Why: Fun fact: Prior to receiving this beauty from CHI, I hadn’t taken a flat iron to my head of curls in almost six years. CHI is a staple for my fellow coarse-haired comrades looking to heat-style, because the brand’s signature ceramic plates allow sleek results on a lower temperature setting, which tends to cause less damage than other devices do. This particular model combines those plates with strengthening volcanic lava.

After washing, clarifying and deep conditioning, I used a blow dryer on medium to stretch out the kinks. Then I coated my strands in their limited edition Chi x Barbie Silk Infusion, followed by a spritz of Chi x Barbie Iron Guard. I used the chase method (holding a fine-toothed comb directly behind the iron with each pass) to glide the iron through my hair in small sections, leaving my hair smoother and straighter than I’ve seen it in a very long time. (I was also amazed at the length that I can’t normally see due to curl shrinkage, and was finally able to give myself a much-needed trim.)