Hair Styling Tools

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.

Did you know that steam hairsetters are still around?  The last time I remember using a steam hairsetter was, well come to think of it I don’t really want to tell you how long ago that was.  Believe it or not, steam hairsetters or steam hot rollers,  as some of us still call them,  are prevalent in the marketplace.   Steam hair rollers have actually been deemed to be better for certain hairstyles than the electric rollers that don’t have the steam element.

For those of  you who are not familiar with the steam hairsetters, they are used in the identical manner as the non-steam hairsetters, with the only difference being that you add cold water to a pre-determined fill line on the tank of the hairsetter unit.  You then plug the unit in and wait for it to heat up.  After about 30 seconds or so, the steam starts to form and this is when you place the rollers on the spindles and wait for the steam to penetrate the roller.  This usually takes only about 10 to 15 seconds.  Once the curlers have absorbed the steam you proceed to roll up your hair using the clips that come with the particular unit.  Leave the curlers in your hair for approximately ten minutes and then remove.  You will probably have to experiment some to see exactly how long it takes to form the curl that you want based on the thickness and texture of your hair.  Once the curlers have been removed let your hair cool before styling.

One of the benefits of using today’s steam hair rollers is that ionic technology has been introduced to this hair styling tool.  What this means for you is that the rollers are infused with the maximum number of ions to create strong, long-lasting curls.  This process helps condition, soften, and make your hair look shinier, while adding volume and reducing frizz.  Today’s steam curlers also help with holding the style longer as well as working better for people that have difficult to curl hair.  The gentle steam allows the rollers to be used over and over without damaging the hair.   As with most hairsetters, whether they are steam or not, the curler sizes vary by the unit size and most come in travel size units as well.

As the only guy in a house with three female roommates, I’ve had to adapt to a feminine-dominated living atmosphere. In most areas of the home, it isn’t a big deal, but when it comes to the bathroom, we have had more than our share of disputes. Like most men, I have a propensity to leave the toilet seat up, and we all know the reputation that women have when it comes to getting ready.

I always have to wait at least forty-five minutes until the bathroom is unoccupied, and once I finally get in, it typically looks like a tornado just went through. Long hair is strewn about the sink, and countless brushes, combs, makeup sets and ceramic curling irons litter the counter. While the bathroom is certainly a cause of aggravation for me, the girls atone by cooking me dinner several times a week.

How many of you out there have heard of the triple barrel curling iron?  Or, as some refer to it as the triple barrel waver, 3 barrel waver, and triple barrel curling iron.  Whatever you refer to it as, it is a most unique curling iron that does a fantastic job at creating what is better known as the “S” wave. 

This very trendy hair stying tool is actually very easy to use but it may take a couple of times using it before you actually feel comfortable.  If you have ever used a crimper on your hair, using the 3 barrel waver is a lot like it in terms of the process.   

1)  Start out by dividing your hair into 2-3 inch sections. 

2)  Prior to using the waver on each section of hair, spray the section with a heat protectant spray, especially if the waver is not ceramic.

3)  Starting at close as you can to the scalp, open the clamp of the waver and clamp the section of hair between the barrels and run it down your hair once.   Clamp the hair strand and weave it under and over the 3 barrels.  Close the clamp and hold in place for 8-15 seconds (after using you will be able to determine just exactly how long you need to hold it based on your hair type).  Simply push down on the thumb grip to release the waver.

4)  To continue down the strand of hair start the second wave by some overlapping from the first wave.  You will need to try to match the outermost wave of your hair with the barrel and hold in place again for 8-15 seconds. Continue to move the waver down the strand of hair until you reach the bottom of the strand. 

5)  Repeat the same process as above all around your head of hair until you are done.

Once you are done, you will see that you have a crimped type wave that can be worn as a casual hairstyle ( the beachy wave look) or even as a formal hairstyle by pinning some of the hair back with an elegant hair barrette or some type of clip.  You can comb or brush through the waves or just run your fingers through some of the waves to loosen them up a bit.  You will definitely need to use some hairspray when all is said and done so that all of the work put into this creation holds.

