Hair Styling Tools

If you are in the market for professional hair dryers or flat irons, one of the top selling companies that offers their products at affordable prices is BaByliss.

The BaByliss company now in partnership with Conair,  has several lines of hair styling tools that offer a multitude of options for all of us to select from.  The tools include hair dryers, flat irons, curling irons, specialty irons and hairsetters (hot rollers).  The product lines include BaByliss®PRO, BaBylissPRO TT® Tourmaline Series, Ceramic Tools™, GT Gold Titanium™, Nano Titanium™, and Porcelain Ceramic™.

BaByliss product lines have something unique to offer in each of their product categories and are reasonably priced.  You can buy BaByliss hair dryers for under $40.00.  In particular, the BaByliss Pro Ceramix Hair Dryer that falls in this price range gets reviews such as “Once you use this there is no way you would ever want one of the discount store ones.  With the Babyliss there is no frizzy or dried out hair”.  Their professional curling irons start at under $35.00 and flat irons (straightening irons) from under $25.00.  BaByliss’ hairsetters can be bought for under $25.00.  Naturally, these are the low end prices and each category of styling tools have ranges that are obviously higher depending on how many bells and whistles you want on your tool.  However, given the quality and also that many of their tools come with a 4 year warranty, you are not overpaying for these excellent hair styling tools.

So let me give you a brief rundown on each of the product lines:

The BaByliss®PRO line offers a complete line of appliances and salon essentials that are the most technologically advanced products on the market. Ionic hair dryers and hairsetters with ceramic cores keep the at home user and salons running at top speed.  Customer Review: A comment recently made on the web regarding this product stated, “Babyliss Pro works on all hair types and straightens even the thickest curly hair quickly.  It is an excellent product, all my friends love it as well, it’s big so it does more hair quicker and leaves my hair smooth.  It can get quite hot so use caution when using”.

BaBylissPRO TT® fuses pure tourmaline and ceramic technologies to promote smooth, shiny hair and eliminate frizz. Tourmaline produces far-infrared heat that delivers faster styling times and releases natural ions to combat static and frizz. Combined with ceramic technology that ensures maximum heat efficiency, these two innovations unite to deliver unprecedented styling performance in a beautifully styled tool. Customer Review: This PRO TT hairdryer is amazing, it takes me 10 minutes to do my hair now! All I have to do is toss my head upside down, or, if I make two sections, I don’t even have to use my flat iron, and my hair is spirally curly. I don’t use it on its highest setting either because it gets incredibly hot. I’ve also noticed that my hair is healthier and shinier and I never want to be without it”.

Ceramic Tools™ style with uncommon ease and commanding efficiency because it utilizes the advantages of ceramic technology. Barrels and plates heat evenly and quickly, while natural ions reduce static for frizz-free styling. Far-infrared heat allows faster styling time and reduces the stress on hair. Wrap up smooth, sexy curls or slide through the hair from root to tip for pin-straight styles.

These high-tech GT Gold Titanium™ tools offer quick, smart solutions to challenging hair. Combining 24k gold with high-performance titanium technology, this line provides bold, healthy styling possibilities for thick, brittle, coarse, and chemically treated hair. Both gold and titanium deliver superior heat conductivity while sustaining even temperatures. And titanium has the strength of steel but only 60% of the weight, creating the ideal lightweight styling tool.  One of the more interesting hair styling tools under this line is the specialty iron that is the GT Root Straight Iron/Comb.  This iron straightens the roots from the scalp while adding body and lift.  It is great for use on very curly, frizzy hair, and African-American hair.  Another newer product in this line is the GT mini crimper.  With a 5/8″ plate this crimper is excellent for travel and fits conveniently in your purse.

The Nano Titanium™ line fuses advanced technology, elite design, and powerful performance to create a truly groundbreaking set of products. Utilizing nano technology and harnessing the high-heat conductivity of titanium, the dryers dry hair quicker and the irons straighten faster, with longer-lasting results.  The temperature controls are well positioned and have a heat indicator that enables you to view the temperature setting before proceeding with styling your hair and adjust it during its use as needed.  Sleek, soft metallic-toned Ryton® housings withstand ultra-high temperatures, and the well-balanced, ergonomic design ensures sustained comfort while styling.  A comment made on one of the many other blogs on the internet somewhat tells you just exactly how the nano titanium products work:  ”Being a Woman of Color, the flat iron is my best friend and enemy. A frenemie if you will. I love love LOVE the results of a flat iron and could use it every single day. And herein lies the problem; flat irons essential tool/weapon is its heat factor. And we all know we aren’t supposed to use heat on our hair daily no matter who you are or what your hair type is. That is why it is so important to find a flat iron that is so good you don’t need to use it every day. And that’s where the BaByliss Pro Titanium comes in”.

