L'Oreal Steampod 3.0 review - worth the hype/price?

The difference between my hair this year compared to just after getting Covid, is huge. Last year, my hair fell out non-stop for quite a few months - there was literally hair everywhere in the house. Now that it's in better condition, I want to keep it that way - see post here. I still use heat on it, but generally only wash and dry my hair once weekly. I know that some people like to use heat on their hair daily, to keep it straight, but I resist doing that. I have a Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer (review here), GHD Curling Wand and GHD Platinum Straightening Irons, but in the back of my mind for the last few years has been the L'Oreal Steampod, as it's supposed to be less damaging on the hair. It looked quite fiddly with the separate water holder, so when I saw the new 3.0 version, which looked much more sleek, I wanted it and then when I saw that  it was reduced by 20%, I decided to buy it as it is rarely reduced - I've been keeping my eye on it for ages and had never seen a reduction in price before. I always love to make a saving where I can! Now that I've been using it for a while, I wanted to share my thoughts with you, in case you were thinking of buying one, because they're pricey.

I use straighteners to both wave and straighten my hair, which is naturally wavy, knotty and frizzy! If I run the straightener through it after drying, it will ensure that my hair stays straight until I next wash it, but it also tames any split ends. The problem is that overuse of heat will cause more split ends and damage the hair, which is why I try to limit it to once weekly use. That said, if I am putting waves in my hair, I tend to straighten it first, to ensure that it's smooth, so that's double heat, therefore a product that will cause less damage will always grab my interest.

There is a built in water tank and it comes with a small bottle, which you can use to fill the tank, without the risk of any mess. There are three heat settings, from 180 to 210°C - I think that the more unruly your hair, the higher the setting you use. It's obviously important to use a heat protector and the brand have a serum and a milk, depending on hair type and preference. I have both and have other heat protectors in both formats too, so I don't necessarily think that you *need* to buy these versions. Sometimes I use the milk, other times, the serum - it really depends on dry I think my hair is, if it needs a trim etc.

Because this product uses steam instead of heat to straighten the hair, it protects it from the damage that extreme heat that other straighteners use, They claim that it reduces damage by 78%, using Pro-Keratin technology. It also claims to cut down styling time and to leave hair twice as smooth - big claims, but are they true? I'l tell you my experience and the pros and cons.

A massive pro is the  built in comb, as this means that you don't need a separate brush and can do your hair one handed. The comb also means that the hair is smoother from root to tip. The second thing that I love is the rotating cord - it makes it so much easier to create waves, without the lead getting tangled as you flip the plates. Also, because of the comb, hair is smoothed as you run the iron through it, so it eliminates frizz and saves the need for straightening first, then waving (if you have frizzy hair), as hair is smooth from the root. 

Because of the wide plates (compared to my other straightener), I can get through my hair a lot quicker, as I can obviously use larger pieces of hair. It is so easy to create loose, bouncy waves with the wider plate. I also loves that it leaves my hair looking glossy, rather than dry, so I don't need to add an oil or serum at the end, in order to ensure my hair looks frizz-free. It's the closest thing to a salon finish that I've found in a hair styling tool.

BUT, if I have to be very pernickety, there is one thing I'll say - using steam during the heatwave/humidity was tough-going. My hair was still smooth and frizz-free, but I was so hot and sweaty using a product with steam near my head! Now, this is not something that will happen very often as we're lucky to get proper summer weather for 1/2 weeks a year in Ireland! If I had air conditioning, it would be less of an issue, I'm sure. 

That's a very small negative, as doing almost anything with the temperatures we had over the past fortnight left me feeling sweaty! (The answer was to just do as little as possible - lie in the shade and read a book!). Other than that, I think that the Steampod is completely worth the hype and money. I have no regrets about the money I spent and hope that it will last for years to come.

Currently reduced on Look Fantastic.

Have you tried the Steampod? What's your favourite hair stying tool? I'd love to hear!

Thanks for reading!

Follow Beautylymin on Bloglovin, Twitter and Instagram for regular updates!

All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. Anything marked with a * has been kindly gifted, without obligation. I don't do sponsored posts. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.