for a compact and portable hair styler, the ghd Unplugged cordless styler is available in Singapore at select Sephora stores and sephora.sg.
Hair needs more intense taming? Check out our review of the Farmskin Superfood Hair Mask.
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected].