Porcelain Ceramic™ is the innovative breakthrough fusing porcelain ceramic performance with ionic technology  that creates a set of tools equipped with unlimited styling advantages. Commercial-grade porcelain ceramic within the heating surfaces of the irons and dryers enhances heat distribution and optimizes far-infrared heat and ion production. This delivers extraordinary benefits to your clients’ hair, leaving it silky, shiny and healthy. Customer Review:  My normal curling iron is the Conair Instant Heat, which I LOVE but I have to say using the Babyliss Pro Porcelain Ceramic curling iron — my hair does feel a LOT softer and I have less frizz Yes, I would buy babyliss again, I’m waiting for my order of the 3/4″ & 1 ” curling iron to arrive

Obviously, if you are not already a customer of BaByliss products, I would definitely suggest that the next time you need a hair styling tool, check them out.

Marcel curling irons are not typically what the at-home user doing their own hair is accustomed to using to curl their hair. As pictured on the right, most of us are working with a spring curling iron. This is the type curling iron that has a spring loaded mechanism that requires the styler to constantly apply pressure on the handle with their thumb so that the hair stays curled around the barrel

Marcel curling irons actually come in a couple of different varieties.  There is the  type that has a lever that comes with a locking and unlocking device that holds the hair around the barrel.  So, instead of having to hold on to the lever as when using the spring curling iron, you are rotating the lever to open the iron.  You then insert the section of hair for curling and then rotating the lever again the close the iron.  This is not an easy task to do on your own hair, especially if you are an at-home user and not a professional stylist.  This type of marcel curling iron was initially designed for professional hair stylists to use and you still see many old-school stylists using them when styling hair.  Apparently, they give the stylist more flexibility and gives them the opportunity to be more creative.  In my mind the professional stylists should have exclusivity to using this type of curling iron.

The second type of marcel curling iron is the type that is not plugged in because the heat is generated from a specially designed stove that the iron is heated in.  The irons actually come in round versions and flat versions for either straightening or curling hair.  This particular type of marcel iron is more favorably used on African American hair as these irons get extremely hot and work best on very course and thick hair.  Due to the ability for them to get so hot it is important  to test the heat on a stove before applying to the hair.  You can also spritz some water on the iron and if it bubbles up it is usually ok to use.  Typically, straightening black hair with a marcel iron is faster than ceramic irons.  This is in part due to the heavier weight of the iron and oven used for heating.  These irons are used by gripping the section of hair that is to be either straightened or curled between the barrels of the irons.  There is no clamp to this device and it only takes squeezing the barrels together with the handles for it to work.   It is always advised that the right haircare products are used with these irons for ease in styling as well as for protection of the hair.  This type of marcel styling iron is also designed for use by professional stylists.

When my friend first told me about wet to dry flat irons, I thought it was too good to be true. This may not sound like an earth-shattering development to some people, but that’s probably because you don’t have to straighten your hair everyday. For over 15 years I’ve spent…actually, I don’t even want to think about how much time I’ve wasted blowing drying my hair before I straightened it.

Now with wet to dry flat irons, I can pop out of the shower and immediately begin straightening my hair. Not only does blowing drying take time, the excess heat wreaks havoc on your hair, so in the past I’ve had to invest in an array of conditioners and other products to maintain its healthy sheen. Those days are long gone and my morning routine only takes a fraction of the time.

So many climates, especially for those of us who live in the midwest, south and east coast regions have to deal with the humid months of the year and its affect on not only our skin but especially with our hair.

What about droopy soggy bangs?  Did you know that dry shampoo can be your newest friend?  For a temporary fix, spritz your bangs with a small amount of dry shampoo and you will see an instant fix.  Or, if you are not opposed to wearing a headband, the really wide headbands will easily hid your limp layers.  For a chic look be sure to push the headband back approximately and inch from your hairline.

