hair dryer or hair straightener
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Hair Dryer or Hair Straightener – Which is Better?

Taylor N November 20, 2020 Health & Beauty 0

Which is Better: Hair Dryer or Hair Straightener?

hair dryer or hair straightener

Image courtesy of Unsplash

 

If you are trying to style your hair quickly and beautifully in the comfort of your own home, you are probably thinking about which heated styling tool would be best. You of course want to get your hair to the style that you want, while also not damaging your hair as much as possible. This will lead you to the extremely common question of which is better, hair dryer or hair straightener?

While hair dryers and hair straighteners are both great tools to use to get a gorgeous hairstyle, hair dryers are better for your hair when it comes to damage. Styling hair has been around for centuries, and is nothing new to the human population. Unfortunately, some hair styling tools do cause more damage to your hair than others do, so it is important to know what you are using and what is done to your hair while you use tools. Here we address the age old question of which is better, hair dryer or hair straightener.

 

The Difference Between a Hair Dryer and a Hair Straightener

Before we begin discussing which is better between a hair dryer and a hair straightener, it is important to know what the difference is between a hair dryer and a hair straightener. A hair dryer is a heated styling tool that blows hot air out of a vent to dry your hair. The heat that blows out of the hair dryer can change the formation of the hydrogen bonds in your hair, which help them to dry as well as to create shape within your hair to hold it.

You can control the heat settings on a hair dryer, with the most basic settings being low heat, high heat, and a cool blast. More advanced hair dryers over a wider variety of heat settings that you can choose from depending on what you are trying to accomplish with your hair dryer. The lowest and coolest heat is always the most safe for your hair.

A hair straightener is a heated styling tool that uses heated plates to straighten your hair. Hair straighteners completely change the structure of your hair when you clamp your hair in-between the heated plates. The heated plates on a hair straightener are usually made of ceramic, titanium, or teflon, and are extremely effective at changing the shape of your hair to make it straight.

A major difference between a hair dryer and a hair straightener is that hair dryers are used to dry hair that is wet, while hair straighteners should never be used on wet hair. This is applicable to damp hair as well… if your hair is not completely dry, then a hair straightener should absolutely not be used on it. Since you clamp your hair between two heated plates with a hair straightener, your hair will completely fry if it is wet at all.

With this being said another main difference between a hair dryer and a hair straightener is that they each style your hair in a  different way. A hair dryer is of course used to dry your hair, but it can also straighten your hair at the same time if used properly. Since you can not use a hair straightener with wet hair, it is solely just used for styling your hair and making it straighter. With a hair dryer you can use an attachment with it such as a diffuser, which will direct exactly where the hot air goes on your hair. On the other hand, hair straighteners do not offer any attachments to use with them.

 

To learn more about hair dryers, check these out:

 

The Damages Caused by a Hair Dryer and a Hair Straightener

Even though both a hair dryer and a hair straightener will both cause some sort of damage to your hair especially if they are used often, a hair dryer can cause less damage to your hair than a hair straightener. Using a hair dryer on your hair constantly can cause damage to your hair follicles which can lead to breakage within your hair, as well as split ends. If you use it too often your hair will start to lose its natural texture, and may become more dull, less shiny, and more frizzy.

If you use a hair straightener on your hair constantly, then even more damage can be done on your hair. Hair straighteners damage your hair follicles more quickly and more effectively than a hair dryer does, and can lead to extreme breakage and can also make your hair very fragile. This can cause more split ends and make it much more dry, since clamping your hair within the heated plates of the hair straightener can remove a lot of moisture from within your hair. Hair dryers can sometimes cause reactions which can lead to itchiness on the scalp, especially if not used correctly.

 

To learn more about hair straighteners, check these out:

 

How to Protect Your Hair From Heat Damage

The amount of damage done to your hair may be less from using a hair dryer, but damage still does occur either way. One of the best things that you can do to help minimize damage is to make sure that you purchase hair dryers and hair straighteners that are higher quality, so that they are made of materials that conduct heat better. These higher quality materials will also make sure that your hair is more protected from the heat that is transferred from the heated styling tool than they would if they were made with lower quality materials.

