Hair Styling Tools

Oh no…you sit up straight in bed and realize, you’ve overslept!  You have a meeting in 20 minutes and your hair is a tousled mess!  What do you do?  Skip the shower and do the Beat the Clock Blowout!

-Spritz the roots of your dry hair with a volumizing spray.  Flip your head upside down and blast your hair for a full minute with your hairdryer.  Then part your hair on one side. 

-Using a rounded flat iron or large barrel curling iron, begin working in about three inch sections.  Run your iron from roots to ends, making sure to gently curl the ends under.

-Finally brush your hair through to blend sections and smooth any flyaways.  If need be, dab some of your hair serum on the flyaways if brushing your hair through doesn’t do the trick.  Finish with a light mist of flexible hold hairspray.

From bed head to polished in under 10 minutes?  You may have to start sleeping in more often!

With the days getting shorter and back to school shopping looming, most of us would do anything to hang on to every last bit of summer!  Why not embrace the essence of carefree, sunny days with a carefree, sunny style?  As far as I’m concerned, it’s never to late for beachy waves!

Here’s how to get the look:

1. Wash and towel dry your hair.  Spray in a salt or beach spray from roots to ends to achieve that volume and texture.  Be sure to evenly saturate your hair, don’t forget to lift sections and spray all over.

2. Next, part your hair.  Begin blow drying while carefully raking your fingers through your strands.  In order to eliminate tangles and frizz, be sure to point the hairdryer straight down from above.

3. Using a one-inch curling iron or curling wand, start curling your hair.  Hold the curling iron vertically and wrap random sections of hair around the barrel, leaving the last inch or so out.  Hold for a few seconds and release.  Gently tug on the ends to relax the curl.

4. Lastly, use a styling wax to define and defrizz the ends.

Four easy steps to achieving an endless summer…well, at least an endless summer look!

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.

Do you know if you have a round shaped face?  If you are having trouble determining this, a simple rule of thumb is that if the length and width of your face are almost the same dimensions, then you have a round face.  Another way to validate this is if you don’t have strong cheekbones, your cheeks are full (chubby cheeks), you have a rounded chin, and lastly your neck appears to be short.

So, if your face is round,  first and foremost you want to wear a hairstyle that diminishes the fullness of your face and make your face appear as if it is slimmer.  If you want to go short, you need volume at the top of your head either via layering or if you have bangs by increasing their height.  When going short, the best length is above the chin or a few inches below, but above the shoulders.  If you want to go really short, consider a pixie haircut.  Also, if you part your hair, be sure to do it off to the side as this will also help in lessening the roundness of your face.

What if you have long hair?  You are already off to a good start.  Keep in mind that a center part will accentuate the length of your face.  If you have a layered look be sure that the layers fall in long lines along the sides of your face.  If you don’t already have layers, consider asking your stylist to layer your hair with longer layers until the layers pass below your chin.

HAIRSTYLE DO’S FOR ROUND FACES

1. Do wear a side part and if you have bangs make sure they are wispy and layered.
2. If your hair is long enough, do wear it in an updo or pulled back as shown above in the picture of Cameron Diaz. The long side-swept wavy bangs can be achieved by using a large barrel curling iron if you don’t already have some wave to your hair.
3. If your hair is fine and straight, do consider wearing a long bob that you can either use a flat iron on or a curling iron for a semi-curled look as shown below in the picture of Tori Spelling.
4. Do wear hair styles that keep the sides of your hair short or closer to the face. 

 HAIRSTYLE DON’TS FOR ROUND FACES  

1. Do not wear your hair in a short bob style as this style only ends up drawing attention to the cheeks.
2. Wearing curls next to your cheeks is also a no-n0 because the curls will make your face look fuller.
3. Stay away from blunt ends near your cheeks as they will widen the look of your cheekbones.
4. Don’t wear heavy, blung bangs as they will add volume to your facial appearance.

Are you tired of your straight hair and are looking to rev up some dull, flat hair?  If so, and your hair is at least an inch or more below your ears, by simply using a one inch barrel curling iron, you can create some wave or loose cascading ringlets for a new glam style.

If your hair is long, I recommend using a higher heat to get a tighter curl.  Remember that the longer your hair, the weight of the hair factors in resulting in curls falling out more easily.  However, if the end result that you want is more wavy than curly, the falling out can be a good thing.  For this style, decide what hair you want to curl.  Typically the hair around your face and at the crown will be the areas of focus.  It is not important that your entire head of hair be curled as this style is not intended to be picture perfect. 

