Hair Styling Tools

Well it looks like Spornette just keeps on shining with both professional and celebrity hairstylists alike.  In fact, Allure Magazine has voted Spornette’s Porcupine Rounder Styling Brush with the Best of Beauty Award for 2009, 2010, and 2011.

This hair brush is magical with its combination of boar and nylon bristles.  The white porcupine nylon bristles that extend beyond the shorter black boar bristles help to lift the hair at the roots, while the black boar bristles penetrate the hair without snagging or tangling the hair.

Whether you have short, medium, or longer length hair, there is a size that will suit your styling needs.  The brush comes in a 2″, 3″, or 3 1/2″ barrel size with a lightweight, comfortable wooden handle.  The larger size barrels are going to give you a smoother blowout and provide that volume you want.  For those of you with fine hair, this is the perfect brush for adding volume to your type of hair.

Don’t you think that now is the time to check this brush out?

With a few tips and all the right hairstyling tools, shiny, silky hair is within your grasp!

To maintain shine through a blowout, skip your nylon- or plastic-bristle brush and instead try a boar-bristle brush (we love the Spornette De Ville Boar Rounder Brush).  Boar bristle brushes store natural oils, and redistribute them evenly onto the hair shaft to keep locks looking glossy.

Frizz is NOT conducive to shine!  So, pick a gentle shampoo designed to tame your strands without stripping hair of natural oils. Try Potions International Super Moist Shampoo which is free of Sodium Chloride, Paraben, and Sulfates.  Also, give hair a last rinse with cold water which closes the cuticle and leave locks shinier.

As you age, you may notice a change in the texture of your hair.  Grays tends to be more coarse compared with the hair of your youth.  It also lacks elasticity, which makes styling difficult.  It’s best to choose a super hold hair spray that also adds shine.

Lastly, strengthen and moisturize strands weekly with a hair mask like Potions International Power Construct.  Weekly use of this product will also seal and smooth any split ends.

Super fine hair makes volume hard to maintain!  Using the right haircare products is the key!  When your hair begins to wilt, spray the roots with an oil-absorbing dry shampoo.  We also suggest a clarifying shampoo once a week to get rid of product buildup that will just weigh down your hair.

Before you begin blow drying, spritz  your hair with an Argan Spray-in (PI’s Super Argan Spray-in).  Set your dryer to the medium setting and begin drying your hair.  Lift your hair up and out as you go.  When your hair is about 80% dry, use a round brush (one of our favorites is the Spornette Prego Ceramic Thermal Brush) to create movement and fullness.

Try to avoid anti-frizz cream or pomade.  Instead, finish with an Argan oil (PI’s Super Serum) applied to the ends only!

These few tricks will transform those locks from flat to flirty!

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.

The classic braid is a fashion staple this fall…It’s simple, feminine and perfect for work OR play!  Getting the look is oh-so-easy in just three steps!

-Part your hair where it naturally falls.  To add a little extra volume, take a section of hair from the crown and back comb once or twice (Try using the Spornette Little Wonder Teasing Brush!).  If you’re hair is fine or super straight, you may want to use some haircare products such as a texturizing spray to keep the hair from slipping from the braid.

-Pull your hair into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck and divide it into three even sections.  Braid the sections softly to avoid losing the volume you added at the crown.  And, as an alternative, rather than the braid hanging down the middle of your back, gather the hair for your ponytail and pull it to one side of your head or the other so that you can have a side braid as shown in the pictures.

-Use a clear elastic band to fasten the end and mist with a light hair spray.  For a softer look, pull a few strands free from the braid to frame your face.

Just like that you have a versatile style ready to go wherever you do!

Paddle brushes, vented brushes, round brushes, oh my!  When it comes to choosing a brush, the choices are endless…and often times, confusing!  Here we compare four common brushes and help “detangle” the brush buying experience!

Oval, Mixed Bristle Brush

Perfect for: All hair types and everyday brushing.  The combination of boar bristles and nylon bristles both distribute your hair’s natural oils and detangle any knots.

Not ideal for: Blowdrying.  The heat of the dryer may cause the rubber base to melt.

Vent Brush

Perfect for: Short to chin length hair.  The wide set bristles, loosen up hair and give it extra volume, whether used with or without a blow dryer.

Not ideal for: Long or unruly hair.  The bristles won’t grip the hair tight enough to smooth and tame the strands.

Round, Mixed Bristle, with Ceramic Barrel

Perfect for: Achieving volume.  The round shape helps to lift hair at the roots.  The ceramic treated barrel evenly distributes heat to keep from frying hair.

Not ideal for: Short hair-it can make it mushroom.

Round, Boar Bristle Brush

Perfect for: Straightening curly or thick hair.  When used with a blow dryer, the bristles will grab the hair but won’t make it stick straight.

Not ideal for: The novice.  Without experience, you run the risk of getting your hair tangled in the brush.

Armed with these brush basics, your next shopping trip should result in a brush perfectly suited for your needs!

What better way to frame your face and draw attention to those gorgeous eyes, than mixing up the way you style your bangs?  Dig into your arsenal of hair styling tools and your ready to go.  Here’s your how-to guide for three fun and fabulous looks!

