First Chair - Spring 2008 Success Guide - (Page 25)

The word in thermal tools? Hot, hot, hot! Reliable tools that heat up quickly and stay hot should be your number one priority, says Tim Purcell, senior brand manager of Hot Tools. “You can’t just buy a $12 or $15 curling iron from a retail store,” he says. “Frequently their heating systems are inferior, so they just can’t regenerate heat quickly.” That’s important to consider when your clients are waiting for you to begin ﬂat ironing or spiral curling their hair. And the less heat-up time your tools require, the faster you can ﬁnish an appointment and get the next client in your chair. Purcell recommends thermal tools with ceramic and tourmaline, which will help close the hair cuticle when styling and increase shine and hydration. When shopping for a curling iron, look for a barrel that is ceramic with a one-inch diameter. “That’s our best seller by far, and a good basic for any stylist to have,” advises Purcell. You should can get a quality curling iron like this for between $40-$50. For a ﬂatiron, a good multipurpose size is also a one-inch diameter, although if you think you’ll be creating lots of short, spiky ‘dos for clients, you may want to add a slightly smaller, half-inch ﬂatiron to your beauty arsenal. Not all ﬂat irons will break the bank. Purcell says the SuperTools one-inch ﬂatiron, used by top salons and TV stylists, runs about $100. thermal tools hair dryers “Ionic” is a word you’ll want to know. As Purcell puts it, “Ionic technology has been the single biggest innovation in styling tools in 25 years.” What does it mean? Simply put, an ionic hair dryer will dry your client’s hair faster and make it look better. It does this, explains Purcell, when negative ions emitted by the hair dryer break down water droplets on the hair, letting them be more easily absorbed into the strands. Because hair retains this moisture, instead of being fried by a traditional dryer, you’ll see a difference with a fuller, softer and more conditioned head of hair. Not only can you do a faster, better-looking blowout, but ionic dryers tend to be quieter since they don’t need to rely on a noisy, high-powered motor. You’ll be able to hear your client when she compliments you on your work! Purcell says Hot Tools 1043 is a standout, with a lightweight feel, rubberized grip and tourmaline technology. It’s the same one used by Gossip Girl hair stylist Jennifer Johnson, and costs $80. brushes You’ve probably already accumulated quite a collection throughout beauty school, and they’ll come in handy. According to Schwartz you’ll need almost as many brushes as there are styling techniques. Count on keeping at least half a dozen in rotation, including these must-haves: > A vent brush for drying or ﬁnishing > A padded paddle or oval brush for brushing out midlength bobs and longer styles and pushing out “weight” from hair > A padded sculpting or hard rubber pad brush for ﬁnishing with ﬁxatives like lotions, glazes or gels > A small round brush to ﬂip hair out or up > And 3-4 round brushes in diameters ranging from 1.5 To 3.25 inches to straighten, curl and style any length hair when blow drying Brushes will run from about $3 to $12 each, depending on size, and expect to spend up to $50 on a full collection, says Schwartz. To make sure you get your money’s worth, look for these markers of quality: thermal brushes with seamless barrels and bristles that are straight, even and long enough to “grab” hair; ball tips that won’t come off when tugged; comfortable handles; and buzzwords like “static-free, friction-free, ceramic, ionic and tourmaline.” Some stylists will also go for a natural boar bristle or mixed material for their thermal or oval brushes, which is more expensive, but it’s something you may want to consider for down the road. Learn more @ ﬁrstchair.com MODERN SALON’S FIRSTCHAIR SPRING 2008 25 http://firstchair.com

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First Chair - Spring 2008 Success Guide Contents First Word First View First Skills: Styles First Skills: Business First Skills: Design School of the Year 2008 Tools for Success First Tools First Products First Happenings

First Chair - Spring 2008 Success Guide

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