All about: ghd's incredible new Oracle

It could never be said that the clever types at ghd ever rest on their laurels – when they create a new tool they really do go hard, and that’s why their offering is amongst the world’s best. They research, research, test, test and test again – and I love them for that.

Their latest big unveiling is the world’s first professional tool that creates endless curls in one simple stroke – the truly magnificent (especially for inept tool users like me) ghd Oracle. Developed by ghd over six years and with over 675,000 hours of testing (told you they do a lot), ghd Oracle is quite the marvel. After being gifted one and having ample time to play with it I can only say that I’m hooked – and determined to master it and its endless possibilities. 

Available only in salons and recommended to be accompanied by a demo from a stylist, the Oracle really a game-changer, and for many reasons. The first is that the product features what ghd call “Curl-zone technology”. After you clamp it in, your hair passes through a unique U shaped barrel, made up of four different ceramic plates. As hair glides through the heated zone, it is shaped into the curl Cool zone – as hair continues to glide out of the unique U shape it hits the cooling system that quickly cools the hair and sets the curl. Immediate cooling means long lasting results, and is the reason why your stylist usually blasts your waves and curls with cool air at the end of a blow wave. In addition, the cool zone means the tool is cool to touch and allows the plates to be placed directly at the root for a more comfortable styling experience. One of the reasons I’ve been hesitant to use the curling iron I own is due to the burn factor – once bitten, twice shy!

Secondly, the Oracle is set to the optimum temperature of 185°C. When hair is styled at 185°C it enters what is apparently called the “glass transition phase”. The glass transition phase means the temperature at which a material goes from a hard or brittle state to a malleable or plastic state - so in hair styling, this is the temperature at which your hair can be styled, without damage. 

No matter which section of hair you are styling, or which angle, the hair will always pass through the same U shape for the perfect curl effect. By tilting the Oracle at slightly different angles you can create a variety of different curls and waves, from loose beachy waves, to a more uniformed curl. So far I’m all about beachy due to its relative ease, but I’m committed to learning more over time.

Steve Elstein, ghd Vice President of product development and research has said of the tool: “ghd Oracle is the culmination of many years of research, resulting in a versatile professional tool that combines heat to shape the hair, with a cooling system to set the hair. This innovative tool heats hair to the optimum temperature of 185°C and then curls and sets the hair by crash cooling it with a temperature differential of over 100°C to ensure the style is set and that the curls last.” If that doesn’t sound pretty damn amazing then I don’t know what does.

You can experience the new ghd Oracle in selected salons right now, RRP $380. To find out your nearest stockist, head here now.