Hair Styling Tools

Did you know that according to a recent www.allure.com poll, that 35% of women blow-dry their hair every day?  In reality that is a staggering number.  Knowing this, tells us all that a hairdryer is an essential item for most working women and females that are generally in the age bracket from early teens to women in their 60’s and 70’s.  What all of this equates to in terms of the number of hairdryers in the households of these individuals must be huge.

Looking back in history, I found that the first hand-held dryer was available in the marketplace in 1925 and it only produced 100 watts of heat.  It took an additional 20 years for the wattage to be increased to 300 watts.  Then, in the 1960’s a 500 watt hairdryer was produced.     In the late 1970’s safety was the focus for most manufacturers of hairdryers.  It wasn’t until the 1990’s that a portable hair dryer could produce over 1500 watts of heat.  Up until this time, the only electric motors that were available to be used limited the power that a hairdryer could have.  With time there was improvement in plastic technology and new insulating materials that resulted in the lightweight hairdryers that are available today.

As we all know, today there are 2000 watt professional hairdryers available for purchase today.  For those of us who grew up in the 1960’s and 1970’s it is hard to imagine that we even made it through that period of time with what is now considered archaic hair styling appliances.  Thank goodness for modern technology!!

When it comes to buying a professional hairdryer, you simply can’t beat the quality of a Conair. I’ve had my same Conair hair dryer for about ten years now, and it still works great, and I have yet to have any problems. In addition, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dropped it on my bathroom counter or the floor while trying to use a hair brush and hand mirror. Conair hair dryers just seem much more durable than other brands I’ve owned.

Despite their obvious salon quality, Conair hair dryers are available in just about every location from drug stores to super markets. I don’t think it matters which model you buy. I happen to have one of the retro style metal plated ones, but as far as I know from talking to friends and others, they all work great.

Are you tired of your straight hair style and want to add some pizazz to your appearance?  If you have answered yes, now comes the dilemma of whether to use a curling iron, or would it be easier to use hot rollers?  What are the benefits of using the curling iron versus the hot rollers?

If you already use a curling iron, you know that curling irons are available in different size barrels.  And, if you are a user of hot rollers, you already know that there are various size hot curlers available.  To be able to decide which hair styling tools are best for you however, depends on the type style that you want and what hair type you have.  Time can also be a very important factor. 

Large hot rollers and large curling iron barrels (typically larger than a one inch diameter) will provide volume for any hair type or style.  If you have long hair the larger diameter curling iron or hot roller will provide you with the ability to slightly curl under the ends or add wave.   Just the opposite will be true if you are looking for small curls, ringlets, etc.  The smaller the diameter of the barrel of a curling iron and the smaller the diameter of a hot roller, the more intense the curl will be.

If you are short on time, hot rollers are your best bet.  While the rollers are heating, you can be putting on your makeup or whatever else you need to be doing.   Additionally, once they are hot and you have them in your hair, you can continue to do other necessary things while the rollers are doing their job.  This obviously is not the case with the curling iron.  If you have long hair, or layered hair, curling your hair with an iron will take more time in addition to the fact that your arm may start to tire while you are holding the curling iron for the amount of time needed for each curl.  However, I don’t want  to put a negative spin on the curling iron because with many hair types the curling iron will actually work to your benefit, especially if you are looking for spiral and tighter curls.  For whatever reason these types of curls tend to stay longer in the hair when you have created the curl with the curling iron.

Whether you ultimately decide that you like one styling appliance over the other will depend on what you feel is the easiest and most satisfying in terms of the results.  If you like options and alternatives then I suggest having both a curling iron and the hot rollers so that you are always prepared for a backup plan.

Is your hair sticking together with hair product and collecting dirt?  Is your hair also looking limp?  More than likely you are facing the oily hair dilemma and are getting tired of dealing with it.  If it is your tendency to get oily hair, there are several ways you can manage this problem and it doesn’t have to be difficult or costly.

To manage oily hair problems, it is helpful to understand why this happens.  Most of us who have oily hair think that the reason our hair looks oily is because we have an oily scalp.  FALSE.  Typically, it is a dry scalp that motivates the oil glands in your scalp to generate more oil.  As a result, the excess oil then transfers to your hair.   The excess oil in the hair then starts to attract more dirt and dust and haircare products.  Ok, but why does this happen?  Well, if you are a teenager, blame it on the hormones.  In your teens the scalp can secrete more oily sebum.  As an adult, pharmaceuticals can affect our hormonal levels and can also have an effect on the oil in our hair.  This coupled with stress, or your basic skin problems all factor in. Are you also a person who likes to brush their hair, and brush often?  This too, can stimulate the glands resulting in more oil.

