Hair Styling Tools

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.

When it comes to choosing a flat iron for African-American or other ethnic hair types, consideration always needs to be made with respect to the texture of the hair as well as the thickness and degree of curl the hair has.  If the degree of curl is such that it is a loose curl or loose coil, you may be able to get by with just using large rollers rather than having to use a hair straightener.  If your hair is thick and has a tighter curl or coil to it, the following information will be extremely helpful in selecting the best, but more importantly, the right type of flat iron for your hair.  And, it is important to note that there is more to achieving straight hair than just plugging in the flat iron and using it.  Applying the right haircare products is essential to keeping your hair moisturized and protected from any drying out that could occur during the straightening process.

1. Shampoo and deep condition your hair.  The added moisture from the conditioning will help protect your hair from drying out as you straighten it.
2. Use a leave-in conditioner and then spray a good heat protectant on your hair.
3. Using a wide tooth comb, comb through the hair, starting at the last couple of inches of your hair and working upward so as to not to break off or pull out hair unnecessarily.  You will also be evenly distributing the haircare products you have already applied.
4. Make sure your hair is towel dried extremely well and then section your hair for ease in drying.
5. Use a medium setting on your dryer and use a large barrel styling brush to stretch out your hair as you are drying.

For the above haircare products, I recommend Potions International, they have a wonderful ”Super Moist” Shampoo, a deep conditioner called “Power Construct”, a leave-in conditioner by the name of ”Rinse-Free Hair Moisturizer”, and for the spray-in heat protectant, “Super Argan Spray-In” is awesome.

So, what type of flat iron is going to work best on black hair?  As with any type of coarse, thick, or curly hair, we have already established that this type of hair has tendancies toward being dryer than most.  At a minimum, the use of a ceramic plate with the lowest temperature possible is strongly recommended.  Experimenting with the temperature control to see what works best for your particular type hair is the name of the game, with whatever flat iron you choose to use.  Tourmaline and titanium flat irons will add natural shine to your hair so this too is an excellent choice for a flat iron.  One problem that many African Americans have with the straightening process is the ability to get the straightener close enough to the roots of the hair without burning the scalp or skin.  I have found one that is perfect for this.  The Le Angelique CareTin Titanium straightener is aerodynamically modeled with a curved end that allows you to get extremely close to the scalp to not only straighten, but curl the hair.  The modern mirror titanium plates generate nano negative ions, which work to seal in the hair’s moisture, leaving your hair silky and frizz free. 

Whatever hair straightener you select, it is advisable that after you have completed the straightening process, apply a small amount of serum to your fingertips and dab gently on the hair with more focus on the ends.  This serum will add shine, refresh any dry ends and seal the cuticle.  This product is Potion International’s Super Serum, which is the companion hair product to the previously mentioned Super-Argan Spray-In.

Picture yourself with long hair in the 1920″s and rather than women wearing their hair down, it is pinned up and pulled back into a roll.  Bring yourself forward in time to the Golden Globe Awards and you will see Amy Adams wearing stylist, Laini Reeves’ creation of  ”a modern textured” 1920′s look.  How was it done?

• Take your favorite styling cream and work it through damp hair. 
• Get your hair dryer out and blow-dry while using your finger to comb through your hair. 
•  To get the textured look, wrap a few sections of your hair around a waving iron (dual waver). 
•  Next, gather your hair and braid it loosely.
• Roll the braid up so the ends of the hair wind up against the nape of your neck.
• Secure the roll with pins.
• Lastly, pull out a few strands on both sides of your face to help soften the overall look.
• For a little extra shine, squeeze out a very minimal amount of hair serum and rub it on your fingertips (we like Potions Internation Super Serum).  Pat your fingertips  on random sections of your  hair.

Ok, so you ended up spraying way too much hairspray on your head and instead of that natural look, you are looking in the mirror at some very lacquered, weighed down hair.  Now what?  Harry Josh, a John Frieda International creative consultant, has devised the perfect fix.

Turn on your hair dryer to the coolest setting and gently brush through your hair while aiming  the blow dryer at your hair.  The force of the air from the dryer will help break up any flaky bit of dried spray.  Now all you need to do is rub a dab of your favorite styling cream haircare product into the palms of your hands and then gently smooth over your hair.  You will now regain the shine back into your hair and you are done.

