Hair Styling Tools

When we are all looking for ways to save money in these hard pressed economical times, even some of the must haves such as hair cuts, styling, etc. need to be readdressed.  While for us women who have very defined types of hairstyles, trimming our own hair could be very disastrous.  However, trimming boys, young men and older men alike can be accomplished fairly easily at home. 

There are many hairstyles that are being worn these days by the male species just as with us females.  However, many males are also wearing shaved heads or are sporting an extremely short cut.  Knowing this, it doesn’t take much to see that one could invest in some hair clippers or hair trimmers and perform this job at home.  There are even clipper kits that are available which typically include everything you need from the clippers to the variable sized combs or guards, oil, a cleaning brush and even a neck cape.  If you have teenage sons at home, you’ll find that they already know exactly what to do.  If you ask them they will more than likely tell you that they have friends who do each other’s hair shaving or clipping or their parents are already doing it.   

Hair clippers and trimmers come in all price ranges and just because some appear to be pricey, doesn’t always mean they are the best.  Check out what is available.  You can find some hair clipper kits for as low as $22.00.

What really is the difference between consumer grade hair clippers and professional hair clippers?  Nowadays the biggest difference is that the professional units have enhanced insulating for internal electrical components to prevent the clippers from overheating during periods of prolonged use.   Another difference is that some manufacturers of hair clippers have also replaced some of the plastic parts in consumer grade hair clippers to metal parts in the professional grade so that the clippers are more durable and will last longer.  Both of these differences are due to extended use by barbers and professional stylists.

When it comes to quality in hair clippers, one must always consider the end user and the intent.  Typically the at-home individual consumer leans towards purchasing a clipper kit that includes several accessories.   These accessories include several guides for different length cuts, oil, and sometimes a comb.  These kits can cost anywhere from $20.00 to $50.00.   Most professional hair clippers do not include accessories and usually must be purchased separately.   Depending on what you are looking for in a professional model hair clipper, the price can vary anywhere from $40.00 to right at about $100.00.

There are several clipper companies that have been around for quite some time.  Andis got their start back in 1921 and Oster followed not long after in 1928.  Since then many other companies have joined the industry such as Wahl, Forfex, and HAI.  All of these companies have their popular models and varying types of trimmers that perform different functions.

If you are in the market for hair clippers, the deciding factor can be determined by many things but most of the time it boils down to what you can afford and for what particular function you need the clippers.  Before buying, talk to your barber or hair stylist to see what they recommend and while you are at it ask for a couple of different recommendations, especially if price is a factor.

First of all, what is titanium?   Titanium (, ) is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22.  Sometimes called the “space age metal”, it has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant (including sea water, aqua regia and chlorine) transition metal with a silver color.

Ok, now that we have established what titanium is, why makes titanium curling irons so great?  For starters, due to its low density, the weight of the curling iron is much less.  This is a great thing for those of us who have issues with our hands and/or wrists.  Secondly, the fact that titanium is corrosion-resistant we don’t have to worry about the surface of the barrel of the curling iron rusting or going bad on us.   Additionally, titanium helps to produce high heat for a firmer curl formation.  And isn’t that the reason we use a curling iron anyway?  We  definitely need for our curls to form and stay in place. 

Another fantastic quality of a titanium curling iron is that it allows for maximum heat distribution and snag-free styling due to the hard, yet smooth surface.  The strength and durability that the titanium element adds to the curling iron makes it one of the best curling irons in the marketplace.  So, if you are in the market for a new curling iron, try a titanium curling iron and I’m confident you will be pleased.

First of all, did you know that hair clippers are really not all that hard to fix?  Well, it’s true but the purpose of this blog today is to provide you with a few simple rules to follow each time you use your hair clippers so that you can avoid having to get repairs made.

