Feeling the itch to change to a new cut or colour?
Instead of leaping into a big chop, try changing up your go-to hair look by using a hot tool to style it straighter, curlier or with a smooth, bouncy finish.
Christmas is a great time to update, as a styling tool makes a great gift, or you can simply forward this article to Santa subtly mentioning the one you have your eye on. There are also limited editions, promotions and gift sets that make purchasing at this time of year even more appealing and great value.
If you’re buying for yourself, instead of being sucked into the hype around the latest releases, it’s worth considering your main goal and if the tool will fulfill the need that you have. For example, if you want your curls to be defined, don’t settle for a dryer without a diffuser attachment.
Or if your hair is lightened or damaged, you’ll want one that prioritises hair health by not using very high temperatures.
Also remember the final result is conditional on two things: the health of your strands to start with, and any styling products you use in your hair before and after styling.
A smoother result will be easier if your hair is in good condition and well nourished rather than dry or damaged. Using a conditioner for your hair type is key to keep moisture in your locks. If it’s very dry, applying in a hair mask like Kevin.Murphy Hydrate-Me.Masque once or twice a week can help.
Applying a heat-protecting product is absolutely essential before using heated hair-styling tools to prevent breakage. Which one you use will depend on your hair type: curly or very thick hair types often benefit from a defining blow-dry cream like Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection & Heat Protectant Crème.
Short or fine hair can use a light spray or mist like Redken One United All-In-One Multi-Benefit Treatment.
Five must-have hair tools to shop:
Shark FlexStyle Copper
Previously known for vacuum cleaners, Shark is now making a name for itself with transformable hair tools that create different styles. This compact but powerful dryer comes with various attachments to create different looks, help banish frizz and achieve a smooth or bouncy finish on both curly or straight hair. You click the different attachments into the end to create a blow dry brush (above right), curler and curl diffuser.
The limited edition copper colourway for Christmas 2024 makes a stunning addition to the beauty routine.
ghd Duet Duet Style
Dry and style your hair with just one tool, with a wide-plate straighter that also delivers air to dry wet locks. It has a wider, flatter, paddle-shaped head that contains familiar glossy, flat metal plates as well as an airflow grille in between the plates to dry hair. It also has angled air vents in each side of the paddle head, said to help dry your roots.
The styler, usually in black, comes in pearlescent icy blue tones with a hard carry case as a limited edition for the holiday season.
Remington ONE Straight & Curl Styler
If you like your tools to also multitask, Remington’s ONE Straight & Curl Styler is essentially a straightener that has a rounded outside so it works as a tong too. Remington also has a
new hair dryer that comes with four styling attachments for sleek styles or to amp up your curls.
Cloud Nine Airshot Pro
Cloud Nine’s new dryer is powerful so it’s great for drying thick or long hair faster. It has variable temperature, and regulates heat at 100 times a second to protect strand health and shine. It’s also lighter than many other hair dryers.
It’s part of the high-end brand’s limited-edition Starlight Collection for Christmas that sees each tool created in a soft grey colour.
Dyson Airstrait straightener
The clever people at Dyson have been using their airflow know-how and have invented a straightener that uses focused airflow rather than the hot plates found in traditional straighteners to style hair from wet to dry. The innovation promises to achieve this trick on a range of hair types without causing the damage traditionally created by excess heat.
It leaves hair sleek and smooth in minutes and comes in a limited edition Strawberry Bronze and Rose Gold colourway for Christmas.