As with any use of a hairstyling tool, be sure to use the appropriate haircare products prior to use.  You are now ready to follow the easy steps below:

1. 1.  Take a two inch section of your hair and open the curling iron and grip the hair at the ends. 
2. 2.  Turn the curling iron clockwise toward your face, stopping about an inch away from your roots. 
3. 3.  Wait five seconds and release the curl from the iron. 
4. 4.  Repeat this process with other selected sections of your hair.

How often do we assume that the use of  hot rollers is simply and solely for curling our hair?  Well, stylists no longer are calling these hair styling tools “curlers,”  for the simple fact that there are actually a variety of styles that can be achieved by using these  heated rollers.

HOW TO SMOOTH NATURAL CURLS:

 Attach a diffuser to your hair dryer and blow dry your hair. 

 Take hot rollers the size of your own curls (even larger may be better) and set your hair.

 Remove the rollers and run your fingers through your hair, or,  if you have a paddle hair brush stroke it through to achieve a softer look.  The result will be a headful of free flowing, smooth and shiny hair.

HOW TO BOOST VOLUME:

A)  VOLUME AT THE CROWN ONLY:

1. Divide up the sections of hair at the crown of your head.
2. Wrap each section of hair around a large or jumbo size hot roller and clip in place.  Continue whatever else is necessary to get ready to leave.       
3. At the point you are ready to leave remove the rollers and lightly brush through.  If you still want additional volume, take a teasing brush and ever so slightly give a few of these strands a tease and cover with the balance of the rolled hair strands.

B)  GETTING A LIFT FROM THE ROOTS

1. Apply some mousse to your hair before blow-drying. 
2. Divide your hair into sections that are the same width as that of the hot rollers that you will be using.  If you have long hair select large hot rollers for use and if your hair is chin-length or shorter, select medium size rollers.
3. Take each section of your hair and lightly tease it from the roots.
4. Take each section of hair and place the roller about two inches from the roots and not at the ends.  Roll the hair upward toward your scalp, leaving the length loosly hanging.
5. Once the rollers have cooled and you have done everything else short of leaving, remove the rollers and smooth over the teased hair.  The result is additional lift with a long-lasting fullness.

Tips courtesy of hairstylist Nathaniel Hawkins.

Spring is rapidly approaching and of course along with it  new trends for hairstyles.  For those of you who have naturally curly hair, you are in luck.  According to RealBeauty.com, the “tighter and wilder, the better”.  So,  instead of straightening that natural wealth of curl, you can actually now flaunt it.  Let’s get back to those of us who have straight or wavy hair.   With the creation of clipless curling irons or curling wands (as they are sometimes called) tight spiral curls can be easily achieved.  And, your hair doesn’t have to be long to be able to use one.

If you haven’t already seen what I’m talking about, all you need to do is go online, into a beauty supply store or visit any trendy hair salon, you will see that several manufacturers have jumped on board in creating this awesome clipless curling iron.  The name describes this hair styling tool to a tee.  The curling iron has no clamp to hold or grasp your hair in place.  All you need to do is to section off strands of hair and simply wrap them around the barrel of the iron.  Hold the wrapped hair around the iron for a period of  15 to 30 seconds and simply let go of the hair.  What you now have is this beautiful spiral curl.  Continue the process from one side of your head to the other and the final result is a headful of dangling spirals.  One of the keys in wrapping your hair around the barrel is that when you get to the end piece of each section that you are curling, press the end against the iron so that it looks finished rather than coarse and straight.  This begs the question of how can you do this without getting burnt?  Easily.  Each clipless curling iron comes with a heat protectant glove.  You should be wearing the glove on the opposite hand that you are wrapping with so you can easily press the hair against the iron.

Clipless curling irons come in a variety of sizes.  Typically they range from 1″ down to a 1/2″.  Some irons even come in a graduated barrel.  An example of this would be that at one end of the iron it starts out at 1″ and the barrel gradually gets smaller to the end of the barrel.  This is a great concept as you have the opportunity to create different size spirals by using just one iron and not having to change to another size or replace the barrel with another barrel if it happens to be the type that is interchangeable.  One special consideration in selecting a barrel size is that the larger the barrel, the looser the curl.  So, if you are wanting a tight curl, go smaller and also keep in mind that the longer your hair and sometimes the thickness will weigh the hair down and pull at the curls.

