Hair Styling Tools

Let’s be honest, there’s not much that beats a great salon blowout.  No matter how you entered, you can always count on leaving with not only an amazing head of hair, but usually a spring in your step and a renewed feeling that all is right with the world.  With these easy tips, you can recreate the luscious locks and positive mental attitude you get with a salon blowout in the comfort of your own home!

First, don’t rough-dry: When your hair is wet, don’t shake the  hair dryer (like when using a diffuser). Instead…

Angle your dryer: Smooth out even the wildest waves by using a round brush (we love the Spornette Ultralite Brush) and pointing the blow-dryer nozzle in a perpendicular direction.  Remember to avoid blowing the air directly at your hair.

Lastly, hair has a memory: If you repeat something over and over, your hair will remember it and follow the pattern.  For instance, you can flatten a cowlick by pulling it straight a few times. Note: Hair retains information until the next time it comes into contact with humidity.

Dry hair tends to have “fuzzier” frizz…to combat the fuzz, here are a few suggestions to keep those curls calm!

Applying the right haircare products is essential in retaining your hair’s natural moisture.  So, it’s best to shampoo no more than every other day using a sulfate-free formula.  Try using Potions International Super Moist Shampoo. It is Sulfate, Paraben and Sodium Chloride free.  PI’s Super Moist Conditioner has the same qualities so use this to condition your hair as you normally would.

While hair is wet, apply a combination of gel and a very small portion of  Potions International Super Serum.

Use your fingers to twist your curls in order to help them dry in a more controlled way.  Next, attach a diffuser to your hair dryer to keep the curls in tact while drying, or simply let your hair air-dry, careful not to disturb the curl.  When you have completely dried your hair, lightly dab some more PI Super Serum to your hair using your fingertips or the palms of your hands.

With this tip of the day your curls will go from frizz to fab in no time at all!

If your face shape is narrow at the jaw line and wide at the cheekbones and/or forehead, then guess what – you have a heart shaped face.  Ok, so now that it has been determined that you fall under this category, what is the right hair style for you?

For starters, it is best to consider chin-length or longer hair styles.  Some additional considerations would be to try out parting your hair on the side or sweeping forward layers around the upper part of  your face with some gentle wispy bangs.  What about a bobbed hairstyle that is chin length?  As you can see there are many options, but let’s focus on the type hair you have and what styles will work with your particular texture and length.

RELAXED, STRAIGHT, AND FINE:  Can you picture a pixie?  If so, ask your hair stylist for a short, wispy layered cut with enough length to allow for some face-framing bangs in the front and some coverage at the nape.  This pixie/shag cut on Victoria Beckham as shown in the picture on the right, can be a fabulous style for a heart shaped face with fine features.

SHORT, MEDIUM, OR LONG LENGTH CURLY:  Short: Layering is the name of the game, but don’t have short layers near the top of the head. This will give you a “top-heavy” look and defeat the goal of making the chin area look wider.  A pixie cut works, or for thosse who have looser curls a bob cut hitting just beneath the ears is great. If you have tighter curls then a bob cut above the ears will help even out the “top-heavy” look.  Medium:  Medium length curly hair styles are actually the best for heart shaped faces.  If your hair is wavy curly then try some side swept bangs and not blunt cut. Blunt will make your face look shorter.  The looser the curl the better the bangs look.  And, once again, layering works well only if the hair is tapered around the face to make those fabulous features stand out.  Long:  When your curly hair is longer, try keeping the length no more than 4 to 5 inches below the chin.  This adds width to the lower part of the face where you are trying to achieve some balance.  For extra curly long hair you can try twisting your hair back away from the face as long as the hair is not pulled too far back.  Allow the hair to frame the face and leave just a touch hanging on the sides. 

