Every time I talk “hair” to a group, I am asked what essential tools everyone should have at home and how to use them. Here are some of my favorites – toolbelt optional!
(L. to R.) Wet brush, front and back, diffuser, wide-toothed comb, basic t-shirt
Detangling
I use one of three tools to detangle my own hair and the hair of my children. TIP: Hair is most FRAGILE and elastic when wet, so regardless of what you detangle with, do NOT force any tool through wet hair – if you push too hard, you will break your hair.
– On-the-Go Detangling – One tool not pictured? My hands. These “wide-toothed combs” are always with me and I can tell best when I run into a tangle (and I also don’t have to waste time searching for them in my purse!).
– Smaller Tangles – The second is a Wide-Toothed Comb, which works nicely to identify the resistance of smaller tangles and work through them.
– Gentle Detangling – The third is one of my favorites! A Wet Brush with holes in the back of the brush to allow any water to drain out (more sanitary!). The design of the bristles is genius, too – they are short and gentle, so there is more “give” when it goes through a tangle for less breakage. The wet brush is the gentlest tool, especially for kids or tender-headed adults. This brush is truly only designed to be used on wet hair or hair with conditioner on it, which also makes detangling easier – the more slip the better. For hair that is particularly tangled and knotted, apply a generous amount of conditioner to wet hair and let it sit a couple of minutes to help soak in and make it easier to detangle.
Drying
Basic Cotton T-shirt – I use a t-shirt to blot dry my hair instead of a towel because the nubs on the towel can rough up the cuticle and cause more frizz. Also, it does not absorb too much of the moisture out of my hair. My hair performs best when it has more moisture in it. A GENERAL Rule of Thumb: the tighter the coil/texture, the wetter your hair should be when applying a styler and usually you use a little more product than someone with less texture. NOTE: if you are using our products you do NOT have to be too heavy handed, our products are more concentrated Salon Performance, Natural Confidence! Additionally since they are water soluble you can get great 2nd and third day hair easily with a spray bottle of water!
Plopping
Same Basic Cotton T-shirt (a two-for-one tool!) – Lay the t-shirt on your bed, flop your damp head/hair down onto the t-shirt, and then wrap the t-shirt around your head and tie it back with the sleeves, turban-style. Both short-sleeve and long-sleeve t-shirts work for plopping. (A more detailed blog on plopping coming soon!)
Setting
Diffuser – I prefer a bowl-shaped universal diffuser to dry/set my hair when I choose not to air-dry. The bowl shape seems to work best for me because it reduces friction because the hair is cupped into the bowl, along with the taller “fingers” that help keep the hair from moving too much. When I diffuse, my hair will have a little more volume than when I just let it air dry. For people with a wavy or less-curly texture, you can create a little more texture by diffusing after applying a little gel or custard and using the diffuser to “set” the texture. When you let your hair air-dry, it may can appear more stretched out and less texture due to the weight of the water and product in your hair.
If there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please let us know!
Have a beautiful day!