The first basic rule in keeping your clippers functioning at an optimum level is the clean the clippers after each and every use.  While this seems painful, especially if you are a barber or hair styliest, some models have a self-cleaning feature so that isn’t going to be an issue.  Second and probably most importantly, read the instructions and guidelines for maintenance that were provided with the hair clipper when you bought it.   Do  take care to always unplug the adapter from the wall outlet without applying any pressure.  Never insert any hard objects to the cutters’ portion of the clipper.  You should never rinse the clipper under water as this will remove the lubrication provided to the clippers.  Avoid using liquid cleaners on the cutters or even on the main body of the unit.  Lastly, keep your hair clippers in shut-off mode when they are not in use. 

While the rules above appear fairly basic, you would be surprised just how many hair clippers do not last past a year with owners/operators failing to do any type of maintenance other than the occasional blowing off the hair from the blades.  Don’t fall into this category and you can feel good about spending your money of one of the nicer and pricier model hair clippers that is going to give you your moneys worth and then some.

Are you challenged when it comes to using a styling brush and blow dryer at the same time?  It always looks so easy when the hair stylist does it, but when we get home and try to do it ourselves, it isn’t as easy as we thought it would be.

Hot air brushes have been around for awhile and the technology continues to improve their performance.  One of the technologies that has become more and more prevalent in hair styling tools is ionic technology.   In fact, the Hot Tools 1 1/2 inch Ionic Hot Air Brush has such technology.  This is wonderful for those of us who are concerned about our hair’s softness and shine.  It also helps reduce fly away hair.

Of course there are several brands of hot air brushes in the marketplace.  Some come with nylon bristles and others come with flexible ball-tipped bristles.   One advantage of the flexible ball-tipped bristle hot air brushes is that the bristles gently grip your hair and rest softly against your head.  They are also considered tangle-proof.  The locking barrel switch locks in place for curling and it unlocks when you are ready to unwind the hair from the barrel.  The advantages of a nylon bristle hot air brush is that the bristles also gently grip your hair for exceptional control in styling.

My personal preference is the nylon bristle hot air brushes simply because for my hair type, which is fine and short hair, the hair tends to curl better with this type bristle.  This may not be true of other types hair.  Additionally, if you have very thick hair I would not recommend this type of styling appliance as it will inevitably take longer to dry and style.  If there are any of you out there reading this article and find that this is not true for you, I would love to hear about it.  

Prices for hot air brushes range anywhere from the high teens to the mid thirty dollar range.

Who would have thought that there would be a hairdryer invented  that simply by pushing a button you would automatically set the heat at the right temperature based on the type of hair you have?  Well, now there is one.  The Belson Gold ‘N Hot  Elite Smart Heat™  Professional Ionic Dryer does exactly what I’ve described.

This latest innovative technology that has been applied to this professional hairdryer  lets you select from five different buttons that identify five different hair types.  If you have coarse, medium, thin, very fine, or even if you need to dry a synthetic or natural hair extension, this dryer will meet your needs.  The dryer is lightweight and its perfectly balanced body style makes it extremely easy to handle and use.  Additionally, as an extra added bonus, the dryer comes with a hair concentrator, diffuser, and double pik!!

The ionic technology used by Smart Heat ™ is designed to maintain the body, moisture and luster of each hair type without overdrying or overstyling.  It is a win-win on this professional hairdryer and Belson Gold ‘N Hot didn’t stop there.  You can also find their Smart Heat™ technology in four different sizes of curling irons and a one inch flat iron.  Way to go Belson Gold ‘n Hot!!!

With all of the new technologies that have been injected into the mass production of small appliances and even hair styling tools, it is not unusual to question exactly what some of these technologies actually provide.

In hair styling tools descriptions you often see a variety of technologies that have now newly improved a particular styling tool that you are using.  One of the ones that now seems to be so prevalent is tourmaline technology.  So, you ask what exactly is tourmaline technology?

When you look up “tourmaline” in the dictionary you find that it is ”a complex crystalline silicate containing aluminum, boron, and other elements, used in electronic instrumentation and, especially in its green, clear, and blue varieties, as a gemstone”.  Ok, so what does that have to do with ie., tourmaline flat irons?

