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Do you need some help with selecting the right hair styling tool for just the right style? The hair tools team is at your service and so glad to be able to share with you just the information you have been looking for. Whether you need to know which hair dryer is right for your hair, what curling iron will make curls that last all day, or which flat iron does the best job for straightening your particular type of hair, you will find it all right here. Here at Hair Tools Plus we welcome new and innovative ideas that you may want to share with others regarding your experiences with using your own hair styling tools. Simply fill out a contact form here on the website and we'll be happy to review the information for publication. After all, it is our mission to make sure everyone has a happy, healthy hair day every day!
Article #1: Traveling Abroad With Your Hair Styling Tools
Whether you are traveling abroad for pleasure or business, it becomes a necessity to pack a hair dryer, curling iron, hair straightener, hot rollers, or even a shaving appliance. The problem is that the electrical power (voltage and plugs) are not the same as what is used in the United States and Canada. This can be a real problem if your hair styling tool is not equipped to handle these changes. There are options available to handle this dilemma and it is important to note that if you don't take the necessary precautions, the end result can be disasterous.
Because there is considerable travel taking place all over the world, hair styling tool manufacturers have stepped up to the plate to provide consumers with a variety of ways to overcome any obstacles you may incur in the use of your appliance. There is some terminology that can be extremely helpful when it comes time to plan for your travel as it pertains to your hair styling tools. If you know what affects the positive use of your tool, then traveling with them becomes a no brainer.
Dual Voltage/Worldwide Use
Appliances that are labeled as dual voltage or worldwide use means that this item can be used in countries outside of the United States and Canada. What this means is that either by a flip of a switch on the appliance itself, or that the appliance has been engineered to automatically increase the voltage, the appliance will accept the voltage of that particular country without any fear of it shorting out.
Adapters
The types of electrical outlets vary around the world. So, for example, when you go to plug in your hair dryer you will see that the plug that is attached to the cord will not just plug into the outlet. The shape will be different. You can easily overcome this by the use of an adapter. An adapter is a plug that is two-sided. On one side there are holes that you will plug in the plug from your appliance. On the other side of the adapter is the correct type plug for use in the outlet.
Converters
A converter does exactly what it says, it converts the voltage of the appliance to the standard voltage use of the particular country that you are in. There are many factors, however, that you must take into consideration when purchasing a converter. The first and probably most important thing that you should do is to check your appliance's wattage requirement and your destination's voltage standard to ensure compatibility. Voltage can range anywhere from110 volts to 240 volts. So, for example, if you have a 1600 watt hair dryer, you want to be certain that the converter will handle 1600 watts.
There are a variety of converters available in the marketplace. It is especially important that you read on the packaging what type appliances and/or wattage options the particular converter has to offer. Some converters are designed to only handle low wattage appliances and others are designed to handle the higher wattage appliances. Voltage compatibility is very important. The last thing you want to do is to purchase a converter that was designed to only convert up to 1600 watts of power and your hair dryer is a 2000 watt variety.
When Do I Use A Converter and When Don't I?
This question is not always the easiest to answer. If your appliance is not dual voltage, and you want to use it in a country outside of the United States and Canada, this is when the use of a converter is needed. While this should do the trick (if you have the appropriate wattage type converter) there are instances when a short can still occur. There can be a variety of reasons this happens, but most of the time it has to do with it being the wrong type converter.
What Happens If I Short Out The Appliance?
If the appliance that you are using is not a dual voltage, consider the loss of the appliance as a total loss. There are not guarantees or warranties that the manufacturers of these small appliances will honor in these situations. And, be sure important to read the warranty information that comes with the appliance that is labeled as dual voltage. There are a variety of rules and regulations that each manufacturer has with regard to what is covered and what isn't. Be informed before you make that final purchase.
