Hair Styling Tools

1. Just curl it, just crimp it, just clip it. However you style your hair, we’ve got the personal grooming tool you need. First things first: figure out your style specifications.

2. Wanna go chic and sleek? A flat iron will give you controlled shine and a polished, sleek appearance. Use it to tame wild, curly hair, or to give straight hair an extra-controlled shine. Flat irons work by breaking the hydrogen bonds in your hair’s cortex to prevent your hair from holding its original form.

3. When choosing the flat iron that’s best for you, you’ll want to consider three things: the type of plates, the heat settings, and the size. Metal, glass, ceramic, titanium, and a tourmaline-ceramic blend are the most common types of flat iron plates. Metal and glass will go easy on your budget and are often painted.

4. If you’ve got a little wiggle room in your wallet, ceramic and titanium will heat your hair more evenly, which means less frizz and long-term damage to your mane. For top-of-the-line treatment, go straight for the tourmaline-ceramic blend plates in your next flat iron. These plates are the highest quality and will leave your hair silkier and shinier than any other plate.

5. Size matters. Forget the old adage, when it comes to your hair-styling tools make sure you select the barrel and plate size that’s right for you. Follow these simple, high-tech formulae: shorter hair = smaller plates; longer, thicker hair = larger plates.

6. For a funky, fun look that will add a little zest to your night out, try a hair crimper to style your hair in sawtooth chic (imagine the way your hair looked when you took out those Little House On the Prairie braids as a kid, plus a little extra panache).

7. Studies suggest that 370° is the ideal heat for using a flat iron, curling iron, or hair crimper. However, if you’ve got super thick or curly hair, you’ll want to make sure you find a hair-styling tool that can turn the heat up. If your hair is thin and fine, you’ll want a slightly lower setting.

8. When choosing your next set of hair clippers and trimmers, you can select manual or electric, depending on the sort of styling you want to do. Hair clipper blades are usually made of stainless steel or ceramic. Hair shears look like standard scissors, but are specifically designed for thinning and styling your hair.

9. Put a little bounce in your beauty with hot rollers or hair setters. Designed to create curls that last, hot rollers work by breaking your hair’s hydrogen bonds to make your hair curl and bend. New induction technology in hair setters makes for even more luscious and lasting curls.

10. Don’t forget the accessories! Hair dryers, brushes, and combs shouldn’t be an aesthetic afterthought. Make sure you select the hair dryer with a size and heat settings right for your hair-type. From round, vent, paddle, and cushion, hair brushes come in a variety of types designed to match your latest do.