What about puffy hair caused by humidity?  Definitely using haircare products that are specifically designed to resist humidity and frizz are initial considerations in dealing with these hair conditions.   Whether it be a serum, shampoo, conditioner, styling cream, or even the hairspray that you use, may all contribute to either solving the problem or add to the problem.  That is why it is extremely important to see what the product is designed to do.  While humidity can be around for several months out of the year, changing your regiment during this timeframe  may be something you will be doing on a routine basis.

An important thing to remember, however, is that humidity can actually be quite healthy for your hair.  The extra moisture that humidity provides is actually hydrating your hair and giving it extra curls for those who already have curly  hair as well as some extra bounce.  A layered style may also be a consideration for the curly head of hair as it will accentuate the curls.

Another option is the now very popular keratin hair straightening treatments for professionally straightened hair.  This process will also dramatically cut back on the frizz and puffiness that humidity can cause.

If wearing your hair longer during humid months appeals to you, the extra weight will help contibute to keeping your hair from puffing out.

Obviously, the most common practice nowadays is to use a flat iron on your hair to achieve the optimum results.  Of course, using a straightening iron could potentially be damaging to your hair if you do not use it properly and also if you are not using one that has been manufactured with all of the new modern technology that has been designed to provide the least amount of damage to your hair.

If you don’t already have a flat iron, or are in the market to replace one, make absolutely sure that the plates are 100% ceramic.  One of the most important reasons for this is that the ceramic technology allows for a more even heat distribution across the plate so that when you are gliding the plates through your hair you are not getting hot spots in certain areas, thus resulting in damage to overheating of those strands of hair.  In your search for flat irons if you can also find a ceramic plate that has been infused with tourmaline, the quality of the flat iron is even better.  The reason for this is that tourmaline is a crystal that when ground into a fine powder, and then infused onto the plates of a flat iron, will also product negative ions that ultimately results in shinier and smoother hair.

So now that you have the proper hair straightener I recommend that you follow what I call my ”Be Smart” straightening guidelines.

1)  Straighten your hair only when it is completely dry, unless you are using a specific “wet to dry” hair straightener.

2)  Unless you are African American or have thick, course hair, you should not have to use a temperature setting of more than 400 degrees.  If the flat iron has fixed heat settings they generally have been calibrated for normal-to-thick hair.  Therefore, if your hair is fine or damaged, or even chemically treated, try to resist the higher temperatures.

3)  Do not straighten your hair more than 2-3 times per week.

4)  Be kind to your hair by using haircare products that contain moisturizing ingredients not only in the shampoo but in the conditioner as well.

5)  Use a heat protectant spray or creme on your hair prior to straightening.

6)  If your hair is already straight or wavy, you need only pass the iron once through each section of your hair.  Move the iron slowly down the section of hair and don’t use the iron as if you were trying to iron a garment.  If your hair is thick, course, or curly, the hair can withstand a second pass through.

So many of us are out looking for jobs and because there just aren’t as many jobs available as there are people seeking them, it is understandable that we want to look our best.  Not only does that include what we wear, but also our appearance.  Appearance includes our hair.  So you ask, “what could be so important in how someone wears their hair?”

Oddly enough, hairstyles can reflect an image.  And, sometimes a first impression can be a lasting impression and send signals to someone that may be totally not indicative of who we really are.  Thus, depending on what image you are trying to portray, you just may want to consider some of the following information.

Kerestase celebrity colorist and stylist Ashley Javier says, “Straight hair reflects more shine than curly hair, feels more groomed, and can be slimming.  In the workplace, women with straight hair are often perceived as being more serious than those with curls.”  However, it is important to keep in mind that when using flat irons, one might come across as “too hard” says Della Grazia. “Curly haired women are thought to be carefree and approachable.”  Della goes on to say “while those that have sleek strands might convey steadfast efficiency, women with curly hair are seen as risk takers—people who are prepared to go out on a limb for the company.”

Wheneven one has curly hair, it is always best to keep it under control.  Don’t let the curls overwhelm your appearance and what you have to offer.  If the position you are seeking is of the office type, the more well groomed you look, including your hair, the better chance you may have for that second interview.  However, no matter how the prospective employer may look upon your hairstyle, the most important thing to remember is that the hairstyle that you feel the most comfortable and confident in, is ultimately the one that truly reflects who you are and what reveals your true personality.

