Hair tools are saviours. They are the one thing (along with the right hair care products) that can keep your bad hair days from turning into bad hair weeks and months. These multitalented beauties do it all—they tame, they style, they give volume, they add shine. And the best part? There’s a hair tool for every concern.
And while they are excellent at their job, they can be a tad heavy on the pocket and that’s why investing wisely is key.
Choosing a styling tool depends on numerous factors. However, the primary one is working with your hair type. To help you, we’ve created a comprehensive guide to finding the right hair tool for you based on your volume, density and porosity.
Thin and fine hair
One of the biggest concerns for those with thick and fine hair is the lack of volume. Therefore, when looking for a hair styling tool, invest in a product that boosts volume and doesn’t leave your mane looking limp or flat.
For hair straighteners, look for ceramic-coated plates, as they allow for even heat distribution across your hair. This also prevents hair from breaking.
Tira recommends: Alan Truman Tourmaline Ceramic Classic Styler - Green (1 Pc)
However, if poker-straight hair isn’t your vibe, opt for a rounded blow-dry brush. This styling tool helps create a salon-like blow dry, while boosting volume, especially in the crown area. This gives the appearance of a fuller and thicker mane. Alternatively, you can also use a ceramic hair dryer to blast dry your hair and style it. It regulates the heat levels—which prevents breakage or any sort of damage and lifts the strands to create a bounce.
Tira recommends: Mermade Hair Blow Dry Brush Pink
Thick hair
Those with coarser and thicker hair often tend to face frizz, which can make your mane feel unmanageable. And so, if you’re looking for a straightener to style your hair, we recommend opting for one with titanium-coated plates. You can also even invest in a paddle blow dry brush, which will help retain the right amount of volume while taming the frizz and providing style.
Tira recommends: Ikonic Professional Pro Titanium Shine Hair Straightener (Black & Silver)
Alternatively, you can invest in an ionic hair dryer that will help dry your locks faster, without causing frizz. Ionic hair dryers use negative ions to dry up the positively charged water ions on the hair, resulting in fast drying without frizz.
Tira recommends: BBlunt Pro 1800W Ionic Hair Dryer
Curly hair
Those with curly or wavy hair looking to enhance their natural texture should also opt for an ionic hair dryer with a diffuser. This attachment essentially protects your hair’s natural pattern and locks in moisture while smoothening and softening the strands.
Tira recommends: Vega Super Pro 2400W Professional Hair Dryer VHDP-04 An expert’s guide to selecting the right hair tools
While your hair type does play an important role in what hair tools work best for you, Vaishakhi Haria, hairstylist and founder of Splash Salons, breaks down the other factors one needs to keep in mind when selecting the right hair tools.
Hair dryer:
1. The weight of the dryer: Very often the hair dryers are too heavy and when we try to style our hair, it is difficult to manage that.
2. The length of the cord: Preferably invest in a hairdryer with a long cord for more flexibility.
3. Power: Invest in dryers with less than 2000W.
4. Mini dryers: If you have thick or coarse hair, avoid investing in mini dryers, as it would take too long to style the hair.
Curling tong:
1. Size: The smaller the barrel size, the tighter the curls—for soft waves 32mm and for beach waves 25mm is ideal.
2. Barrel length: Buy curling tongs with longer barrels for convenience.
Straightener:
1. Consider plate material - Ceramic plates are most suitable for fine to medium hair types, while titanium plates are more suitable for coarse hair. It heats up quickly and provides good control.
2. Temperature control: Buy straighteners with temperature control settings. The ideal temperature for styling with a straightener is 180 to 210 degrees.
