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Haircare Buying Guide
If you need a hand styling your locks, we’ve got tons of haircare tools to help you get the look you’re after. From curling wands to straighteners, our buying guide will give you the lowdown on all things style related
Hairdryers
Top Tips
Some hairdryers have clever ionic conditioning tech that breaks down water molecules to reduce frizz, add shine, and dry hair quicker
Brands we love
Remington
For salon styles at home, Remington hairdryers have loads of choice to suit every hair type.
Straighteners
Short hair
For short hair, you’ll want smaller plates that are around 15-25mm, since that gives you more precision and control. They also help you get right to the roots, fringe, or nape without any hassle. We recommend straightening short hair on a lower temperature, since it can be more sensitive to heat. And as short hair often needs more styling than long locks, look out for lightweight models that are easy to manoeuvre.
Long hair
If you’re styling long hair, wider plates that are 35-50mm will make all the difference. They cover more area at once to speed up styling. It’s worth looking out for models with long swivel cords, over 2.5m, to give you more flexibility to style the back and underneath any layers. Plus, if you fancy using them to create curls and waves, straighteners with rounded or bevelled edges can make it easier.
Coily hair
For coily hair types, you’ll need a straightener that can handle high-density, tightly coiled strands without damaging your natural curl pattern or causing heat damage. For hair types 4B and 4C, you’ll need really high temperatures, like 210°C to 230°C and 35-50mm wide plates for a style that’ll last.
Hair by age
As we go through different stages in life, a lot changes – and the same goes for your hair. So, when you’re looking at styling tools, you’ll need to consider the texture and thickness of your hair to buy the right tool.
If you’re styling young hair or new growth, it can be more fragile than an average adult’s, so you’ll need electricals that’ll be gentle to look after your locks. And during the menopause, women’s hair can become thinner or more delicate, so we recommend air-based styling for these hair types as it can reduce heat damage. That means you can still get a great, lasting style using lower temperatures. This will also help lock in natural moisture and reduce breakage
Thin hair
If you want to curl thin hair, look for low-temperature settings at around 120°C to 150°C to avoid unnecessary damage. 0.75” to 1.25” barrels are ideal for thin hair since it’ll hold easily and give you defined curls. If you’re after soft waves, wands could be the best choice, while tongs offer tighter spirals.
Electric brushes and hot air stylers
Benefits of air styling
Gently does it
Air styling is better for your hair, causing less damage than applying direct heat to your locks. They evenly distribute the hot air for even styling and exposure to the heat. Most models have ceramic or tourmaline plates that reduce unwanted frizz, as well as being better for your hair.
Smooth styles with volume
Hot air stylers help lift the hair at the root, adding more volume. They’re also great at smoothing out frizz and maintaining your hair’s natural texture.
Fantastic flexibility
It’s easy to mix it up with hot air stylers. They can straighten, smooth, wave, or curl your hair thanks to the different attachments.
Less time, less effort
Since many hot air stylers work on wet hair, you can dry, style, and detangle all in one fell swoop. That’ll save you some time in a morning.
FAQs
- Is there a difference between cheap and expensive straighteners?
The difference between cheap and expensive hair straighteners is usually down to the features and technology each model has. The more expensive options will use premium materials, accurate heat control, and may come with unique features depending on which brands and models you’re looking at.
- Which straighteners do hairdressers use?
Different hairdressers will use different straighteners. Popular choices include ghd, Dyson, and Cloud Nine.
- Are ghd or Cloud Nine straighteners better?
Both Cloud Nine and ghd straighteners offer different benefits depending on what you’re looking for. Cloud Nine are known for user-friendly features and variable temperatures, while ghd straighteners have consistent heat control and distribution, offering straightforward styling.
- Is ceramic or titanium better for frizzy hair?
If you want to tame frizzy hair, the best option for you would be ceramic plate straighteners. Keep an eye open for extra features like ion conditioning, which can also help reduce unwanted frizz.
- What is the best hairdryer to buy?
There are loads of good hairdryers on the market, look for features that’ll tackle issues for your hair specifically. Dyson models are a good choice for anyone who’s concerned about heat damage, ionic dryers in general can tame frizz and ceramic dryers distribute heat evenly.