Now that you have the tool that is needed, the next step in creating the new trendy style, is to give your hair some lift, especially if it is naturally straight or wavy.  Prior to using the curling iron it is best to apply  haircare products that are designed to give your hair a boost, such as a spray-in gel or root lifter.  Once you have completed the curling aspect of the style, there are so many options.  You can separate the curls by pulling up through the spirals with your fingers to give the appearance of more waves than curls and it also adds volume.  Or, just run your fingers lightly through the curls to give the style a looser and freer look.

If you are in the  market for a curling iron, you would be best served if you check out the variety of options that Hot Tools has to offer.  With a broad range of prices and types and styles, you really don’t need to look at anything else.

If you didn’t already know, Hot Tools curling irons come in a variety of barrel shapes and sizes, as well as finishes.  These finishes include  gold plated barrels, ceramic barrels, titanium barrels, and nano infused barrels that provide a variety of additional benefits for awesome results.  You can select from the traditional spring curling iron, marcel curling iron, 3 barrel wavers, coil, spiral, and even ribbon curling irons.  The wealth of hair styling/curling options are endless. 

One of the many great options that Hot Tools has to offer in their line of curling irons is the availability of different sized barrels.  In fact, the Professional Gold Barrel Spring Curling Iron comes in eight different sizes of barrels.  This particular curling iron is a favorite of most hair stylists who are involved in the entertainment industry and professional stylists at photo shoots due to the rapid heat-up time, ten different heat settings, and then of course as already mentioned, the variety of sizes. 

If not for any other reason, I strongly suggest you check out the line of  Hot Tools curling irons simply because they are affordable.  The more options, the more costly, but still you are getting great value.

When you have longer hair and are always wearing it down,  it can sometimes becomes a challenge in figuring out what other styles can be created for something new.  Well, there are other options and they don’t have to be just pulling it up in a ponytail or wearing it in a bun.  How about creating a side braid or weave for a casual look or even something more formal?  Wearing the braid on the side will add that certain allure and attraction that women seem to crave.

All you need is the use of a curling iron, some shine serum, an elastic, and a comb.  Follow the steps below and have some fun.

1.  Section your hair off and curl each section with the use of a 1″ or 1 1/4″ curling iron to create some larger, looser, waves.

2.  Apply your favorite shine serum and rake it through the ends of your hair with your fingers.

3.  Using your comb, make a side part and gather the hair to one side.  Just below the chin start to braid your hair loosely, tying it with an elastic.

4.  If you want it to have an even looser look, hold the end of the braid and shake it a few times or even undo the braid as Molly Sims has done has pictured.

5.  If you have bangs, consider wearing them off to the side with a little extra shine serum raked through the strands.

6.  If you don’t have bangs, you may want to reserve a small section of the front hair starting at the part and braiding it separately from the rest of the section.

What is an extra added benefit to this style is that when you are ready to unravel the braid, you will have yet a new “do” of soft curly waves.

Fresh off the Academy Awards presentations, it was a night of fashion and this year a definite change of scenery when it came to  hairstyles.  Admittedly so, there were some real disappointments, and some really fab styles that of course many of us want to duplicate.  But did you notice that there were far less updos than usual?  Many of the celebs were wearing their hair down and shorter than usual.

So what stood out?  Side-swept styles with waves, varying length of bobs, and of course some very sleek, long flowing, straight hair.  Let’s focus on the side-swept styles and how they were achieved.

Amy Adams’ hair and Natalie Portman were the definite standouts.  Their side-swept styles were each unique and worked for both of them.  Amy’s style was extremely easy to do and certainly reminiscent of a Lauren Bacall old school hairdo. Working with some damp hair, a frizz-free hair serum was applied to her strands to give them that shiny and healthy look.  One and one half inch hair rollers were set into her hair while it was drying.  All that was needed after that was a brush-through with a soft bristle styling brush and pushing the hair behind the ear on one side.

As for Natalie, her side-swept do was a little more asymmetrical in appearance.  While on one side of her head she had the flowing waves, the other side was sleek, straightened, and tucked back and under as it joined the rest of her hair at mid point at the back of her head.  To achieve this style there is a slight variation needed and it of course would depend on the type hair that you have.  If you already have some natural wave to your hair, you may need to flat iron the side that you choose to pull back.  Apply some hair serum to give it that luxurious shine.  On the wavy side blow dry your hair and apply some mid-size rollers to give it a longer lasting wave.  Remember that depending on the length of your hair, you are going to get some falling out of the curl, thus resulting in a wave.