MEDIUM TO LONG STRAIGHT OR WAVY:  Medium:  Medium length hair on a heart shaped face provides the most options for hair styling. Some definite don’ts,  however, are 1) do not add height at the crown of the head, 2) do not have your cut end at the chin line.  If your hair is straight and you elect a medium-length bob or longer layered bob, add a few waves by using a curling iron or some hot rollers.  If your hair is medium length and naturally wavy, add some haircare product such as mousse or curl enhancer and use a diffuser when drying your hair.  If your hair is medium to shoulder length, a cut with wispy layers that kick out can be a great option.  The most essential element in either medium or long hair is having some bangs. Stick with wispy layered bangs and definitely stay away from the choppy bangs.  Reese Witherspoon is a prime example of a heart shaped face and more times than not you will see her with bangs that complement her face shape and accents her facial features.  Long:  If you have longer hair, then there are some very specific things that will help.  Have I mentioned the word layering before?  Well, it applies here once again.  And, if you don’t want bangs, here is where a center part with face framing layers that fall forward on your face will really provide an illusion of balance.  If you add curls or waves to this cut, all the better.  Long hair can take attention away from a pointy chin when long soft layers that are wispy and graze your cheekbones.  Highlights can add depth and multi-tones into long hair. As for length, it’s best not to go any more than 4 to 5 inches below the chin so as not to elongate the chin.  When I think of long heart shaped celebrities, I think of Jennifer Anniston and Michelle Pfeiffer.

I was out shopping recently to see what the marketplace had to offer in the way of professional hairdryers to see just how many came with attachments.  First of all, most of the professional hairdryers that I am familiar with seem to be only sold in beauty supply stores and hair salons.  The web has far more to offer.  Secondly, the majority of hair dryers only come with concentrators and not diffusers.  So, the hunt was on on for finding diffusers that were sold separately.  This became a very difficult task so I gave up and came home to shop online.

What makes shopping for a diffuser for your hair dryer complicated, is not necessarily where you can find them, but what will fit on the hairdryer you already are using.  Many brands make diffusers for their line of dryers, but not all.  The other thing to take into consideration is what type of diffuser do you need?  Do you have curly hair, straight hair, wavy hair, and what is your goal?

There are basically, three types of diffusers available in the marketplace.  Two of the three are made from a very hard plastic and are typically found as cone shaped.  These usually can be found in a couple of different sizes (small or large) and with prongs or fingers or without.  The third type of diffuser is the Hot Sock, which is made of soft, flexible lightweight foam that adds volume to your hair. Its unique design gives you better overall diffusion.  It literally is so small and weighs only ounces that you can take it anywhere with you.  

So, which diffuser is right for you?  No matter what type hair you have, if you are looking to increase the volume of your hair and don’t really need to style the hair , the prong-type diffuser will work best.  The reason is simple.  While you are blow drying your hair, the diffuser is restricting the bolt of air to a milder force of air, that would otherwise be blowing out an extreme force of air.  At the same time, the fingers of the diffuser are lifting your hair from your head to create volume and maintain whatever type hair you already have.  If your hair is curly, it stays curly.  If your hair is wavy, it stays wavy.   This gentler force of air and diffusion of heat results in less damage to the hair and definitely less frizz.

The second type of diffuser mentioned above is one that does not have prongs.   This type diffuser looks like small round speakers.  Diffusers without fingers generally do the same job as the ones that do have fingers, however, in my opinion typically takes a person a little more time to dry their hair.  Of course it also depends on the size of the diffuser that you are using as a larger model will dry more hair at one time than the smaller.  If you are not necessarily looking for extra volume but still want to reduce the air flow and heat concentration, then this is the one to buy.  The Hot Sock does a similar job but the difference is that this diffuser fits on any size blow dryer, is easier to travel with, and focuses on a smaller section of hair at a time. 

Now, to get to the point of finding a diffuser that fits.  There are many universal diffusers to choose from.  If the nozzle of your blow dryer is perfectly round, the universal diffusers will generally fit.  However, many of the newer brand hairdryers are coming out with elliptical shaped nozzles and some other shapes.  The universal diffuser will not fit these and you will have to contact the manufacturer of your hairdryer to see if they sell one that fits.

