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| beauty "appliances" question | |
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| Topic Started: Nov 25 2009, 07:12:21 AM (1,091 Views) | |
| tina_o | Nov 25 2009, 07:12:21 AM Post #1 |
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Chinwagger
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I am still admittedly confused about voltages and using plug adaptors for things like hairdryers, curling irons, flat irons, etc, even after doing a search and looking up past topic explainations. I'm thinking I need to buy a hairdryer and flat iron in Australia because my USA appliances won't work due to the differences in voltages??? I was looking up flat irons on Australian websites and they were extremely expensive ($200 AUD) This can't be right, can it? I paid about $90 for mine-USD. Questions: Where in Australia (specifically Perth) is a good place to buy hairdryers and stuff? Are flat irons really $200??? Thanks! 
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| crapola | Nov 25 2009, 07:35:46 AM Post #2 |
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True Blue Mate
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the short answer is yes, electrical appliances are expensive here in aussieland. seeing as i dont live in perth, and i never ever use anything on my hair except shampoo & conditioner, i cant help you with where to purchase these items... but maybe big w, target, or krapmart? |
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| NurseJules | Nov 25 2009, 07:54:07 AM Post #3 |
True Blue Mate
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Hi Tina, You can also try electronics stores like Harvey Norman and the Good Guys. I'll warn you though, if you had nice professional products in the states you won't find them at these stores. I have naturally straight hair but I use a straightening iron to keep the frizz away, and I initially bought at Vidal Sasoon one here...yes big mistake! After going through 3 Vidal Sasoon ones because I wanted to be economical, I finally broke down and bought at GHD straightener under the advice of a few of my Aussie girlfriends who swear by them. While the pricetag is kinda large (they retail for about $300AUD), it was so worth it and they are under lifetime warranty with the company should anything go wrong. In addition to that, they have an internal voltage converter meaning that you can travel with them with a simple outlet converter to wherever you are going without having to buy a massive voltage converter. This was the big selling point for me as I can now bring mine back and forth to the states. And they are pretty great quality as well... I'm sure there are other professional brands out there but this one seems to be pretty popular among the Aussies. You can get them in almost any hair salon, I don't think they're sold in retails stores though. Or you can try e-bay but be careful because there are a lot of knock off sellers trying to scam people with fake GHD's. Always read the feedback before you buy
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| KimInMellie | Nov 25 2009, 10:14:30 AM Post #4 |
True Blue Mate
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LOL ... Julie, now there's an ad for GHD straighteners on this page. Express shipping available! Talk about targeted marketing.  Tina, I agree that you won't find great quality appliances at the typical retail shops. I got a Parlux hair dryer for around $150 at one of those specialty hairstyling supply shops (sorry, can't remember the name of it ATM). I'd purchased a $40 dryer at Kmart before that, but it made my hair look like I'd rubbed a balloon all over my head.
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 Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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| blarg | Nov 25 2009, 11:02:26 AM Post #5 |
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True Blue Mate
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Julie, let me provide a bit of insight into that $200 price versus the $90 price in the US. The exchange rate at the moment is brilliant, but not long ago it was down in the 60-70 cents range. So, let's assume one Australian Dollar buys you 65 US cents for a moment. That then brings the price to $138.46. But we're not done yet. Add import duty, GST, and shipping, et voila... around $200. Now, currently the exchange rate makes that price $98AUD before all the taxes, but retailers aren't going to be switching their prices around randomly to accommodate the exchange rate. They're just going to choose a price and stick with it. Also keep in mind that people working here get paid more for what they do, which increases the cost in many items. So let's say they decide to manufacture it here instead of abroad, meaning they can skip the duty and shipping (mostly). They then get to pay the workers more to build the things, arriving at about $200 sales price again. Hrmph. So yes, it's double, and yes, there's a reason, and yes, they're definitely making a profit on them, especially now with the good exchange rate.
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| NurseJules | Nov 25 2009, 11:28:56 AM Post #6 |
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True Blue Mate
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haha do you mean Tina? I've lived in Aus long enough to accept the higher prices
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| boomerang | Nov 25 2009, 11:37:04 AM Post #7 |
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True Blue Mate
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I don't use hair appliances much and since the ones I had weren't worth too much (and not worth trying to sell) I just brought them over..... figuring that if they fried, they fried - no great loss. I plug them in with a simple travel converter. Mind you I've hardly used my hair dryer but when I do it glows red and is probably very close to burning out. The other thing you can do is to buy a step down transformer, see this website posted by another YDUer (gpierce) http://www.220-electronics.com/Transformers/trans/twowaytrans.htm - it may be worth it depending on how much $$$$ you have already vested in your appliances and how much you'd have to pay to replace them here. Good luck |
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| boomerang | Nov 25 2009, 11:39:59 AM Post #8 |
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True Blue Mate
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There's no hope for me....I grew up here and still can't accept the prices!!! 