If you have bangs you can curl them as well as use some hairpins to pull the bangs back off the forehead and blend them in with the rest of your hair. 

If you go out on the web you will also find many youtube videos giving you a birdseye view of how to use the waver. 

Having a triple barrel curling iron can add just one more type of styling to your hairstyle planning menu.  Have fun using it and see what new trend setting style you can invent!

Have you noticed more and more celebs are wearing bangs these days?  For some it definitely adds to their already youthful looking appearance but others are wearing them because believe it or not, bangs can make a statement.

When deciding whether to wear bangs or not, it is always important to take into account the shape of your face.  if your face is long an oval, a straight, blunt cut works.  If your face is round, square, or heart-shaped, it is recommended that the sides of the bangs be tapered to frame the face, resulting in a more flattering appearance.

The fun thing about having bangs is that there are multiple options in how they can be worn and styled.  If you can find a style that matches your personality that’s even better.  Some of the 2010 trends include choosing from extra short bangs to the long choppy ones. 

 If you are looking for elegant styled bangs or that professional look  and your hair is long, medium, or short, go for a side swept bang look or longer bangs to hide your eyebrows.   If your bangs are curling up on you and you want them to stay longer looking,  mini flat irons are the way to go.  You just simply straighten them as you would the rest of your hair with a flat iron but what is so great about a mini flat iron is that you can get close to your scalp and straighten this smaller section of hair without the concern of burning your forehead or face.  The other cool thing about having longer bangs is that they can be changed up with almost any style haircut.  So, whether it be for the office or formal affair, or to wanting to fulfill that wild and crazy party personality, all you have to do is use some haircare products that will pump up the volume and/or add extra texture to your hair.

What about layering your bangs?  Some of the new looks for 2010 are the choppy asymmetrical edgy hairstyles so why not add that look to the bangs as well?  If you have a large forehead you can get away with that uneven eyebrow sweeping bang cut.

Lastly, if you have a small forehead you can definitely get away with the more extreme bang cuts.  These include anything from straight shaped to the asymmetrical choppy layered bangs with extreme edges.

In my last post I indicated that the trends for hairstyles in 2010 were leaning more towards longer hairstyles and that you will see that those of us who have short hair will be starting to let it grow out.  HOWEVER, there are still those of us who just don’t look good with longer hair for all sorts of reasons.  Especially for those of us who have thin or fine hair, shorter styles always make us look like we have more hair.  And, some of us just want the easy way out in starting out our day with less time having to be devoted to our hair.  OR, is it easier?  Actually, shorter haircuts require more trims, and more importantly, because your hair is shorter, you need to keep it in the best shape possible because you don’t have the luxury of hiding it with your longer locks.  Don’t let this steer you away because keeping your hair healthy is easy to do with today’s haircare products.

So, if we have short hair, or are even risking getting it cut like Katharine McPhee (former American Idol contestant) did, it might be helpful to know what the 2010 short hair trends are.  

Pixies, piecey layers, bold color, asymmetry, bowl-shaped cuts, texture, retro, funky bangs, and big hair are what some of the more well known fashion and hair experts are talking about.  I can understand all of them except for the bowl-shaped cut.  Unless you start seeing a lot of people wearing this style, especially in the celebrity mix, this is one I would steer clear of. 

Personally, I like the idea of some funky looking bangs.  If you have been sporting a bob hairstyle, and you already have bangs, get your stylist to show you how to change them up.  It might require some special trimming but don’t we always need to get our bangs trimmed anyway?   I also like the asymmetry and textured layer looks because they are so out there.   If you are new to short hair, then this messy look as displayed in the photo below might be a starting point for you. 

For most of us, when we think of pixie haircuts, we think of Halle Berry.  Considering she is in every magazine we pick up, whatever she wears always looks good.  Halle is not the only one out there with pixie cuts and you too may want to consider going extremely short because there are some very unique and sexy styles that can be created with extremely short hair.   Not everyone can wear their hair this short, but if you can, then you go girl.

