L'Oreal Steampod Review

Roughly dried hair on the left, Steampod finished hair on the right

I’m feeling slightly guilty at the moment as I’ve been cheating on my GHDs for a good few weeks now and I think I might have fallen in love elsewhere. I’ve been lured away by L’Oreal’s Steampod system which has not only left my hair looking ridiculously sleek and smooth, but also feeling like it’s in MUCH better condition. *wonders if I’ve just made the rest of this review totally pointless by adding a spoiler at the top*

The Steampod system was initially launched a couple of years ago, and wasn’t something that I paid a huge amount of attention to if I’m honest. I didn’t really get the concept behind it, but when I was offered the chance to test one out, I thought it’d be a great opportunity to discover why everyone seemed to be raving about it so much.

Like a traditional straightener, it uses hot plates to smooth out your hair, however it also uses jets of steam that not only make the process less damaging to your hair, but also give a longer-lasting result that a traditional straightener.

There are two parts to the Steampod – the device itself, which looks like a bulkier version of a pair of straighteners and also a separate pod which holds the water that is then sucked into the device and applied to your hair through small vents in the Steampod.

You use the Steampod in the same way you would any other straightener – you just need to ensure you follow the guide arrows on the device to make sure you run it down your hair in the correct direction. This ensures that the steam is applied prior to the plate, and the small comb at the bottom of the plate can run smoothly through your hair. Make sure your hair is totally dry before you start - I tend to blast mine roughly with a hairdryer first and then use the Steampod to smooth it all out.

I’d recommend spending a few minutes getting acquainted with the Steampod before your first use as it does take a bit of getting used to. The temperature controls and on/off button are a bit hidden (they’re inside the handle rather than on top of it) but I do like the fact you can adjust the temperature depending on your hair type. The top temperature is 210 degrees, which is designed for really thick/coarse hair – I normally go for around 180 to 200 degrees as I have quite a lot of hair and I find that gives the best results, but you can play around with the settings a bit until you find your perfect temperature.

The results themselves are pretty amazing. I popped up to visit my Mum after my first ‘test run’ and she asked me if I’d been for a blow dry! The finish is incredibly smooth and sleek and that was without using any products at all on my hair.

I also find it a lot quicker to use than my GHDs as I don’t need to divide my hair into so many sections – it seems to be able to cope with more hair in one go, while still giving a very smooth effect. And I only need to do one or two passes over each section in order to get it looking straight and smooth, cutting down on time and damage to my hair.

One thing I would say is that the Steampod is quite heavy. If you struggle with heavy hair stylers, then this might not be a great option long term. It’s also quite expensive at £185 but having tried it, I would honestly buy another one myself if this one ever needed replacing.

My version is a special, limited edition that was created for the Olympics and I love the design it comes with. The regular Steampods are plan white, but I think the print just adds something a little different to my dressing table.

You can find Steampod through most larger online retailers. Look Fantastic also have it on special offer at the moment for £139, making it that bit more affordable.

Have you ever tried a Steampod?