OK – it’s a little off the beaten track for us, but the new GHD Mark IV stylers include some pretty natty technology we thought we should share with you.

Firstly, the heating irons are heated using infra-red. Remember when that was the stuff of science fiction? Well now it’s just part of every day things like these straighteners. Using infra red means that the heat is transferred through the heating elements a lot faster and lasts longer.

One of the criticisms that have been levelled at GHD hair straighteners down the years is that it is all too easy to leave them turned on and come back from a chat or a cuppa to find that they were merrily burning a hole in your work surface. Now, they include an auto shut-off feature which kicks in after 15 minutes of non-use.

On a less obvious note, multi-country adaptors are included with every set – which is something we think that almost any manufacturer of portable electronics should take heed of.

So, if you are in the market for such things, GHD hair straighteners are probably the state of the art. They’re a product that have been much copied by shady manufacturers in the Far East and the market is still full of unofficial products that can have serious (and even dangerous) manufacturing flaws.

If you’re buying online, visit the official GHD site where there is a website verification tool that gives you a way to check that you’re buying the real deal. If you’re buying on the high street then make sure you buy from a reputable high street stall and avoid too-good-to-be-true deals on markets or from back-street traders.