Chinese
When I was in high school, I fell in love. Not in love with a person, but a hair styling tool...
If a round brush and a hair dryer have a baby, you get a hot air brush. I've never been able to create a beautiful look with either a comb or a dryer alone. But this little tool - a hot air comb - does the trick. With a little practice, you can get a professional look at home.
For the past 20 years, it has been a lifesaver to my weddings, first dates, job interviews and everyday life. I use this. It retails for $18. But they also do some fancy versions if you like.
Here's how to use it:
Dry your hair with a towel first. For best results, I like my hair to be a little wet, but not dripping.
Gather up the top half of your hair and secure it on top of your head. (I use one of the clips because it's easy to hold with one hand and makes me feel more comfortable. But you can also use a soft bobby pin or any other plastic bobby pin. Just avoid elasticity, which can cause breakage.)
Start blow-drying the bottom of your hair, again and again. I collected a two-inch thick section of hair - you want to make sure the whole section is exposed to heat, but also make sure you have a big enough bandana so you can dry your entire head without dripping in a reasonable amount of time first. Start at the roots of your hair and move the brush down as if you were brushing your hair very slowly. When you brush your hair with one hand, you want to use the other hand to pull it a little taut (gently) - this is key to creating smoothness.
Once the bottom half of your hair is dry, loosen the top part and dry it in the same way, one layer at a time. I'll brush these sections straight out to create bigger waves. If you want a straight look, simply continue brushing your hair straight down.
At the bottom of each section, rotate the comb up a full circle to smooth out the hair. You don't have to go around it (at the risk of jinxing) - just around it.
When I'm almost done, I concentrate on the very top of my hair, on the top of my head. Holding your hair upright as you comb it will also help add volume.
That's it! The whole process took me 10 to 15 minutes. People always ask me if I've been blown up, and I'm happy to report that I don't have any special skills. All because of this amazing tool.
