It's beginning to look a lot like CHI-stmas!
As a pro, I need great tools and when I was the lead hairstylist for Canadian Idol and L'Óreal Fashion Week I was sponsored by CHI for all my tools. I fell in love.
This is the CHI kit I recently purchased. I needed 220 voltage tools for Singapore so I danced through hoops to get the CHI US office to help me out.
The Marcel arm tong (1" barrel provides a natural looking curl, for larger waves use a 2" barrel), a dying breed of tong. Hard to find, even in pro tools. I prefer this type as you control the tension with some fancy finger work.
Curls formed with ceramic tools last longer than curls formed with other metal tools.
Turbo Digital Ceramic Spring Curling Iron (Tong)
A Spring curling tong, (1/2" barrel provides a tighter curl), which has typically been a mass market type and now, the pros have decided to go with the same spring arm. Both are fine - I just prefer having more control over my tension; less pull and tug on the hair, but if you are careful you can work the spring arm to release a little less pressure too.
Because of the bevel-styled plates, this flat iron allows you to straighten, flip and curl the hair. A 3-in-1! It's all in how you hold the iron along with the use of a comb.
- To straighten: with 1/2 inch horizontal sections starting at the nape of the neck. While combing the hair immediately follow with your iron. This ensures a smooth shiny and straight hair-shaft. *note, metal irons will tug and break the hair
- To flip: as per straightening but as you approach the ends lift out and twist hand up.
- To create beachy, relaxed curls: place the hair at mid-shaft onto the flat iron and wrap around the barrel 2x, clamp tight and slide down while rotating your wrist which helps the hair stay in a curled formation.
When curling hair, brush or finger through hair only AFTER it has cooled. If the hair is warm while you are brushing it, the shape you just worked hard to put in will drop quickly.
The Wet/Dry Flat Iron
I love this one for when models are late for call time, add showing up with wet hair and then with the photographer saying that they want them on set in 30 minutes. This tool takes away from the impossible and replaces it with the possible!
Flat iron as above but this one will not give you curls. A nice bonus with the wet/dry - use a leave-in treatment, the process with using a flat iron on wet hair with the treatment is it then penetrates deeper into the hair's cortex layer and at the same time the cuticle is smoothed down sealing the treatment inside. This treatment method could easily be a DIY at home.
Brushing with greatness= a mix of synthetic and natural bristles.
The best combo as it reduces static, gives a stronger shape and increases the hairstyle's longevity. These CHI brushes were the first born CHI brush. I got these from my Canadian Idol days when I led the hair team for the show. See that do-hickey in the foreground? The awesome-ist hair brush invention. Give up? It fits in the that little hole - used for sectioning the hair. Brilliant. (You can also use it to pick out the bristles to clean your brush after use) The next generation of CHI brushes doesn't seem to have the do-hickey, too bad.
The CHI Nano Ceramic Dryer
Whenever blow-drying your hair with a round brush, make sure the hair is not dripping wet. Hair shrinks as it dries, if you have it snug into a round brush to dry, your hair will tighten, get stuck and snag.
Proper use of a blow-dryer:
- Best to flip your hair upside-down and blast with a warm airflow until slightly damp, THEN put in your product of choice and continue on with your brush of choice to style. Too much water in the hair dilutes the hair product so always best to put in product closer to the end of the blow-dry.
- Use your 'cool' button to let the hair 'cool' in the shape before releasing from a round brush
- After any styling tool, soften up the look by giving a little 'blast' of cool air through your hair
Why buy ceramic? Ceramic works with a moist heat which is why you see shine in the hair after you have styled it. Dry heat dehydrates your hair with use and leaves hair looking dull and staticky.
Honourable mentions
The Conair Hot Air Brush: Another LOVE tool! This tool has a changeable head that is my beloved mix of synthetic and natural bristles.The same rules apply as if you were using a round brush but if you are a spaz or just want a free hand to multi-task, this is your tool. You can round brush and do a smokey eye at the same time! (fyi: this is a round brush blow-dryer all in one, in case you didn't know)
The Sebastian Vent (or Skeleton) Brush: I am not sure where this brush came from - I've had it forever. I did give this to my mother but then took it back because I love it so much. Why this over other vent brushes? Others have a stiff body and 'knobs' on the bristles that snag hair; this one is slightly flexible and less 'grip' at the bristle tips leaving hair with zero breakage. The vent brush is great to dry hair with a natural texture leaving some movement. As opposed to a Denman brush that is similar shape but no 'vents' for airflow therefore less movement.
*All CHI tools I paid for at hairstylist's prices.
got my eye on a few of these, must-haves! thanks for sharing.