After seeing many tutorials and reading a variety of descriptions, I have found that tourmaline technology is combined with other technologies that result in the end user not damaging their hair.  When you see the word tourmaline you usually see ionic and/or ceramic.

Tourmaline is actually a semi-precious gemstone that is comprised mainly of a crystal silicate mineral compound. It is well-known for its ionic properties. This gemstone is crushed and compounded into the ceramic plates of the flat iron. When the flat iron is heated and ready for use, the ceramic plates then emit negative ions produced from the tourmaline.  The tourmaline nano particles naturally generate a far-infrared energy when heated.  This penetrating form of heat passes through the hair cuticle, going directly to the cortex.  The cuticle is not over-heated and resists brittleness and cracking, thus helping hair maintain its shine and softness.  Tourmaline also helps cleanse hair of odors and impurities.

Most flat irons available in the marketplace have ceramic or ionic technology.  They will be less expensive than the ones that include the tourmaline or titanium technologies.  If you want the best for your hair, I’d recommend you spend the extra money and buy the one that comes with the tourmaline feature.

Are you looking to make more space on your bathroom counter, or are you wanting to create a spa look to your current bathroom setup?  Well, when it comes down to where you are going to put a hairdryer, have you ever considered trying out the wall mount hairdryers?

Wall mount hairdryers can certainly help in solving the problem of counter clutter as well as saveing space in your drawers or cupboards.  These dryers can be easily mounted on the wall of your bathroom and with the new sleeker looking designs, they won’t actually take up much of your wall space.  You often see wall mounted hairdryers in luxury hotels or spas.

There are all types of wall mounted hairdryers in the marketplace.  Some come with night lights and even some come with a built-in clock.   Some models of wall mounted hairdryers come with ionic technology, which is something that more and more dryer users are looking for in a dryer.  In a nutshell, the ionic features provide faster drying time resulting in less damage to the hair.   Other features to be looking for include the speed/heat functions and the length of the cord.  Most motors in wall mount hair dryers are highly durable.

Regardless of the type you are looking for, the most important thing that people are still looking for in a hairdryer is the wattage and whether or not it is going to dry their hair they way they are accustomed.   If it is not specifically for your use, but for use in a guest bathroom, these requirements are not necessarily as important. 

While mounting a hairdryer is a relatively easy process, care should still be taken in following the instructions provided so that ultimately the end result is that you have a functional wall mounted dryer that does the job it was intended to do.

So you have washed your hair and now you have to blow dry it.  You’ve noticed that your hair is looking more dull and frizzy and your ends are dry and splitting.  Is it the shampoo, the conditioner, the other products that you use on your hair, OR, is it the hairdryer that is actually drying out your hair?  You go to your hairdresser and you ask what can be done.  The question that arises is, “What kind of hairdryer are you using?”  You suddenly are too embarrassed to say and reply that it is just a cheap model you picked up at the local drug store.  Your hairdresser responds that it is time for you to start looking at ionic hairdryers and seriously consider buying one.  But, why should you buy an ionic hairdryer?  What does an ionic hairdryer have that your everyday run of the mill hairdryers don’t have?

Ionic hairdryers release negative ions into the airstream coming from the dryer.  The negative ions break down the water molecules in your hair into smaller particles.  This is possible due to the positive charge of the water particles attracting the negative ions to it and resulting in the water particles breaking down and evaporating.  This process cuts down the time you spend drying your hair in half.  Since you don’t have to spend as much time drying your hair, your hair will be less likely to get overheated and break, resulting in less split ends. 

Since negative ions improve the condition of your hair by breaking down the water molecules for better absorportion,  it is this absorption process that results in shinier and smoother hair.  Hydrated hair from within gives the hair a healthy glow and more volume.  The tightening or closing of the cuticle from this ionic process will curb the static electricity that causes unwanted frizz.

So…..with all of the stated benefits of an ionic hairdryer, if you don’t already own one, now is the time to buy one.   You will see that there are many ionic hairdryers in the marketplace to choose from.  They are available in all price ranges, shapes, and sizes. With so many choices, you should have no trouble finding one that is just right for you.