The hottest new trend for all lengths of hair is retro waves.  Apparently, for these hairstyles, the curling irons are no longer being used and the switch is being made to hot rollers.     

Short hairstyles are being worn by all ages and walks of life.  You can be a chic professional or the girl next door.  Whatever you feel comfortable in is what is going to make you the happiest.  Don’t be shy and if you are ready to explore some new avenues then be sure to check out all of the latest short styles either online or in your favorite magazines.

Well here it is already midway through the month of April and I’m just now getting around to addressing 2010 hairstyle trends.  As they say, better late than never.

So what is the outlook for 2010?  After reading many magazine articles and online forums and blogs, the one descriptive word that rang out loud and clear was VERSATILITY.   Apparently, there is a movement towards longer hair.  Certainly, the more hair you have the more options are available to you in the styling of your hair.   Most hair styling and beauty professionals agree that most face shapes and body types can accomodate longer hair lengths.

So, what happens to those of us who have gotten comfortable with their pixie cuts and bobs?  I guess  it is time to start letting our hair grow out and get with the program on the longer flowing locks and natural looking hair styles.  That is not to say that short haircuts are going going gone because they aren’t.  In fact there are some new short style trends which will be covered in another article very soon.

Regardless of whether or not you jump on the bandwagon and start letting your hair grow out, it is still critically important that you treat your hair with kindness.  Kindness means using shampoos and conditioners that are suited to the type of hair that you have.  If you have dry and brittle hair then you need to be using a shampoo that has moisture therapy ingredients.  If you have color treated hair then you need to be using a shampoo that is specifically designed for color treated hair.  This same advice applies to hair conditioners.  I think you get the picture. 

In addition to using the right haircare products, it is also extremely critical that you are using a professional hairdryer that has ceramic and ionic features.  There are many other features that can be associated with ceramic and ionic technologies that are also good for your hair.   Also, it is very important to be mindful of the hair dryers that are sold in your discount stores that claim to be ceramic and ionic.  Just how good can the technology be in these extremely low priced dryers?   Do your research and even discuss with your hair stylist what they might recommend.  There is the right hair dryer out there for you and that in combination with the right haircare products, you too can enjoy the new hairstyle trends of 2010.

It seems that no matter how together we feel when we leave the house for work, school, hanging out with friends, or wherever we are going, our hair is subject to the elements outside.  Whether it be the rain, the wind, humidity, the cold, the heat, all can wreak havoc on our hair.

 The thing that is most annoying to me is the time it takes to straighten my hair and then if it is the least bit damp out there are certain hairs that decide to frizz out or curl back up. 

I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to do is to haul around my flat iron.  Even if I have a big purse, the weight of the flat iron that I use  can add to what is already bordering on exceeding luggage limits.  To remedy the situation I went out and bought a mini flat iron.  It was probably the best thing I have ever treated myself to.  This little mini flat iron weighs next to nothing and fits conveniently in the zipper pouch inside my purse.   

The mini flat irons come in both 1/2 inch and 1 inch plate sizes and usually are no longer than 6 inches in length.  They all come with ceramic technology and some have additional features such as nano titanium plates, ceramic tourmaline plates as well as  ionic technology.  They usually range in price from$25.00 to $40.00 with some pricier brands costing more.

When my daughter entered high school this year, my husband and I were worried to say the least. Not that she is irresponsible, but as our oldest child, we tend to be a little overbearing with her. The first few weeks went smoothly, but we were petrified when she informed us that one of her classmates asked her to homecoming.

We couldn’t bring ourselves to deny her the experience, but we did subject her to a few hours of lecturing and cautionary tales before we let her leave the house. Not that we didn’t let her have her fun; before the dance my sister brought over her styling brushes and accessories and gave her an elaborate updo. We also extended her curfew to 9:30 so that she would have some more time with her date.