Another way that you can lessen the amount of damage that happens when you use a hair dryer or hair straightener is to mist a heat protectant spray or to apply a heat protectant serum or balm on your hair before styling. The heat protectant basically forms a protectant layer over your hair that will protect it from the heat put onto it with your hair dryer or hair straightener.

The vitamins and silicones within the heat protectors also moisturize your hair, which will help your strands look silky and smooth after styling with your hair dryer and hair straightener. This is especially important because the heat from heated styling tools such as hair dryers and hair straighteners often strip moisture from your hair, which can leave your hair dry and looking dull.

 

Which Is Better: Hair Dryer or Hair Straightener Wrap-up

When it comes to answering the question which is better, hair dryer or hair straightener, it really depends on what you are looking for. When it comes to the amount of heat damage that occurs on your hair, a hair dryer is better for your hair than a hair straightener is. If you are wanting more of a silky and smooth hairstyle, a hair straightener would be best to complete this. If you are needing to dry your hair when it is wet while styling it at the same time, then a hair dryer is your best bet.

Always remember to protect your hair as much as possible when using any heated styling tool, by buying higher quality tools and by misting a heat protectant spray or applying a heat protectant serum or balm before using the heated styling tool. This will help to keep your hair as healthy, shiny, and beautiful as possible. Grab your hair dryer or hair straightener and your favorite hair products, and get to styling!

how to blow dry hair with hot air brush
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How to Blow Dry Hair with Hot Air Brush – 7 Steps to Beautifully Dried Hair

Taylor N August 25, 2020 Health & Beauty 0

How to Blow Dry Hair with Hot Air Brush – 7 Steps to Beautifully Dried Hair

how to blow dry hair with hot air brush

Image courtesy of Pixabay

 

Whether you have naturally straight, curly, frizzy, or fine hair, you probably still struggle with the process of blow drying your hair for a beautiful style after you shower. From struggling with holding a blow dryer and a brush in your hand at the same time, to trying out tons of different products and tools over the years, you are probably tired of blow drying your hair on your own. But what if I told you that you can get a salon-quality blowout on your own, and easily? This is a possible scenario, and also why it is important that you know how to blow dry hair with hot air brush.

Hot air brushes allow you to dry, brush, and style your hair all at once. This leads to a beautiful blowout, without having to use multiple products and tools to complete the task. It is all done with the use of one singular tool instead. Hot air brushes work on a wide variety of hair types, so no matter what your hair is like naturally, you will still be able to use one to blow dry and style your hair. In this guide we discuss the topic of hot air brushes, as well as how to blow dry hair with hot air brush.

 

7 Steps to Blow Drying Hair with Hot Air Brush

 

What Is a Hot Air Brush

A hot air brush is a tool that combines a brush, a blow dryer, and a straightener all in one. It uses heated plates and bristles that you glide through your hair to brush, dry, and style your hair, and a handle to hold and control the tool with. It is pretty similar to a traditional hair brush, but it heats up like any other heated styling tool. There are two different types of hot air brushes to choose between based on your hair type.

The first type of hot air brush is a round brush. This can either be stable or can rotate, so you can either wrap your hair around the barrel, or the rotating barrel will do it for you. Round brush hot air brushes give you lots of bounce and volume when you are done styling. The second type of hot air brush is a paddle brush. With this one you just place your hair within the bristles, rather than wrapping it around the whole head of the brush. Paddle brush hot air brushes give you a super straight and sleek look when you are done styling.

 

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Benefits of Using a Hot Air Brush to Blow Dry Hair

There are many benefits to drying your hair with a hot air brush rather than with a traditional blow dryer. Since a hot air brush will dry, brush, and straighten your hair all at the same time, the simplicity of using just one tool to complete all of that is just the beginning of its list of advantages.