Article #2: How To Get Lift and Volume Using Hair Styling Tools
For those of us who were born with thin and fine hair, it is always a challenge to make it look like we have more hair than we actually do. If you were blessed with thicker hair, getting lift and volume can also have its woes simply because the sheer weight of the hair will pull it down. Haircare products are typically what most of us turn to first, however, there are actually ways to get more body and volume to your hairstyle simply by the way you blow-dry your hair and style it.
The essential hair styling tools needed to accomplish the goal are the right size styling brush and of course the hair dryer. To determine the size brush needed will depend on the length of your hair. While most would assume that you need a smaller barrel brush if your hair is shorter, this is not necessarily always the case. A rule of thumb to use is to go with the largest barrel you can when your hair is longer and when it is on the shorter side, you can usually achieve volume using a medium-sized barrel brush.
For purposes of getting lift and volume on a general scale, the focus is going to be on the roots of your hair. For this process, a 2 to 2 1/2" barrel will work best. The best styling brush for blow-drying hair is always going to be one that has been manufactured using ceramic. The reason for this is that you want to be sure that you are receiving even heat distribution as the air passes from your dryer through the vents of your brush to your hair, thus eliminating any hot or cold spots on the brush surface. If you can find a tourmaline enhanced nylon or boar bristle brush all the better. The tourmaline feature of brush bristles will give your hair added shine and smoothness.
Now for the process. Wash and condition your hair. Towel dry lightly so as to avoid any additional frizz to have to control. Detangle your hair and then spritz on a root lifter haircare product to help give your hair some extra hold and texture during the blowout process. Take a section of your hair and wrap it around the styling brush. Dry the roots of your hair in the opposite direction from the way they naturally fall. So, if your hair naturally seems to fall forward, blow-dry that section of hair back. Repeat this process until all of your roots are dry. Next take the dryer and with a concentrator attachment added to the end of your dryer, direct the dryer down the hair shaft. Make sure that you are holding the dryer at least 4" to 6" away from your hair so as to not apply too much heat at close range. Once the hair is completely dry, the final touches hinge on the length of your hair. If your hair is on the shorter side, run your fingers or a hair pik through the sections of hair to bring them together. If your hair is at a length that it will toss when you bend your hair over, run your fingers lightly through the strands. Bring your head back upright and again using your fingers or a hair pik, bring the sections of your hair back together. In either case, spritz on a super hold hairspray to calm any flyaways and lock the style in place.
Article #3: What Type Hair Dryer Is Right For You? There are so many hair dryers in the marketplace and just which one is the right one for you? There are so many different types, styles, different features, and probably even more important, different prices. So just exactly how do you go about selecting the right one?
When shopping for a new hair dryer, there are many factors to consider:
1) What type hair do you have? Is it long, short, fine or thin, thick, curly, damaged, etc.?
2) Are there any weight or ergonomic issues that need to be taken into consideration?
3) Is the dryer going to be for at home use or travel or both?
4) What is your budget?
Once you have answers to these questions, it makes it much easier to weed through the vast assortment of hair dryers that you can choose from. However, whether your hair is damaged or not, always be certain that the dryer you select has ceramic and ionic technology. Why? These technologies are important in the drying process. In a nutshell, ionic technology helps evaporate the water quickly from your hair. Ceramic technology results in even heat distribution across the hair and eliminates damaging hot spots while using the dryer. The negative ions that are created break down the water drops into tiny particles that are absorbed into the hair shaft, and the drying time is reduced considerably. The end result is less damage to your hair and more hydration for shiny, healthy hair.
In choosing a hair dryer that is right for the type hair that you have it boils down to the wattage of the dryer. There are hairdryers that typically range anywhere from 250 watts to 2000 watts of power. Among these you will find hot air brushes that actually dry and style your hair, styler dryers that include comb and brush attachments, wall mounted dryers, hard and soft hat hair dryers, and your customary pistol grip type dryers. In conjunction with wattage, consideration needs to be made for the heat/speed settings that are included with the dryer.