Now that we have identified several reasons why we might have oily hair, what can we do to diminish or even eliminate the problem?  Aside from the fact that a healthy diet will certainly contribute to the improvement of your hair health, something as simple as the type shampoo you use and how often you shampoo is important to monitor.  Use a mild cleansing , oil-free shampoo and if possible limit the number of times you shampoo.  If you are someone who feels they need to shampoo daily, only shampoo the hair and not the scalp.  As for a conditioner, you will also want to use one that is labeled for oily hair or something that is mild and oil-free.  Be sure to rinse your hair with cool or luke-warm water. as

Home remedies are bountiful when it comes to trying to deal with oily hair.  A vinegar rinse of one part vinegar to four parts water can be used as long as you avoid using it on the scalp.  A similar rinse using lemon juice might also be something to try.  A diet that is low in saturated fats will help as will drinking plenty of water.

Since we all have different body chemistries, it is extremely difficult to properly diagnose and come up with an all tried and true remedy, so experimentation is needed.  However, if some common sense is used as well as applying some of the previously stated suggestions, I am confident you will end up with the shining, beautiful hair that you so much want to have.

Is your hair lacking luster?  Perhaps your hair is needing a moisturizing pick-me-up.  So how does one go about it?  If you are looking for a quick fix, there might be some temporary solutions out there, but the solution is to find out what works on an ongoing basis so you are not always fighting an uphill battle.

There are many shampoos and conditioners designed to handle dry hair.  Obviously not all of them are going to work, but the question is which ones do?  There is no simple answer to this question because not everyone’s body chemistry is the same and what might work for one individual just might not work for another.  The key is to first find a shampoo that gives your hair a nice soft texture before even getting to the step of using a conditioner.  Good moisturizing shampoos will stand alone if they are really good.  Another thing to remember about shampooing when you have dry hair is that you may be shampooing too often.  If you are shampooing more than twice a week it just might be too  much so cut back.

Hair masks are also a good way to hydrate, moisturize and nourish your hair.  Applying a hair mask about once a week should show some marked improvement in a very short period of time.  Another option is to try a rinse-free,  leave-in conditioner, or deep conditioner.

Regardless of the number of haircare products that are out there for you to discover, some genuine common sense always needs to be factored in.  If you are using hair styling tool on your hair on a daily basis, cut back.  If you color your hair often (and don’t need to because you don’t have gray hair to hide) then stop for awhile to give your hair a chance to repair.  

Lastly, but not any less important is the health-minded or natural approach to taking care of dry hair.   Using foods such as avocado, mayonnaise, coconut oil, olive oil, or even egg mixed in the right amounts and applied to mainly the ends of your hair may have some benefit.  Certain over the counter vitamins that are specific to hair health may also be the answer.  Again, this along with all of the other recommendations may require some trial and error, but don’t lose hope because the right recipe is there for you to find.

Have you ever asked yourself the question, what exactly is “normal hair”?  I think most of us would answer the question with normal hair is not too oily or not too dry.  Additionally, if your hair doesn’t have split ends,  isn’t damaged in any other way,  and is fairly well behaved, one might classify their hair as normal.

So, if your hair is normal, what exactly does one need to do to keep it that way?    The most logical answer is to make sure you wash your hair at least twice a week with a mild shampoo and conditioner for normal hair.  If you are not a person that lets their hair air dry, then when using a hair dryer, be sure to blow dry from at least five inches away, whether your hair is normal, dry or oily.  

There are many shampoos and conditioners in the marketplace so finding the right one may be a process.  You can certainly go by the advice of your hair stylist or if that isn’t an option, I suggest you look for a product that says it is a hydrating shampoo or conditioner.  Let’s face it, using hair styling tools and just the natural exposure that our hair gets on a daily basis can certainly dry out our hair so something that adds moisture or hydrates the hair is essential.

Lastly, as I just mentioned, using hair styling tools on a regular basis will eventually break down the hair cuticles or folicles and some repair will be necessary.  So, the best thing you can do is to keep up the process that works best for you and so you can continue to be able to call your hair “normal”.

