Like every girl, you want gorgeous hair every day. Here’s a quick guide to the tools you need to create flawless tresses each morning:
1. The Curling Iron:
The curling iron creates textured looks in all hair types without the damage of more permanent curling treatments (remember that fried perm you got when you were 13? *shudder*). The most modern way to use your curling iron is to skip the ‘clamp’ altogether. Instead, keep the curling iron barrel closed and just wrap 2 inch sections of hair around the the closed barrel. That way, you’ll avoid that telltale ‘kink’ and instead you’ll get more natural, bouncy waves.
TIP: Twist each section of your hair around the barrel and hold it for 20 to 30 seconds before you release the curl. Spritz with hairspray – those curls won’t budge.
2. The Blowdryer:
The go-to tool for all hairtypes. Girls with limp and fine hair should use it to create the illusion of thickness and volume; girls with thick tresses or stubborn curls use it to smooth strands and reduce frizz.
But who says smooth hair needs to be flat? Get a voluminous blowout with the help of a large round brush at the roots. Before you start, work in a few squirts of volumizing cream into wet hair with your fingertips from the roots to tips. Keep your dryer’s concentration nozzle pointing down to direct the heat flow. This will help the smooth outer layer of the hair (ie, cuticle) so it will be shinier and less likely to frizz out. Blast completed sections with a shot of cool air to keep the style in place.
TIP: Add extra oomph by backcombing sections of your hair from the crown with a small tooth comb. Shorter haired ‘dos may benefit from backcombing with a brush.
3. The Ceramic Flat Iron:
Get silky smooth hair with a ceramic flat iron even if your hair “ or shall we say fro – looks like it stepped out of a 70’s video. The gentle heat and the ceramic plates emit negatively charged ions that neutralize your hair’s positive charge – that’s fancy beauty speak for how flat irons make your hair type; whether its curly, wavy, or a hot mess; resemble natural sleek tresses. Plus, the smooth ceramic cuts out the chance of static created by regular heat styling.
TIP: Add extra dimension and flair to your straight style, by flipping out the ends of your hair with the iron.
4. The Bowl Diffuser:
Different from most diffusers that come with your dryer, the bowl shaped diffuser has increased depth and extra prongs for quicker styling. The larger surface creates sexy volume all over by keeping curls clumped together, rather than separating your curls in different directions ¾ a curly-haired maven’s best friend. Avoid putting your fingers in hair when applying heat in order to reduce frizz. Instead direct heat flow by using the prongs of the diffuser to lift hair.
TIP: Work in a scrunching gel with your fingers evenly through your hair and diffuse in a circular motion until your hair is 95% dry, air dry the rest.
