Flat Iron

Your strands take on a lot of stress all year round, but during the holidays, it can go to extremes. Between the hair spray, the updos, and the hot tools, hair can start to look and feel a little lackluster. But there are ways to help your hair make it through the holiday season sans the brittle effects. "Protecting your hair is something that's easy to do," celebrity stylist Mark Townsend, who has done hair for Natalie Portman and Christina Aguilera, says. And there's one absolute tip you need to know to keep it healthy.

Think about how you use your hot tools. Do you crank them up to the highest temperature possible, grab a huge chunk of your hair, and then run your straightener or curling iron over it again and again? If you are, then you're just asking for some serious damage. "If you use your iron like this, you're only getting the top and bottom layers of hair, which is why you're having to run your tool over it so many times," Townsend says. "This is going to damage your hair."

Instead, Townsend suggests working in two-inch sections, and keeping the heat on a lower setting; 350 degrees is plenty. Not only is this gentler on your strands, but also, hair will actually style more quickly with this method. And always use a thermal spray when you're working with hot tools. One that adds shine, like Oribe Foundation Mist ($22), will keep things silky and smooth.

Are you constantly tripping over cords in the bathroom? Minimize the risk (and the amount of heat on your hair) by editing down your hot tool routine to one product. Get tips to achieve multiple styles on every hair type using just one tried-and-true tool when you keep reading.

Straight, shiny strands are back — but the trick to wearing the trend is to look more sleek than slick. "The use of products is so important, especially when you're flat-ironing your hair," explains celebrity stylist and beauty adviser for Slim Fast's Studio Wow! campaign, Joey Maalouf. "You definitely don't want to overproduct your hair before you flat-iron it." See more of his advice for achieving silky hair when you read on.

My flat iron at home lets me heat it up to all kinds of ultrahot temperatures, but according to trichologist Iain Sallis, you should never heat an iron up above 180 degrees Celsius (or 356 degrees Fahrenheit). Beyond that you can potentially damage your hair's cuticle. Cuticle damage roughens your hair, frizzes it out, and exposes the hair shaft's internal structure, leading to split ends and eventual breakage. But keeping your iron low isn't the only way to save your hair. Want to see more clever tips from Sallis and other professionals for keeping your hair in good condition when you're straightening? Then just keep reading.

Last year, we took a look at beauty-related portmanteaus — aka two words joined together to form a whole new word. For instance, breakfast + lunch = brunch and long + bob = lob. You get the point. But now, there's a new beauty portmanteau in town: glunge. Glunge, a combination of glamour and grunge, is the idea of contrasting textures within the hair, explains Redken education artistic director, Sam Villa.

To get the look, Villa suggests combining one to two thermal techniques for unexpected, multidimensional texture. Use a texturizing iron, like the Textur iron ($230) from Villa's eponymous line, to change the surface area of the hair and to build the foundation for additional texture. Use a flat iron, like his brand's Sleekr iron ($230) for sleekness, and also to add wave and curl. "Playing with the direction of how hair is coiled around a curling iron, as well as the wrapping technique and angle, can yield endless versions of texture," Villa adds.

From Vena Cava to Araks (both pictured above), we saw a lot of chic, grungy looks at Fall 2011 New York Fashion Week. Me thinks Villa is on to something here with this newly-coined word. Do you?

You might remember him for his passionate personality in Blow Out, and now celebrity hairstylist Jonathan Antin has a hot new gig in the works. He's just been announced as the first professional spokesman for Conair's line of blow dryers, straightening irons, and more.

"I finally connected with a great line of styling tools," Jonathan told WWD. "[Now], when I'm doing hair I'm not just using my hair care line and someone else's tools," he added. Jonathan also has a few other projects in the works, including a new salon, the debut of his new hair care line in September, and the development of two TV programs.

As for Conair, though, there's talk he could eventually launch his own line of products within the brand. I've always found Jonathan to be highly entertaining, and with his feisty manner and entrepreneurial spirit, his collaboration with Conair seems perfectly fitting. What say you about this deal?

Your flat iron may double as a curling iron, and it can also be used to make beachy waves. But that's not all this multifunctional hair tool can do.

When in a pinch, use your flat iron as a makeshift iron to smooth out wrinkles in your clothes. This can come in especially handy during travel or if you're living in a small space and don't have room for an iron or ironing board. Burners beware: Start off with a low temperature and adjust as needed in order to avoid scorching your favorite ivory blazer or colorblock frock.