As someone who used to iron my hair between a tea towel (as a hard-up, but brave and resourceful teenager!) I can still remember how it felt when I finally bought my first proper hair straighteners many years later. But whilst they were a lot easier to use – and certainly less risky – I wasn’t sure they were actually any better for my heat-damaged hair and scalp and so, eventually, I stopped using them.
But I missed the versatility and the foolproof styles that I could achieve with them (not otherwise one of my strong points, believe me), so when KEEO offered to send me their Genius Smart Glide Straightener to review, I was more than happy to accept.
Consequently, I have been using them flat out (sorry!) for some weeks so that I could write this comprehensive KEEO hair straightener review. In it, I write about the product and who makes it, my experience of using it, and why it has been so much kinder to my hair than those I’ve used before.
Pros
- Curved plates
- Quick to heat up
- One heat setting
- Glide smoothly
- Hibernation mode
- Light
Cons
- Price
- Corded
Use Discount Code: VEGANMUM
Who are KEEO?
Founded by 3 people – 1 salon-owning hair stylist and 2 designers – they have created what they suggest is a unique, pioneering design for their product that is kinder to your hair whilst achieving the desired results. Why do they claim it’s kinder? Because the plates are not flat like an iron and incorporate a ‘controlled air-gap’ that heats your hair without compressing it unnecessarily.
My experience using KEEO’s hair straighteners
For the purposes of this review, I trialled the KEEO Genius Smart-Glide Straightener over a period of 6 weeks (and am happily continuing to do so)! I used it – after having washed and thoroughly dried my hair – to create both straight and wavy styles. A heat protectant spray is also a really good idea – I use Kerasilk’s Flat Iron Spray (from Amazon) which is a vegan formula.
I have fairly thin, fine hair cut into a straightforward collar-length bob, so I also used Chāmpo – a good quality thickening shampoo and conditioner – to give it even more volume and protection. You can read more about that in my Chāmpo Pitta shampoo review.
But using these hair straighteners has been a revelation and within a few minutes, it looks so much better – even between washes. It has honestly transformed the way I feel about my hair, and I love the illusion of thickness I can give it with the wavy styles I’ve been able to create too.
Importantly, I really like the preset temperature and have not experienced any hair damage at all; if anything, it actually looks in better condition than before I started using them. This is so important because other straighteners that get too hot can do real damage that just can’t be reversed.
So, in this KEEO hair straightener review I’ll share what I love about the product and why, as well as a couple of things that could make it even better.
Easy to use
I must admit, I do like things to be straightforward and the KEEO hair straightener is certainly that. Plug it in, press the power button, wait for the LED light to stop flashing, then make a start. I love it – here’s why I think it’s so easy to use:
- there’s only one heat setting (190°) which I think is great because it is automatically set to the optimal temperature that will style your hair without burning it. Read my Keeo Genius Pro+ review if you want a product with customisable heat and tension settings.
- the swivel cord means it’s far easier to twist around when I’m waving my hair
- it’s light (just over 200gms minus the cable) so you don’t have to be into weight-training just to style your locks
- because of the design of the plates, it glides sooooo easily without catching and pulling out precious hair
- the curved plates and design wave my hair effortlessly without baking in awkward angles and creases
And whilst I mentioned in the ‘cons’ that it’s not cordless, there is also an advantage to that because not having a battery pack built in makes the product way lighter. If I had to choose, I’d definitely go for a lighter product with a cord.
Performance
When it comes to styling my hair, I need all the help I can get because I’m just not one of those people whose glossy locks seem to fall effortlessly into place. Even when I work at it, the results can still be pretty dubious if the hairstyling tool I’m using is below par. But the design of this hair straightener makes it work every time, whether I’m going ‘sleek’, or adding waves for a more casual look. So, in terms of performance:
- it heats up quickly
- the temperature is perfect for my fine hair – people with thicker hair may have to run it through a couple of times but once is enough for mine
- its design makes styling easy and no longer looks like I iron it!
- the heat remains consistent and even, so I don’t have to re-do bits
- it glides without snagging or hair breakage
- my hair is actually looking healthier now than before I started using it – really shiny, with no frizzing, burning or dryness at all
I obviously haven’t been able to try it on different types of hair. So, to be more confident about this I also looked at a lot of independent online KEEO reviews. The majority are very positive, with only the odd few who suggest they’d like to be able to make them hotter to improve results.
Perhaps as a result, the KEEO Genius Pro+ has been launched, with heat and tension settings that you can customise, although it does come with a higher price tag. If you want to find out more about it first, have a read of my Keeo Genius Pro+ review.
Quality
It can be very difficult to assess quality, particularly if you haven’t been using the product for very long. However, apart from the look and feel of these hair straighteners – which is excellent by the way – I have also looked at online reviews to see if anyone has experienced any problems with quality. Apart from the single heat setting I mentioned previously (which is more of a performance issue for certain hair types rather than product quality) I haven’t found any negative feedback.
Cost
Well, nothing’s perfect is it? The price of this hair straightener is mid-range at £169 (at the time of publishing). That said, I still think it’s a good investment for something that can make or break my hair – quite literally in some cases!
I have definitely seen cheaper hair straighteners, but when I look at the quality, performance and ease of use, in my experience this one is definitely superior. However, it would’ve been nice to have had some sort of heatproof mat included at no extra cost.
But, don’t forget that you can get £15 off using KEEO Discount Code: VEGANMUM
My verdict on the KEEO hair straightener
I have really enjoyed trialling this product. Its design, quality and performance has impressed me and I now feel reassured that not all hair straighteners are created equal! With no tugging, burning, or breakage, the way these glide through my hair feels very different from my past experiences with similar haircare tools. And they are so light to handle too.
Yes, it would be great if they were cheaper, although I would not want to compromise on quality because I think that’s important. And whilst a few people have mentioned they’d like to have the option to increase the heat setting, I feel convinced it’s set to a temperature that styles your hair without damaging it. But, if they really don’t work for you, return them within 30 days and you’ll get your money back.
That said, if you don’t mind paying a bit more, KEEO has just launched the Genius Pro+ with customisable heat and tension settings which I have also trialled. Why not read my review of that here, or give their temperature and tension quiz a go if you’re not sure?
So, would I recommend the KEEO Genius hair straightener? Yes, I believe it is a good quality product that is easy to use, performs well and achieves good results. And with their 30-day risk-free trial, you’ve really got nothing to lose.
KEEO Discount Code
Get an amazing £15 off by using this exclusive discount code at checkout: VEGANMUM
More haircare articles
I hope you have enjoyed my KEEO hair straightener review. You can find a sample of further vegan haircare articles below if you’d like to read more.
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