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| gpierce | Nov 25 2009, 12:02:12 PM Post #9 |
True Blue Mate
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Tina, you can bring a large power inverter with you such as this one: http://www.110220volts.com/TC-2000.html and use it to power things that have motors or heaters. Those items will not mind the difference in Hz (60 vs 50). They will work here!:) Buy one based on total wattage you need plus. If your dryer sucks up 200 watts, buy a 500. If it sucks up 800, buy a 1000, and so on. Greg |
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| blarg | Nov 25 2009, 12:47:46 PM Post #10 |
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True Blue Mate
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Yes indeed, I meant Tina. Sorry!
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| tina_o | Nov 26 2009, 01:19:13 AM Post #11 |
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Chinwagger
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Holy shit-I have a lot to learn and get used to  Thanks to everyone for your help! Tina |
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| Lisa66 | Nov 28 2009, 12:07:57 PM Post #12 |
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True Blue Mate
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BTW, I got a cheap (< $50) hair dryer @ Target and a cheap (around $50) hair straightener @ Hairhouse Warehouse and they have both been fine ... so, it is possible to get stuff @ the other end of the spectrum. But ... maybe my hair looks worse than I realize?! ;-) |
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| sheowahya | Nov 28 2009, 09:52:42 PM Post #13 |
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True Blue Mate
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Has anyone checked out Hairhouse? http://www.hairhousewarehouse.com.au/index.php it might save you some money, or enable you to "upscale" your purchase for the same price |
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| tina_o | Nov 29 2009, 02:43:08 AM Post #14 |
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Chinwagger
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I was looking at the Target Australia website and see that it is not affiliated with Target Corp. USA. Just glancing through the online merchandise, it looks like the same concept. I like Target in the States. Do you all find that this is a decent store in AUS or are there other stores that you like better? (I'm guessing you have regional preferences??) What caught my eye was the hours the stores are actually open (at least in Perth). The store closes at 6PM unless it's the 1 late night at 9PM. Is this a Perth-only thing? It reminds me of when stores and other places used to be closed on Sundays and have limited hours when I was a very little girl (yes, I'm old)  When people work until 5 or 6 pm and only have 1 late night shopping time, are the stores packed on these nights and are weekends packed with people trying to get their shopping done? |
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| minx | Nov 29 2009, 12:41:04 PM Post #15 |
True Blue Mate
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Hahahaha! Welcome to Perth! The joke used to be you should set your watch back 20 years when you land in Perth.
Yes!
Yes! Every time extending store hours comes up in the legislature, it is soundly defeated.  Perth is, in many ways, very parochial. Having said all that, though, there are heaps of compensations for the things we miss - Perth is a wonderful city in lots of ways. 
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| kissy | Nov 29 2009, 01:53:39 PM Post #16 |
Chinwagger
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I wld die without a flat iron lol |
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| Bindie | Nov 29 2009, 08:50:19 PM Post #17 |
True Blue Mate
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It's not only Perth. While the grocery shops are open longer in other parts of Australia, the malls and most other shops close at 5 or 6. |
 The future is no place/to place your better days, DMB Canberra, ACT since 2004 | |
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| TerritorianTori | Nov 30 2009, 05:03:20 PM Post #18 |
It couldn't happen here
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Before you buy anything, check your appliances. My mother discovered that her hairdryer was actually dual voltage/Hz, and all she had to do was flip a small switch on the back. If you're lucky enough to have a dualie, then all you need is a plug converter and you're set!
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 South Texas to the Northern Territory - since 2004 I'm a huge fan of... Angry Video Game Nerd | The Big Bang Theory | Doctor Who | Pet Shop Boys | Yanks Down Under ~ Americans living in Australia Avatar by Sketch Shop Boys I don't do Facebook, sorry. | |
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| elsja | Dec 1 2009, 05:27:06 PM Post #19 |
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aussie pilot lover
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The first time I travelled to australia I brought my flat iron and mistakenly thought that I could just use the plug adaptor that SPECIFICALLY said "for heating appliances." Well, the metal panels on the iron melted off. It was horrible. I quickly bought a new one when I returned to the US. When I travelled back to Australia 3 months later to visit Andrew for ONE WEEK I bought a flat iron. Yes, I spent 300 on a straightener knowing that i was only going to be there 1 week. That is how important a straightener is to me! (I also figured I'd definitely be traveling there a lot in the future). It was the best investment ever because I still have it and use it now almost 4 years later. However, I just use a voltage converter for my US curling iron, so that is probably a better option if you want to save money.
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