Whether you get your hair dyed by a professional colorist, or you do it yourself at home, your hair is always subject to dryness and damage due to the ammonia and peroxides that are found in hair dyes.   That is why it is so important that a hair conditioner or moisturizer is applied at some point either during or after the process.  Just recently, colorist , Anthony Palermo reported that by mixing a frizz fighting oil with the hair dye, can result in keeping even bleached hair silky.

Potions International, a manufacturer of  all natural haircare products, has just the right anti-frizz oil that can be mixed with your hair dye.  PI’s Super Serum hair oil is made with organic argan oil and is alcohol and paraben free.  By adding two teaspoons of the serum to the color mixture, you will find that the serum is moisturizing, and thus, resulting in your hair being conditioned while it is being processed.   And, the end result is soft and shiny hair.

Using the right haircare products on a man’s hair can be equally as important as it is for a woman.  Obviously, a man’s hair is no different than a woman’s, and thus, the same problems that women experience with their hair can be equally as challenging to men.

Mens hairstyles and hair lengths ranging from the very short to shoulder length hair and longer can require even more attention than that of their counterpart simply because if the hairstyle is a neatly trimmed shorter cut, a trip to the barber or stylist may be more frequent.  In fact, it is recommended that no more than three weeks should lapse between trims.  If the hairstyle is a little longer, it’s always a good idea to check with the stylist/barber to see if they offer maintenance trims which can be considerably less than a full on haircut.  And, if men use a stylist on a regular basis it is not uncommon for the stylist to offer a free neck shave and quick trim around the ears.

Hairstyles for men are just as trendy now as women’s.  In fact, for certain styles it is not unusual for a man to keep on hand a flat iron for straightening their hair before applying gel.  And, naturally their hair styling tools are going to include a hair dryer.  However, regardless of what the style our men are sporting, the majority of the time it still boils down to whatever takes him the least amount of time to get ready (including the hair) and out the door.  In order to achieve this it is even more important that the right hair styling tools and haircare products are being used for healthy and great looking hair.

For a man’s hair health and to have the ability to complete the style, product should be used every day, regardless of the style.  To eliminate frizz, make sure a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner are being used.  Even a serum for the hair that will help eliminate the frizz and add some shine is perfectly fine as some styles just demand a shine.  The right hair brush is equally as important.  Using boar bristle brushes is an excellent choice as the boar helps to bring out the natural oils of the scalp and this too aids in keeping the scalp and hair healthy.  If you have curly hair, a wide toothed-comb works best, and, if you want to pik out some of those curls, you can use metal or plastic tines.  Lastly, when it comes to the hair dryer, make sure it’s ionic so that all of the technology that has gone into it can be enjoyed and applied to that manly head of hair.

Not  only is using the right hair styling tools on our hair of paramount importance, but the type of haircare products we use definitely plays into keeping our hair, healthy, shiny, and damage free.

The key to using the right haircare products for your particular type of hair must always be part of the equation, especially when there are so many different types of products available in the marketplace.   Whether it be shampoo, conditioner, or some kind of hair protectant that is used prior to blow-drying or when styling, there are certain products that work better for specific types of hair than others.  So let’s focus on what really works to protect those of us who have thick, curly, or wavy hair. 

1. Use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner.  Sulfates are harsh and can strip your hair and dry it out even more.  Thicker hair, curly hair, and even wavy hair can sometimes have tendancies to be on the courser and drier side anyway, so the last thing you need is for your hair to dry out even more.
2. If you are going to blow dry your hair, spray on a heat protectant that is also sulfate-free.  If your hair tends to be normal to oily, you need only spray the last two to six inches of your hair, covering the tips of the hair.  If your hair tends to be dry, spray from the root to the tip in order to provide an allover protection and nourishment.   
3. If after you have dried your hair, you go on to straightening or curling right away, you should still have enough product left in your hair for continued protection.
4. If you are straightening or curling your hair on another day without washing it, apply the spray-in heat protectant as described above.

One such product that I have found that contains many natural ingredients, to include the ever popular Argon Oil is Potions International’s Super Argan Spray-in.  This miracle worker not only provides heat protection, but it  is an exceptional hair and scalp type treatment that : a) is safe on color/chemically straightened hair, b) controls frizz, c) creates shine, d) seals the tips of your hair, e) has UV protection, and f) actually repairs damaged hair.  The Super Argan Spray-In is new to the Potions International line and is a spin-off of the ever popular Super Moist Serum that does everything that the Spray-In does for 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.

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.