Forgotten flat irons are notorious for causing burns and starting small fires, which has deterred many people from using this pragmatic beauty tool. In addition, many flat irons dry out hair and create a frizzled appearance. Now you can achieve straight, gorgeous hair without worrying about setting your house on fire thanks to digital flat irons.

Unlike traditional flat irons, the digital models have an auto shutoff mechanism to prevent overheating and mitigate fire risks. Achieve your ideal flattening temperature with precision using the digital control panel. You can even curl up or flip out the ends of your hair to add a little personality to your style.

First of all how many of you know what a styler hair dryer is?  There are several companies that make these but you don’t always hear alot about them. 

The styler hair dryer is not your typical looking dryer.  It was designed to use with attachments that come with the dryer.  These attachments usually include a fine tooth comb, a wide tooth comb and a finishing brush.  Sometimes there are a couple of different types of finishing brushes that are included.  One of them has bristles that are set far apart and the other looks like a regular square shaped brush.  These interchangeable parts are attached to the side of the dryer where the airflow of the dryer blows through the attachment onto your hair.

There is a definite population of individuals who have curly hair and like to wear it straight.  They prefer to not use flat irons and feel that the only way to properly manage their curl is to use a styler dryer.  Of course, each person has their own way of straightening or styling their hair with this dryer, but as a general rule, the following steps can be used. Also, I suggest putting the on/off control on the outside of the handle, rather than inside, as someone like me, who uses the brush attachment to straighten my hair when wet, uses it underhand. Thus I keep hitting the control and shutting the unit off accidently. If the brush would stay on better, I’d rate the unit a 5.

1. Wash and condition your hair and then towel dry by blotting.  Comb through your hair using a detangling comb or brush.
2. Apply either a leave-in conditioner or styling cream to the ends of your hair.
3. Attach the finishing brush to the dryer and start drying your hair in sections.  The heat setting and speed setting will depend on the density of your hair and how quickly you want to dry your hair.  
4. After each section of hair is dry it is best to clip it off to the side so it is easier to move to the next section.
5. For increased volume lift your hair up and brush from underneath with the dryer.
6. Once your hair is completely dry and styled, apply your favorite anti-frizz serum.   

Belson Gold ‘N Hot Hair Dryers are one of several manufacturers of a styler dryer.  Most of these dryers can be found with either 1600 watts or 1875 watts.  Some are dual voltage and can be used internationally.  They range in price from $25.00 to $40.00.

Any world traveler has inevitably experienced the headaches and logistical difficulties of coping with the differing voltages between countries. Overlooking the necessity of packing the proper attachments for your cell phone or laptop can foil your journey in a foreign country. Thanks to recent innovations, however, these headaches are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Dual voltage flat irons, radios and other electronic are becoming readily available, eliminating the need for converters. These appliances will operate on 110/125v as well as 220/250v. Thanks to this new technology, when you travel abroad from now on you’ll have one less thing to remember.

For those of you who already use a flat iron, did you know that there are ones that you can use while your hair is wet or damp?  With all of the modern technology that keeps infusing itself into hair appliances, why not?

After doing some further research, there are several wet to dry flat irons in the marketplace and basically the feedback is that by using a wet to dry flat iron you are avoiding prolonged heat exposure and friction from first drying your hair and then straightening it.   Thus, applying high heat to your hair only once does minimize the heat damage.  This actually makes some sense.

So exactly how does this type of straightener work?   The flat iron is manufactured with excess moisture extracting channels and holes that squeeze out unwanted moisture.   In particular, Turbo Ion’s Croc Titanium Wet to Dry Flat Iron features a patent pending, built-in turbo ion generator which emits 5 million negative ions per square centimeter.   The Croc’s titanium coated plates provide superior distribution of heat along with a negative ion boost.  Choosing from their 1″ or 1 1/2″ plate models provides you with the option that best suits your particular head of hair.

As previously mentioned, steam vents that are built into the plates allow moisture to escape safely from your wet hair while styling.  This in addition to the fact that a built-in turbo ion generator that generates six times more negative ions than regular irons, seals the cuticles of your hair to prevent split ends, reduce frizz, and retain your hair’s natural moisture, oil, and color, is a no brainer.

To think that the entire process of  washing your hair, towel drying, and then going right to straightening your hair  and your done, will actually save a  huge amount of time for those of us who have long and thick hair.  It is definitely something that should be checked out by those of you who need that extra time in the morning or whenever it is that you do your hair.