One of the more common diffusers sold in the marketplace that a shopper can pretty much rely upon to fit their hairdryer if the nozzle is round shaped is the Helen of Troy Euro diffuser.  The reason this is so popular is that it comes with 4 different size adapters to fit different size round nozzles.

Whatever hair type you have, or hair dryer you have, if you are looking for yet another way to protect the health of your hair, then the diffuser is for you.

Reading through the all of the popular fashion and women’s magazines I am constantly finding articles written that describe certain hairstyles that are achieved by using different attachments on the hairdryer.  I began to wonder if there were actually very many hair dryers for sale that actually came with the necessary attachments or if they would have to be bought separately.

I narrowed down my research to professional hairdryers and salon style hairdryers as these are typically the most durable and have the most variety of features that I know will help keep my hair healthy.  What I found is that most hair dryers in the $40.00 or more range come with concentrators.  A select few hairdryers in the higher price ranges come with both a concentrator and a diffuser.  That is not to say that all higher price dryers come with diffusers.  I actually found a few lower priced hairdryers that come with a diffuser.  Hot Tools is one of these brands.  One brand that I came across that comes with a diffuser and concentrator is the h2pro brand.  I actually ended up testing one out and was very pleasantly surprised at how powerful and lightweight this blow dryer is. 

The h2pro hairdryer comes in an 1800, 1900, and 2000 watt model.   I especially liked the 1900 watt model for several reasons.  The dryer is actually called The Nano Ultra Light 1900.  This model weighls 25% less than the other models weighing in at 12.65 ounces.  The compact design allows for easy carrying and storage.  One of the features of the dryer is the ceramic tourmaline which helps to seal in moisture while reducing drying time by 50%. There is also a cool shot button to set styles and a turbo button for a little extra boost.   While this dryer is over the $100 price range, I feel it is well worth the money when you take into consideration the features, especially when diffusers are not a cheap attachment.

To answer the question, “Why are professional hairdryers better?”, one needs to ask the question, “do I want my hair to look like a million bucks or do I want it to look like $9.99?”  Obviously, this is a drastic difference but hopefully you get my point.

When the uninformed consumer starts shopping for hairdryers, typically they start looking by price.  Secondary to that are features.  This makes sense, however, what the consumer forgets to take into consideration is the long term goal.  Do they want to have to replace their hairdryer periodically, or do they want something that is going to last hopefully for several years?  Putting the pricing issue first, many consumers shy away because they just don’t want to spend more than $20.00 or $30.00.  Well, did you know that there are some professional hairdryers   out there in this price range?

Historically, professional hairdryers were created for hair styling experts.  Let’s face it, they are doing hair for a living and need all the help they can get in the hair styling appliance arena.  But, as consumers, we too can take advantage of these professional hair styling tools and should not have to think twice about it.

Let’s talk about what’s important in factoring in whether or not you should buy a professional hairdryer:

HEAT

The heating process of any blow dryer is very important when it comes to the health of your hair.  The traditional dryers or less expensive dryers are made with plastic or metal heating elements.  The affect this has on  your hair is that these elements burn with uncontrollable heat.  After prolonged use your hair will get brittle and break off.   Professional dryers typically are made with ceramic, ionic, and/or tourmaline features. (See Below)  

FEATURES

Probably one of the key features of a professional hair dryer is that it has a durable, strong motor that will last twice as long, if not longer, than the traditional hairdryer. 

EMF: 

An EMF is the electromagnetic field that is produced by the hairdryer.  For environmentalists the lower the EMF the better.  The traditional dryers still produce EMF levels that could be considered potentially dangerous while most of the professional dryers are now manufactured with extremely low EMF levels.  The lower the EMF level, the safer it is for you and our environment.

Ceramic: 

Ceramic technology generates infrared heat, which gently dries your hair from the inside out. Ceramic blow dryers also heat evenly and do not get too hot for the hair. It uses radiant heat which penetrates the individual strand instead of drying the outside of the hair first. Additionally one of the benefits of ceramic is the fact that your hair will dry up to seventy percent faster.