Another benefit of using a hot air brush to blow dry hair is that it will give you more volume. Since you can place the hot air brush all the way up to your roots while it dries and straightens your hair, your hair will have a lot more body. You will also experience less frizz with a hot air brush than you would by drying your hair with a traditional blow dryer or straightening iron.

Using a hot air brush is also very easy to control, because they are light and ergonomically designed so that they are easy to maneuver while using it. You also only have to hold one tool while drying your hair with a hot air brush, rather than holding a blow dryer and a brush at the same time. This also makes it simple to travel with, because you only need this one tool instead of multiple other ones.

 

How to Blow Dry Hair with Hot Air Brush

Now that you know what a hot air brush is and what the benefits of using it instead of  traditional blow dryer are, it is time to learn how to blow dry hair with hot air brush. Drying your hair with a hot air brush is relatively easy especially once you get the hang of it, and can have your hair dried, brushed, and styled within minutes. Here is a step by step guide on how to blow dry hair with hot air brush.

Step 1: Wash and condition your hair

Before blow drying your hair with your hot air brush, it is important to start with freshly cleaned hair. Wash and condition your hair with good-quality shampoo and conditioner, and squeeze the excess water out of your hair when you are done. Once you are out of the shower, towel dry your hair until your hair is damp, so that your hair is not dripping wet when you are using your hot air brush.

Step 2: Prepare your hot air brush

Plug in your hot air brush, and allow it to heat up fully. It is important that your hot air brush is completely heated up before you begin using it. Even though it is tempting to start styling with your hot air brush right away, it will not work properly if you do that and it is not heated up all the way. This will cause you to have unevenly styled hair, and will force you to spend extra time to fix it up to make it even.

Step 3: Prepare your hair for styling with your hot air brush

While your hot air brush is heating up, it is time to prepare your hair. Mist a heat protectant spray or apply a heat protectant serum to your hair, and run a comb through your hair to distribute the product evenly and to get rid of any tangles or knots in your hair. It is crucial that you use heat protectant on your hair before you style it with any heated styling tool, so that you can minimize the amount of heat damage that will occur on your strands.

Step 4: Separate your hair into equal sections

It is always helpful to split your hair into sections before you begin styling it. Make a couple even sections in the back of your head, over each year, and on the top of your head, and clip or pin them in place. This will help you to keep track of what sections you have already styled, so that you do not miss any or go over the same section multiple times with your hot air brush.

Step 5: Begin blow drying your hair with hot air brush

Start with the sections in the back of your head, and grab the first section that is about the size of your hot air brush. Place the hot air brush near your roots, and slowly glide your hot air brush down the section until you reach your tips. Go over the section as many times as you’d like until it is as dry and straight as you desire.

Step 6: Continue the blow drying process to all of your sections

Repeat the directions listed in step 5 to all of the sections that you created in your hair. Make sure that you are always styling with your hot air brush from your roots to your tips. You can go over each section as many times as you need until your hair is as dry and straight as you’d like.

Step 7: Finish up your hairstyle

Once all of your sections are dry and straight, then it is time to finalize your hairstyle. Mist a holding hairspray or apply a shine serum to your hair to keep your straight hair in place, and to reduce the amount of frizz that will occur on your hair throughout the day.

 

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Blow drying your hair can be a hassle, and it can be difficult to maneuver multiple tools and products at the same time to get your desired look. Luckily, there is a tool on the market that can do multiple things for your hair at the same time, which is why knowing how to blow dry hair with hot air brush is important.

Using a hot air brush can dry, brush, and straighten your hair within minutes. It also leaves your hair more voluminuous, bouncy, and shiny than it would if you were using any other heated styling tool. You can have beautifully styled hair within minutes, and in the comfort of your own home. Grab your favorite hair styling products, a few clips or pins, and your hot air brush, and get to styling!