Contrary to popular belief, using a volumizing shampoo is not necessarily the best way to add volume to your hair.  Why not?  Well, when you are shampooing your hair, don’t you rinse the shampoo out?   Obviously, it becomes a challenge for the ingredients that are supposed to create volume in your hair to do their job if they are only being rinsed down the drain.  That is not to say that some shampoos that are labeled as volumizing  do possibly add a bit of fullness if you are selecting the right brands.

The best way to plump up your hair is by using styling  haircare products.  The type of styling products that you select will of course depend on the type of hair that you have.  If  you have textured hair, a styling mousse or gel applied at the roots will definitely take your hair to new heights.  If you have fine hair, you just might be able to get by with certain volumizing shampoos and conditioners but ultimately applying the gel or mousse while styling is what will seal the deal on volume.

Now is the time of year when many of us are traveling to visit relatives or friends for the holidays, or some of us are just traveling to get away from the inclimate weather found in certain parts of the country this time of year.  For many of us this means that we need to take our flat iron or curling iron with us so we have that all-important hair styling tool to make sure we start out our day on the right foot. 

Since hair styling tools can sometimes be looked at as an investment, based on the fact that many of us are spending more for our tools due to the new technology, why are we not taking better care of them?  Rather than just throwing the hair straighteners or curling irons in our luggage and going, why don’t we put them in something to protect them?  The Hotty Hoody Cool Sleeve is just the product that will solve this dilemma.  Not only will this product protect our flat irons and curling irons, you can even put them in the sleeve while they are hot.    The sleeve can also serve as a holder for your tools wherever you store them in your home.  Whether you leave your styling tools out on the bathroom counter, or put them away in the drawer, you can now use the Hotty Hoody Cool Sleeve  for this purpose.

The Hotty Hoody Cool Sleeve  is made of a specially designed safety silicone that fits over the hot portion of any curling iron, flat iron, crimper, waver, spiral iron, hot brushes and combs to prevent burns.   The sleeve fits nearly every standard size hair appliance and withstands temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This hot styling tools holder also protects equipment from being damaged when dropped.   With what we spend nowadays on our hair styling tools, we need to take good care of them as they can literally be categorized as an investment.

To use the Hotty Hoody you simply insert the styling tool into the sleeve and the electrical cord wraps around the outside of the sleeve and clips to keep it small and neat.  It couldn’t be easier and faster to store and protect.  You won’t have to worry anymore about burning your countertops or have to wait for them to cool down before safely transporting them  as soon as you are finished using them.  This hair tools transporter is great for travelers, after workouts, or anyone on the go!  You can find the Hotty Hoody online and in many of the salons or beauty supply stores that sell hair styling accessories.

Why is it that individuals who have curly or wavy hair want it straight, and then there are those of us who have straight hair and we want to have our hair curly or wavy?  It just goes without being said , but I’m saying it anyway, it is just human nature to want what we don’t already have.  Well, when it comes to hair, we are all in luck as there are hair styling tools to accomodate just about any style that we desire. 

All one has to do is to go online or go to a local beauty supply store or hair salon and you will find just about any kind of tool necessary to straighten, curl, flip, wave, crimp, and the list goes on and on.  We all definitely take for granted what modern technology has done for us.   Just in the last 10 to 20 years, there has been a marked increase in the variety of styling tools available to buy.  For many of us who have been around a lot longer, we can reminisce about the days when we had to have our hair chemically processed to straighten our hair, or even try to iron long hair on the ironing board.  If we wanted our hair to be curly, we sat under a dryer with curlers in our hair and waited for our hair to dry and curl.  Thanks to the inventors of hot rollers we just plug them in, put them in our hair and within minutes we unroll, brush through, and we’re done.   And, best of all, no more sleeping on rollers!  Oh, how wonderful it is to live in the 21st Century!!

Not that there’s any real reason to be bashful about one’s curls, but occasionally a gal just feels like switching to straight hair. As they say, the grass is always greener on the other side. If you need to experiment with a straight ‘do in order to better appreciate your own curly locks, then so be it. First of all, you should know that there are a number of ways to bring out hair’s potential for rigidity.

Straightening shampoo and conditioner will simplify the process, and you should be careful to detangle each strand before applying hair balm. Then use clips to separate the hair into sections. Blow dry each section thoroughly and then go over them with a Tourmaline flat irons. Keep a round brush at the ready so that you can keep the process running smoothly – don’t make any sudden movements or you’ll put a kink in the hair.