-Wispy and Whimsical - Start by pointing your hair dryer straight down over you bangs.  Begin moving the dryer back and forth from side to side as you comb through to be sure you aren’t flattening your bangs against your forehead.  When your hair is just about dry, use your fingers to gently tug down and tame any fly aways.  Finish with applying a drop of lightweight pomade or serum to the ends.

-Side-swept and Sultry- Using your 2.5-inch round brush, carefully wrap your bangs around it and pull them gently away from the side you normally wear them (i.e. if yours typically go to the right, start by drying them to the left.)  Move your dryer back and forth from above for about 10 seconds as you smooth them.  Next begin bring pieces over in half inch sections, pinning them in place as they cool.  This helps to maintain shape.

-Straight across Shag- Comb out your wet bangs with a fine-tooth comb.  With your hairdryer fitted with a nozzle, begin drying your bangs.  Be sure to  focus the heat from above.  Next using a paddle brush, pull your bangs to the right for a few seconds, then to the left .  Repeat until your bangs are completely dry.  To keep flyaways at bay, always finish by holding the paddle brush underneath with your hairdryer set to cool.

Give these super cute styles a try, see which fringe best frames your face!

Did you know that if you have an oval shaped faced then you are the lucky one.  Why?  Well, an oval shaped face is the most versatile one to work with and you can wear almost any hairstyle while using the proper hair styling tools and some ingenuity.  You don’t even have to worry about evening out the proportions of your hair.  In fact, most oval shaped faces can afford to go short, or even super short as evidenced by the following picture of Rihanna.

Regardless of what length cut you have, the best look is with layering near your cheekbones, lips or chin, or whatever features you want to highlight.  

Some simple rules for selecting the right hair style are:

1. Stay current with your hairstyle.
2. Stick with your natural texture of hair.  You can use a hair straightener if your hair is curly, or you can check out a new style that is strictly for curly hair. 
3. If your hair is thin, don’t try to grow it out beyond your shoulders as it will only end up looking flatter and lifeless, no matter how many haircare products you use.  Consider having your hair cut in layers while keeping the length of your hair above the shoulders.
4. If your hair is long, consider tossing gentle waves over your shoulders while pulling the sides of the hair back.  Or, pull your hair back behind your ears while the bottom half of your hair is pulled forward over the shoulders.  This can add depth to your eyes and smile.
5. If your hair is medium length try slightly teasing and tossing your hair on the sides with the right teasing brush.  If you have bangs let them hang gently upon the forehead.  This particular style will draw attention to the mouth area on the face.
6. Lastly, if you already have short hair, try a spiky look as this is the best way to bring out your best facial features.  If you can, try to keep the bangs off of your face.

How many times when you are done shampooing your hair do you find yourself struggling with getting out the snarls that somehow mysteriously show up in your hair?  Even when you use the best conditioner, there are still some straggling snarls that just seem to be difficult to deal with.  The key to solving this problem is using the right comb.

Fortunately, there are a few combs that I have found that are great for ridding the hair of those nasty snarls and make the process of preparing for drying and/or styling your hair so much less a pain.  Mebco, a division of the Fromm International line of products has two particular detangling combs that are wonderful. 

First, if you have thick, curly, or long hair, I recommend the Mebco Tortoise Shower Detangler.  This particular comb comes with staggered size teeth/tines of   2  3/4″, 2 1/2″ and 2 1/4″ lengths, which enable the comb to literally slide through your wet hair and rid the hair of the snarls.   Because the length of the tines are longer than most combs, this is why this comb is especially good for those who have thicker hair.  

The second detangling comb is one that I would recommend for those that have more fine to medium dense hair, and also short to medium length hair.  The Mebco Ionic Volume Detangler is one of the newer combs added to their product line.  The tines on this comb are about 1 1/2″ in length.  Mebco uses what they call a double dipping process on this comb, which results in protection of your scalp and hair shaft, as well as allowing the teeth of the comb to glide gently through your hair.  One of the coolest features of this comb is the ionic technology that has gone into it.  The results of this technology provide reduced static electricity, minimizing of split ends and hair damage, increased shine and softness, and the support of healthy, moisture-rich hair.  After using this comb you will see that your hair dries faster and requires less heat.  Additionally the cuticle of the hair dries smooth and closed, which ultimately protects the hair shaft.

Sometimes we tend to get in a rut with an existing hairstyle and what seemed popular at one time starts to take the downward turn.  Such as with the “bob”.  While it has been trendy for the past couple of years to have the “bob” and it’s almost meticulous straight lines and layers, it appears that this particular cut has taken on a messier and yet softer appearance.

The new ”bob” cut has even more layering than before.  The ends are not as choppy or blunt, but more “fringy”.  If you currently have the old “bob” and it is on the somewhat shorter side, let your hair grow out a bit so that the length hits below your chin.  Then, when you see your stylist the next time, ask to have the bottom cut in a more loosly graduated style.  This will enable you to flip your hair more so that it has somewhat more of a bounce.   

When using your hair dryer to blow out your hair out after washing, take a somewhat smaller diameter styling brush than what you have previously used.  This will allow for you to get a little more curl and wave to the ends of your hair as you are wrapping the hair back on the brush rather than under.