Hair care tools empower you to style your hair the way you want. Hair tools, often in combination with hair products like gel and mousse, make straight hair curly and turn curly hair straight. A hair tool, like a curling iron, gives you short-term results. Chemical hair processing like coloring and straightening produce longer, and sometimes permanent, results.
Curling Iron
The patent for the first thermostatically controlled curling iron was issued to Jessie T. Pope, an African-American woman from Detroit, in 1946. According to information provided by the Lemelson-MIT Program, Eleanor Roosevelt personally helped her to secure the patent. A curling iron uses high temperatures, and sometimes steam, to curl your hair and manipulate it into the style you want.
Curling irons are metal or ceramic. Some come with attachments giving you the capability to size your curls. A ceramic curling iron generally costs more but it distributes the heat more evenly, causing less damage to your hair.
Prevent damage to your hair from daily use of a curling iron by purchasing a professional model featuring adjustable temperature. Caution and precision must be exercised when using a curling iron. This hair care tool easily can burn your skin and singe your hair. Do not leave the curling iron unattended and keep it out of the reach of children.
Hair Brush
The first hairbrush with synthetic bristles was patented by Lyda D. Newman, an African-American woman, in 1898. A common hair brush detangles and helps to style your hair. A barrel brush is good for styling. It has bristles encircling the top of the brush in a column. Vented brushes come in a number of shapes and feature holes in the bristled area to make hair drying quicker. A massage brush is a specialized type of hair brush designed to brush, and not style, your hair. It also provides a gentle scalp massage and helps to stimulate circulation, according to information provided by the website My Hair Styling Tools.
Hair Dryer
The portable hair dryer was invented by Harriet Stern and patented in 1962. Purchase a hair dryer with at least 1,750 watts, according to information provided by the website Free Beauty Tips. Higher wattage hair dryers feature more powerful heat and air flow. Common hair dryer attachments include a brush and a diffuser. Both of these attachments help people with curly hair avoid frizz with both straight and curly styles. Choosing a hair dryer with flexible heat and speed settings gives you the option of styling your hair using a lower temperature, causing less damage.
References
- Lemelson-MIT Program: "African-American Women Inventors of the Early 20th Century"
- Steam Curling Iron: "Best Curling Iron"
- My Hair Styling Tools: "Choosing the Best Hair Brush for You"; March 27, 2008
- Cal Poly Pomona: "Women Inventors of Tools and Machines"; Aisy Naidu; 2006
- Free Beauty Tips: "How to Select the Best Blow Dryer for Your Hair"
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