Ionic: 

Ionic technology in a hairdryer means that the tool is releasing negative ions onto wet hair.  The negative ions break apart the water molecules, which make them smaller and more easily absorbed by the hair or dried through evaporation.  This process helps keep the hair shiny and moisturized and also helps reduce hair frizz. The result is shinier and sleeker looking hair.

Tourmaline:

A plus factor for ceramics is that they can be infused with other elements like tourmaline crystals.  The tourmaline nano particles generate far-infrared energy when heated.  This penetrating form of heat passes through the hair cuticle, going directly to the cortex of the hair to dry it first.  The cuticle is not over-dried and resists brittleness and cracking.  This helps hair to maintain its shine and softness.  Tourmaline hairdryers also helps cleanse hair of odors and impurities.

Settings:

Bottom line on this feature is the more settings you have the better it is for you.  It is all about options/choices because we don’t all use our hairdryers just to dry our hair.  And, we all have different types of hair that need to be taken into consideration.  So, if you have fine, thin hair and your hair starts to dry before you even turn on the dryer, you can use a lower setting.  If you have thick, long hair, you obviously are going to want to use the max heat setting on the dryer.  Many of the professional dryers come with a separate Cold Shot button which is used to help set the style.  If you have completely dried one section of the hair with your styling brush, you can then press the cold shot button and it will lock in the style.  

WATTAGE:

Most consumers think that the higher the wattage of a dryer, the faster your hair will dry.  While this is a true statement, it is still important to take a look at what type hair you are going to be styling or drying.  The higher end wattage dryers (1875 and above) are basically designed for people who have thick, course, and longer hair.  For fine, thin, and short hair that is not necessarily thick, a lower wattage dryer from 1300 watts up to 1875 would be appropriate.   

WEIGHT:

While it makes sense for the professional hair stylist who is blowing out hair all day long to have a lighter weight dryer, there are those of us at home stylists who also prefer the lighter weight models.  The nice thing about professional dryers is that there are many in the marketplace that are lightweight and have all of the features that we are looking for.  Additionally, the lighter weight dryers provide much more flexibility for the user in terms of being able to easily maneuver the dryer in the styling process. 

ATTACHMENTS:

The attachments that accompany a professional hair dryer typically include a concentrator.  This is used to focus in on specific areas of your hair while drying with a styling brush.  They are great to have because it gives you better control over your hair and restricts the dryer from blowing hair that you are not yet ready to style.  Another attachment that comes with some of the professional dryers is the diffuser.  A diffuser is great to have as it helps in creating more volume and waves.  If you have curly hair it is almost a neccessity to have a diffuser if you are blow drying your hair.  The diffuser helps with the volume but also provides more control over the hair and keeps the curls intact with less frizz.  Some dryers even come with an additional bonus attachment, which is the styling pik.  This attachment lifts, shapes, and smooths curly hair while drying.

In summary, take a look at all of the options that a professional hairdryer has to offer.  Check out prices and you will find that they will be all over the board.  However, there is one that will catch your eye that you will be able to afford and inevitably once you have used a professional dryer that will be all you will want to use going forward.

Has your hairstyle gone stale? Revitalizing your locks is often as easy as finding a source of inspiration. If you want to keep up with the times, look no further than the decadent ’dos of today’s fashion elite: movie stars and models. There are a number of ways to go about doing this, but you should begin by seeking out fashion magazines. Pay close attention to the advertisements rather than the articles. Photo spreads highlight a celebrity’s most desirous features – including the hair.

It goes without saying that you can find many more hairdos worth emulating on the Internet. Most gossip and fashion mags have online presences, so you can track down your own semi-unique style in a matter of moments. Once you’ve found your famous muse, gather up your hair styling tools and get to work. Then call up some friends and go out on the town to show off your new look.

Whoever created diffusers for hairdryers must be a genius.  What did the general public or even hair stylists do before they appeared in the marketplace?  Well, not to worry, because whatever people did before, is no longer an issue now.  There are a multitude of hair diffusers to choose from and the only issue now is what type to use.