One of the many complaints that people have when using a hairdryer is the weight of the dryer. This is understandable because let's face it, people who have a lot of hair end up having to hold their dryer for longer periods of time. And, if you are styling your hair with a styling brush while drying your hair, it may take even longer. Just think about the hair stylist who is blowing out hair all day long! People who already have carpal tunnel type issues or tendencies also need to be mindful of what is not going to aggravate this further. Fortunately, the manufacturers of hairdryers have listened to the professionals and you can now find more of a variety of lightweight dryers, ergonomic handles, and even well balanced dryers. These dryers generally have the motor of the dryer centered to where the weight of the dryer is well distributed and there is less stress in whatever position you are holding it.
Since many of us are constantly on the go, whether it be traveling for our job, traveling for pleasure, or even working out at the gym, the desire is to have a dryer that is specifically designed for travel, or one that will serve a dual purpose. This category opens up an entire new spectrum of things to be taken into consideration. Does your travel take you into other countries? If so, you will need a dual voltage dryer and the appropriate adapter plug designed for use in the particular country you are visiting. Here again, weight can be an issue with the new weight restrictions put on baggage as well as how much space will the dryer take up? There are many foldable travel dryers now available that are lightweight and compact so this shouldn't be an issue. These are also very popular for those who just want to keep a dryer in their gym bag for when they work out.
Lastly, what is your budget? The good news is that there are so many excellent dryers in all price ranges that this should not be an issue. Obviously, if you want the best of the best, expect to pay more and in most situations you will be glad you did.
Now that we've covered what to consider, exactly what type hair dryer should you be looking for?
Short, Fine, Thin, Damaged or Fragile Hair
Depending on how short or how thin or fine your hair is, a hot air brush just might do the trick. These range anywhere from 250 watts to 1000 watts. They are sold by the barrel size ranging from 3/4" to 1 1/2" and come with either flexible ball-tipped bristles or nylon bristles.
With a traditional type dryer the maximum wattage needed is 1600 watts or less. At a minimum you will want a dryer that has at least two speeds (low and high) and at least two heat settings (cool or cold and warm/hot). A cool shot button typically comes on most professional dryers and this is a great benefit to lock in the style when you are finished drying a particular section of your hair.
Medium, Straight, or Textured Hair
If you have medium length hair that is not fine, thin, or damaged, you can basically use any wattage hair dryer but 1600 to 1875 watts will work best. If you find a dryer that meets your criteria but happens to be on the higher wattage scale, be sure that it has multiple heat/speed options so that it can be easily adjusted to your particular hair type and hair style that you desire.
Thick or Wavy Hair
If you have the type of hair that takes a long time to dry, you should be looking for a minimum of 1875 watts or higher. Again, the more heat/speed settings on the dryer will provide you with the flexibility Or, if your hair takes a long time to dry, a minimum of 1875 watts should be used.
One last consideration to be made when purchasing a hair dryer is the attachments that you will need for the dryer. Most professional models come with a concentrator, which is key for spot drying or focusing on a particular area of your hair.Two additional considerations to keep in mind when shopping for a hair dryer is how many heat settings and how many speeds the dryer has. At a minimum you want a dryer that has at least two heat settings. If your hair is fine, thin, damaged, or fragile curly, you will benefit from cool or cold settings as these will prevent further heat damage and if you have fine hair, the cool air will plump up any limp strands. If you has thick strands you should use the full heat settings. The hot air blowing out of a dryer helps to create a style and the cold air locks the style in. That is why so many hairdryers come with cold or cool shot buttons so that you have the option to easily press that button once you are ready to lock in a particular section of hair that you are styling with your hair brush while drying. When it comes to the number of speeds you want in a dryer, you want at least two speeds. The two speeds will consist of high and low. If your hair is fine, thin, damaged or fragile, your hair will benefit from the slower speeds. If your hair is thick or takes longer to dry, the speed needs to be medium to high.
