/ Power Tools

by Sarah Kirmani

Power Tools

Oct 17, 2013

This season is the time for smooth locks and sleek styles. We’re showing you how to get major volume with a blow-dryer, master your flat iron, update wavy styles and get bouncy curls with the latest heat styling tools.

Pump up the Volume

The secret to a blow-out with lots of body and flowing arcs is taking your time and not rushing the process. It also helps to use a dryer with multiple heat and cool setting options for styling versatility. A dryer like the T3 Featherweight 2 Dryer, $220 CDN, with tourmaline and ceramic technology, works to dry hair faster by generating ions to break water molecules and evenly circulate heat.

Towel-dry freshly washed hair before applying a styling product like Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Perfector Straightening Balm, $5.49 CDN. Instead of flipping your hair upside down, section the damp hair into three or four horizontal sections. Then start blow-drying from the bottom section, piling and securing the rest of the hair up in a bun. Hold the brush in your dominant hand — the strength will help with the continuous wrist-flicking motion you need to dry all the layers evenly.

The art of styling with a blow-dryer comes to life once your hair is completely dry, feeling soft and light. Avoid pulling your brush downward — especially at the crown. Otherwise the style will fall flat. Pull the brush with small sections of hair upwards and hold the heat at the roots for several seconds for added lift and boost. A vented, boar-bristle brush like The Body Shop Ceramic Styling Hairbrush, $12 CDN, allows the heat to disperse quickly and evenly while smoothing and adding volume, shine and finesse.

Straight and Narrow

The look of straight, silky locks is all the rage — but getting your tresses to obey takes a bit of work. Hair straighteners and flat irons have come a long way, and the new generation of straighteners, like the GHD Candy Collection 1” Professional Styler in Classic Mint, $240 CDN, has ceramic plates for even heat distribution.

Before your hair touches any hot styling tools (especially straighteners because of their direct contact with hair), it’s important to amp up your use of a thermal heat protector like Moroccanoil Heat Styling Protection, $28 CDN, to save your mane from damage and colour fading.

Making sure it’s completely dry, divide your hair into small sections and mist one pump of heat protector on each section. Then brush with a natural-bristle brush like Mason Pearson Pocket Bristle & Nylon Hairbrush, $97 CDN, for good measure, making sure the protector coats the hair length and detangles any knots. If you have thick, curly locks, you need to blow-dry them straight before using a straightener. That way, you get long-lasting results and pin-straight hair. Avoid the dreaded indent line by dividing hair into thin, one to two inch sections and while holding the hair taunt, clamping the iron as close to your roots as possible. Follow through in a single, smooth motion.

Making Waves

Update your fall look with sexy, wind-tousled waves. The wavy trend favours a rough texture — it’s casual, messy and carefree without looking like you’ve spent a lot of time styling and fussing. The key is to deconstruct the curls once you unwrap them from the curling iron. Rowenta Curl Active, $180 CDN, is a high-tech curling rod that even wraps strands automatically thanks to a motorized barrel.

For this look, don’t forget to boost your volume at the roots. Try using a volumizing spray like Redken Volume Rootful 06 Root Lifting Spray, $22 CDN, so that the hair at the crown doesn’t end up falling flat.

A curling iron isn’t the only way to get incredible body and movement. FHI Runway IQ Session Styling Rapid Hair System, $400 CDN, is billed to deliver massive bounce. The system comes with an orb-shaped base and rollers. Designed to heat the rollers individually, each roller drops in the base and heats up in eight seconds to 284 degrees Celcius. A light tells you when the rollers are ready. Although it’s a splurge, this cool and innovative curling system claims to delivers salon-worthy results.

Polished Curls

Another hot tool for hair styling is the MiraCurl Nano Titanium by Babyliss Pro, $250 CDN. It’s an instant curling machine that gently pulls straight strands in from one end and leaves shiny curls on the other. New technology allows total control over styling time, temperature settings and curl direction. The nano titanium chamber heats your hair while a brushless motor makes silky curls.

With a machine like this, your hair needs to be totally tangle-free. Brush your hair through with a paddle brush like the Philip Kingsley Paddle Brush, $38 CDN, before starting the curling process.

BY SARAH KIRMANI

Sarah Kirmani

Author

Bookworm turned makeup artist, turned writer, Sarah has studied Magazine and Web Publishing at Ryerson University and worked in an editorial capacity at Rogers Publishing Ltd. for six years, before taking a leap into the world of freelance writing. Sarah is also a beauty connoisseur with an extens...