Gone are the days of hair plastered to the head or uniform and very neat hair styles.  It is all about adding some oomph and height to the hair.  This can all be accomplished with the use of a diffuser.  Many have thought that a diffuser was only used for people who have naturally curly hair or people with perms who did not want to blow out their curls while drying their hair.  Well, this is no longer the case as those of us who have straight, wavy, or even fine hair can benefit from the diffuser to give our hair both body and volume.

So exactly how does a diffuser work?  Think of the diffuser as an air distributor that funnels the heat from the hair dryer onto your hair and softens the airflow that the hairdryer has.  The hair diffuser minimizes the damage that can be caused due to the management of the heat.  While it may actually take a little longer to dry your hair and style it, it is well worth the additional time based on the resulting healthier hair or cutting back on any damage that your hair may already have.  Ok, we have established how a diffuser works, but how does one achieve the volume and body that a diffuser is supposed to provide?  It is actually a very simple process.   

To dry and style your hair with a diffuser you need to start at the root of your hair.  Take a section of your hair and using a circular motion start drying your hair.  Continue the same process as you work your way down to the tip of your hair.  You will find that as your hair dries the heat from the diffuser is lifting the roots of your hair from your scalp resulting in fuller looking hair. 

To achieve extra added volume you will need to bend your head over and pull the hair from the top of your head towards the front of your face.  Work  from the roots out using the same process as previously described.  This works particularly well for those of us who have fine hair.

As to the type of diffuser one should use, becomes a personal preference.  If you want the pleasure of your head being massaged while drying your hair, then the diffusers with the flexible fingers are the way to go.  If massaging your head is not important, then there are a number of diffusers that do not come with the fingers.  Many hairdryers come with diffusers, however, there are many that don’t.  When shopping for one, be sure that you have the right size diameter on the barrel of the dryer so that it will accurately match up and fit.  There are many in the marketplace that provide adjustable sizes and some are very specific to certain hairdryer brands or types.

To achieve the ultimate hairstyle that you are going for, it will still be necessary for hair product to be used.  Whether you put it on before drying your hair, or after, getting the style to hold is what is important. 

Have you ever been in a situation where the diffuser for your hairdryer breaks or gets lost?  Now what do you do?  You can try to track down the company that manufactured your hairdryer and hope that you can order just a diffuser for your particular hairdryer.  If that doesn’t work, you can try to measure the circumference of the barrel of your hairdryer and then buy one hoping that it fits. 

Or,  are you preparing to travel and have run out of room to pack that awkwardly shaped diffuser you use when blow drying your hair?  Well, I think I have found the answer for you, and the answer is the Hot Sock Diffuser!

So what exactly is a Hot Sock Diffuser?  This diffuser is made of soft, flexible, lightweight foam.  Its unique design gives you better overall diffusion while adding volume to your hair.  This small diffuser fits right over the end of your hairdryer and will adjust to almost any size hairdryer.    It is great for travel as it weighs only ounces and will fit inside your purse or pocket, or anywhere in your luggage without taking up any room or adding unnecessary weight. 

Hopefully, the Hot Sock Diffuser will solve your dilemma the next time you are in need of a diffuser and can’t find the right size.  If anyone has any comments regarding the Hot Sock Diffuser,  I welcome any and all replies.  Or, if you have found another universal diffuser out there that bears sharing with others, please let us know.

When your hair is almost dry and styled, you don’t want it to get messy again with your hairdryer.  That is why a lot of professional stylists use diffusers when they are just doing the finishing touches.  Diffusers can add volume to your hair and help style your hair. 

There are different diffusers out there.  You can find a diffuser that will work for all types of hair.  It can be used for curly, fine and permed hair.  You can buy the diffuser that will best fit your hairdryer.  And when you are traveling you can opt for a diffuser that is made from lightweight foam so you can easily put it in your luggage.  It won’t take up a lot of space so you can take it anywhere.