Re-creating the sleek, smooth blowouts your stylists gives you can be daunting. But with a few hair-drying techniques on hand, you'll find that your style will last longer, and your need for straighteners and curling irons will be greatly reduced. Learn how to blow-dry as smoothly as possible (pun intended) when you keep reading.
Know a few people on your list who seem to have everything? For those difficult-to-shop-for friends and family, gifting lovely vintage-inspired or one-of-a-kind vintage pieces is an excellent option. Dita Von Teese recently shared that she loves storing her makeup in vintage compacts and lipstick holders, and that's the impetus behind this post. So check out 10 lovely vintage-inspired (and straight-up vintage) finds now.
Conair's BaByliss Pro has totally pimped its ride — so much so that the engines in the brand's new Volare model (about $400) are made with real Ferrari parts. "The industry has been dominated by advancements in the straightening iron category, and nothing has really been done with blow dryers," BaByliss's David Gardiner told WWD.
Volare is the first dryer to use a ball bearing design, which is especially useful to keep it running nice and smooth. It also has precision insert-molded construction for a lightweight feel and a turbo boost button to make airflow rev up, of course.
While most dryers' lives last 500-700 hours, the Volare runs 2,000 hours. It also packs an impressive 2,200 watts of power. Unfortunately, the dryer, which comes in a compact or medium size, is available for pros only, but if you had the chance, would you like to take it for a test ride?
Some beauty items, like drugstore lip glosses and certain types of mascara, work so well that there's no need to spend more than a few bucks on them. However, there are certain products on the market that perform so amazingly well, they're worth the investment. Check out what we at Team Bella think about what five upscale beauty items warrant the purchase.
The blow-dryer: it's probably something you use several times a week, but have you ever stopped to give much thought about its origins? Invented toward the end of the 19th century in France, the first hair dryer was comprised of a bonnet that was affixed to a gas stove's chimney pipe. It wasn't until the 1920s that handheld dryers were invented and sold to the masses. From cases with hoses to dryers with futuristic-sounding monikers, take a look back into history, and check out a few vintage dryers now.
Famous hairstylist John Frieda says that most people fall into one of two groups: those who are lacking volume and those who are looking to tame their frizz. I've got you covered on the latter, and as for the former, here's a quick tip from the legendary stylist on reviving limp locks.
If you have no time to wash and style your hair, you can pump up the look with three basic ingredients: a round brush, a blow dryer, and a volumizing product, like Luxurious Volume Lavish Lift Root Booster ($6) or Oscar Blandi Volumizing Spray ($18). First, hold the hair straight up on dry hair and spray the roots. Next, take a small section from right behind the fringe, wrap it around the round brush, and blow-dry, concentrating on lifting the roots for volume. Finish off by grabbing subsequent sections of hair back toward the crown, and there you go. It's instant volume without too much effort.
Recently, I read an article that featured a tip on making your own hair diffuser at home. All you need is a sock and a rubber band, and you're good to go. Upon mentioning this tidbit to my co-worker, she kindly brought me back down to earth. Fire hazard, much? Then earlier today, I came across this article which, sadly, describes the passing of a Pakistani diplomat, who was electrocuted by a damaged hair dryer after bathing.
This brings me to my point: Seriously, if your blow-dryer has a frayed cord, is puffing out abnormal emissions, and/or makes any kind of rattling noise, don't be cheap. Replace it or live with air-dried hair. It might be common sense, but why put yourself at risk in the name of beauty?
Watch and chuckle, or scoff — or both — as this guy records his gal pal unintentionally blanketing herself in a cloud of baby powder. The white substance, which was placed deliberately in a blow-dryer by her "friend," was all set to go for a dramatic release once that button was switched into the "on" position. A cruel joke, or a harmless antic? Whatever the case, have you ever had a mean beauty trick played on you? Warning: the video lags a bit at the beginning, and if you're opposed to f-bombs (and immaturity), I suggest you don't take a peek.
If you've got stubborn adhesive labels on any of your home purchases (bottles, plates, books, etc.) or gifts, there's a simple way to remove them that doesn't involve picking at them with sticky fingers. Just blast your hair dryer onto the label for a few seconds, and then use a basic craft blade to scrape it off. The heat from the dryer will loosen up the adhesive, making it a cinch to peel off the label. Ahh, if you'd only known . . .
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You've voted, and once again, the results were very close. Squeezing past Shu Uemura eyelash curlers by a margin of less than 10 votes, Tweezerman tweezers garnered first place. I confess that years ago, I didn't understand the hype, but after you use a good pair of tweezers, you'll never want to go back to the two-dollar version again.
Speaking of pricier products that really perform better, my can't-live-without tool this year is my T3 dryer. Again, you always read the hype about T3 tools, and in this case, the praise is earned. The dryer cuts my drying time in half, leaves my hair bouncy and shiny, and never overheats. It's not cheap by any means, but if you go for frequent blow-dries, it's definitely something to save up for.
