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Hot Tools is a good brand for ceramic irons and won't break your bank like the Chi. I went to buy a Chi at Trade Secret and the salesgirl actually talked me into the other one, because it is the one iron no one ever returns!

Get a couple of Conair curling irons with varying widths-- you'll want to get ones that have numbered heat settings rather than just "on" and "off."

I recommend using a salon quality smoothing serum. Use sparingly-- too much and your hair will look very greasy. Start with a dime sized amount on wet hair and work it through your roots on up-- too much on your scalp and it will look like grease city. Add more (little drops rubbed into the palms of your hand and worked through your hair) slowly. Dry your hair and then rub another dime sized amount into your palms and work through your hair. Now you are ready to straighten. When done, add another small amount of serum.

Paul Mitchell makes a great serum. So does Biosilk. You might want to hit a salon supply store and buy up a few different samplers of various brands to get the one you like best.

A pomade is good for holding texture-- again use sparingly to avoid the grease factor.

Seal curls with some hairspray.