- Which hairdryer is least damaging?
Hairdryers with ceramic or tourmaline heating elements tend to be less damaging for hair. Ion conditioning can also help keep your hair looking healthy as it seals in moisture. Dyson models are known for limiting damage in their hairdryers and air stylers too, using clever tech instead of excessive heat.
- Do expensive hairdryers make a difference?
Expensive hairdryers can make a difference, but it really depends on what you’re after. They usually have clever tech to help dry your hair quicker or look after your hair health. But a budget option can still do the job, so if you just need it for occasional use or are looking for a cost-effective option, you’ll still be able to find a decent model.
- Which hairdryer do hairdressers use?
Hairdressers use the models of hairdryer that suits them best, so it depends. Some will go for a lightweight model or one that’s made for durability, since they use hairdryers more often than other people. Dyson and ghd models are often popular for these reasons.
- What’s the difference between curling wands and tongs?
Curling wands don’t have the clamp that holds your hair in place that tongs have. Tongs can usually create tighter curls because of this, while a wand just needs you to wrap a few strands and hold, making looser curls and waves for a beach look.
- Are curling wands better than tongs?
Both curling wands and tongs are great if you want to create curls in naturally straight or wavy hair. The main difference is how you use them and the type of curls you want to create. If you want loose, beach waves, a wand is ideal, while a curling tong is often better at making tight spirals. Both options can be tailored to how you want your hair to look, depending on how long you hold the wand or tong in place.
- How do you use a curling wand properly?
To use a curling wand properly, separate your hair, apply heat protectant to each tress and wrap them around the wand. Hold for a few second and release. As your hands get close to the heat, always wear a heat-proof glove while using a curling wand as it’s easy to burn your fingers without.
- What size curling wand is best for beach waves?
If you want to create beach waves, look for tongs with a 1-1.25” barrel as these create looser curls.
- Can you use hair tongs on wet hair?
Using curling tongs on wet hair can damage it unnecessarily. Your hair is more fragile while wet, so we’d recommend making sure your hair is completely dry before styling. If you’re after a wet to dry styler, look out for air stylers like the Dyson Airwrap™ and the Shark FlexStyle – as they use hot air to curl or straighten hair, you can safely dry as you style.
- What’s the best hot air styling brush?
The best hot air styling brush varies from person to person. It depends what hair type you have, and which features your hair needs to achieve the look you’re after. Remington, Babyliss, and Shark all make a range of different tools to help you get the right style.
- What’s the difference between a hot brush and an air styler?
A hot brush is just what it says on the tin, it’s a brush that’ll dry and style your hair. While an air styler tends to have different attachments, often including a brush head. So, you can curl, straighten, or tame flyaways as you dry with a hot air styler.
- Is a hot air styler better than straighteners?
A hot air styler is gentler on your hair than straighteners, so if you’re concerned about hair health, that might be a better choice for you. Straighteners apply direct heat to your hair, meaning they can cause more damage, but they can also achieve poker straight styles that a hot air styler might struggle with.
- Are hot air stylers worth it?
Hot air stylers are an investment since they give you loads of options to style your hair, so they are usually more expensive than other hair accessories. However, they can give you flexibility and a range of styles that another single device might not be able to do.
- What’s the difference between a hot air brush and a heated brush?
A hot air brush uses heated air combined with bristles to dry and style your hair, while a heated brush uses heated bristles to shape already dry hair.
- What is the least damaging hair styling tool?
The least damaging hair styling tools you can get use hot air or steam, instead of direct heat. This includes the Dyson Airwrap™, Dyson Airstrait™, Shark FlexStyle, and L’Oreal SteamPod. If you have a hair tool that lets you customise the temperature settings, lowering the heat can also save your hair from damage – and, of course, using heat protection on each section of hair is a must.
- What is the best hair appliance overall?
The best hair appliance depends on what you’re after. Good all-rounders include the Shark FlexStyle, the Dyson Airwrap™, and Dyson Supersonic hairdryer. Remington, Babyliss, ghd, Cloud Nine, Gtech and Tresemme also make popular hair accessories that do a great job at styling or drying your hair.
