Doing a Silk Press on My Thick Type 4 Hair Has Never Been Easier Thanks to Shark's New Tool

As someone who used to straighten their thick, coily hair on a weekly basis, it's safe to say that I've tried a lot of different flat irons in my life. Quite frankly, some of them have been underwhelming. While I try not to straighten my hair much now to keep it healthy, there is one recently launched tool I just had to get my hands on because it's the exception to the rule. Shark Beauty's SilkiPro Wet to Dry Straightener + Rapid Blow Dryer ($200) is next-level in its ability to straighten hair quickly.

This two-in-one hair tool is a straightener and blow dryer in one. Honestly, I've been burned in the past by tools like this, so my first inclination upon its launch was skepticism. Initially, I wasn't sure if this would work well for my type four hair because it usually needs a lot of heat for a good silk press, but after hearing a rave review from my sister with a similar hair type, I decided to give it a go. Spoiler alert: I was not disappointed. If you're like me and like to save time and money on your beauty routine wherever you can, this tool is definitely worth the investment. For everything you need to know about this new launch along with my honest review, keep on reading.

Shark Beauty SilkiPro Wet to Dry Straightener + Rapid Blow Dryer

• Comes with a three-piece comb collection for different styles and hair types
• HeatSense Ceramic plates have an integrated sensor monitor that constantly adjusts the temperature to avoid excessive heat damage
• RapidDry airflow reduces drying time
• Motion sensor control technology automatically lowers airflow when plates aren't touching your hair to save energy and increase safety

My Review

For reference, the above photo is what my hair looked like curly before I straightened it. I love that Shark actually thought of every hair type when making this tool. My frustration with a lot of other expensive straighteners and curlers out there is that they're designed to cause less heat damage, but because I have thicker, type four hair that needs more heat to straighten, a lot of them just don't work that well for me. I was initially worried this tool would be the same, but after hearing my sister rave about it for weeks, I figured it must work well for coarser hair types. I was also encouraged by the product page because the brand actually showed in the product images what it can do on type four hair (sadly, still a rarity even today).

I'm glad I decided to give this tool a go. I don't like to use a took like this with completely wet hair so I used the blow dryer feature on damp hair instead before straightening. That's actually the key to a good silk press. The blow dryer feature allows you to lightly straighten and prime the hair beforehand so when you do use the flat iron feature, your hair is a lot smoother and silkier. Once I straightened my hair, I used my usual styling products and all I had to say was wow. Usually, my hair needs to sit for a day or two after I straighten it before it looks smooth and silky, but this tool made it look that way instantly.

Here's a photo of what my hair looked like after using the tool for the first time. Not bad! Previously, my hair also used to take a little over an hour to straighten because I have so much of it and it's so thick, but this tool actually did what it promised. It cut down on styling time by at least 20 minutes which is huge for me. I also appreciated that this tool isn't overly complicated to use. It's pretty intuitive and straight forward so I didn't even feel like I needed to read the manual much to figure out what each button was for. The only con I have is that it didn't seem to do as well on my ends. Only one pass left them a bit puffy so I had to go over them a few times to get them to look as sleek as my roots. That, however, wasn't enough of an issue to make me think the tool isn't worth buying.

At $200, I also know that this tool is an investment piece. But, if you're someone who heat styles often or you want something that's going to cut down on steps, this is absolutely worth the money. I've been really impressed with the Shark Beauty devices I've tried and this one is no exception. I actually felt seen when they showed what this tool could do on type four hair on the product landing page. Many beauty brands still leave Black hair types out of the conversation, but it's nice to know that Shark *actually* made this tool to truly work well for every hair type.

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