WITH the festive party season fast approaching, it’s time for us to think party dresses, shoes, handbags and make up.
But as any disco diva knows, party wear planning also means deciding on how we’re going to wear our hair.
Up or down, straightened or curly? The options are endless.
And while we would all love to pay a visit to the salon to be professionally preened before every event, cashflow means it’s not always possible.
The next best idea is to style your own locks, complete with an electrical gadget.
The type of straighteners, curling irons and hairdryers we use can make or break a hairdo. So it’s essential to get it just right.
As always, never despair as the HNG Tried and Tested team has sampled a few products to see what’s what.
V05 Perfect Cut Hair Clipper, £39.99, available from Tesco, Tesco Direct and other electrical suppliers
HAVING never used anything like this before, I approached the V05 hair clipper with caution.
Selecting the highest of the seven measurements of cut available, for damage control, I lifted it to my sideburns (being too unskilled and scared to go for my hair) and … nothing happened.
So I upped the cutting ante and began to hack away at the offending curls.
That I’m here and writing this goes to show how easy the clipper is to use, even for the world’s least likely hairdresser.
Compact, light and simple to get to grips with, it could prove handy for when your hair is that bit out of control.
If you can find someone with the talent and keen eye needed to trim that unwanted hair, this decent gadget is a good Christmas present idea.
4/5 - AJ
Diva Glamoriser RRP £79.99, available from Sally Salon Services stores nationwide and at www.sallyexpress.com
FOR me, part of the appeal of going on a night out is getting ready. I love creating new hairstyles (or at least attempting to), so I was really looking forward to trying the Glamoriser.
I wanted to create a full head of curls and I was hopeful this would be the perfect tool. I wasn’t wrong. It was easy to create a tight curl or a loose curl look and the results were really pleasing.
There’s only one word of a warning, the Glamoriser heats up to 230 degrees and, because the product can be used to straighten or curl, there is no guard on any part of the product itself, so it is quite easy to burn yourself. That said, after you’ve used it a couple of times, I suspect, like me, you’ll sufficiently have the hang of it and burning your fingers becomes less of a problem.
4/5 - JM
Paul Mitchell Express Ion Dry® v.2, RRP £89.95, available from Paul Mitchell salons, see www.paul-mitchell.co.uk to find your nearest salon.
AFTER years of using my old travel hairdryer, to the point of smelling burning at times with over use, I was pleasantly surprised at the results a decent hairdryer can produce.
For I have long and (if I’m honest) over blowdryed and straightened hair, but after using the Paul Mitchell Express Ion Dry, I was really impressed by the improvement to the condition of my locks. My hair looked less frazzled at the end of a blowdrying session and was also less static.
And the best bit of all is it took me half the time to dry my hair, yet the heat from the hairdryer felt much cooler than my old model. Expensive, but this product will last for years and is well worth the one-off purchase in my eyes.
4/5 - JM
Paul Mitchell Express Ion Curl 1.0, £59.95, available from Paul Mitchell salons, see www.paul-mitchell.co.uk to find your nearest salon.
THERE’S been many a time I have tried curling my locks, but I have yet to master the art. For some reason, the tongs I have used in the past have never been good enough to fix my hair in place and the result has left me looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backwards.
So I was pleasantly surprised when I tried out this gadget, which is aluminium barrelled and contains a blend of silicone and ceramic to heat hair quickly and gently.
Like straighteners, these tongs have a handy digital control to heat them up to your desired temperature and a locking button to keep the temp fixed. With its nine foot swivel cord, it’s incredibly easy to use.
After just a few moments with the tongs gripped to each section of hair, my hair fell away in nice neat curls. Whether as a Christmas present or a tool to help you get glammed up for a festive party, these tongs are hot!
4/5 - HB
Wahl Pencil Ceramic Straighteners, RRP £26.99, available from www.wahl.co.uk
IDEAL for short hair, these pencil straighteners are neat and worked a dream on my chin-length style.
Compared to the standard width straighteners I previously used, they made an easy job of straightening the shortest bits of my bob style at the nape of my neck. Normally I don’t even bother straightening them, but this thin little gadget changed that.
They heat up quickly and work fast. The only down side was that I felt them tugging a couple of times, which was a bit painful. A simple straightening product such as a spray or a serum would solve this, though.
These Wahl straighteners are handy for short dos and kind to the purse strings too.
3/5 - SC
Wahl Chrome Ionic hairdryer £21.99, available from Argos or www.wahl.co.uk
IT’S the quietness of this hairdryer that will – sorry! – blow you away.
And if, like me, you’ve had the same trusty old hairdryer for years, you will be surprised how light a model like this Wahl can be.
Also, it really does take the pain out of holding your arms in the air to dry your hair in a hurry. But even if a tight schedule means you have to apply more heat than is wise if your hair has a tendency to go wild, don’t worry about an attack of the frizzies with this Wahl.
By the miracle of technology, the drier locks in moisture through the narrow or, if you choose, wide vent nozzle.
Another bonus of this featherweight is that if you really can’t risk a holiday or weekend away without it, you’ll hardly notice it in your luggage.
4/5 - MC
Paul Mitchell Pro Tools Express Ion Style 1.0, £109.95, available from Paul Mitchell salons, see www.paul-mitchell.co.uk to find your nearest salon.
NOT being the most patient of people, I often find running hair straighteners through my locks before a night out is the best way to go. So this product appealed to me as it boasted it was for express styling. In just 60 seconds, it heats up to 205 degrees centigrade so I wasn’t waiting long at all to put it into action. Incorporating 1” cushioned ceramic plated styling irons, I was surprised at first how light it was to handle.
Applying it to my long hair, it seemed to glide down my locks, without pulling or any stressing. Within seconds, it left my hair straight, smooth and shiny, a bit like the ever popular GHDs do. My hair has a tendency to looked dried out at the ends, but it didn’t seem to with this product. Within a matter of minutes my style was complete and I was ready to rock.
Although I was pleased with the results, as it’s priced at over £100 I’m not sure some GHD fans could be tempted to switch brands.
3/5 - HB
