Regardless of your hair type, texture or length, everyone needs a collection of hair tools to bring salon swishes straight home. Evolving from the humble hair dryer, the category now encompasses a whole range of essentials you need to fix, tame and manage your mane. From barrelled brushes to create bounce, to stylers that straighten and curl, there’s a plethora of products primed to bring hairmony back to your tresses.
Paying homage to the best hair tools on the market right now we’ve collated an edit of the hair tools you need and how to best use them...
THE BEST HAIR DRYERS
An icon for a reason, the ghd Helios Professional Hair Dryer is a lightweight, easy to wield essential that’s the ultimate partner in the fight against fluff and flyaways. Delivering a consistent 75mph flow of air alongside its proprietary Aeroprecis technology, this hush-toned dryer is rapid and quiet so you can use it at any time of the day (or night) - without disturbing your housemate.
SHOP ALL GHD >>>Promising to dry and style tresses in 20% less time than your typical dryer, get to grips with Drybar’s Buttercup Blow-Dryer. Equipped with an 1875-watt motor, it unleashes the brand’s signature Ionic technology, that seals-down hair cuticles, creating the illusion of sleeker, smoother strands. Suitable for all hair types, this powerhouse product is the ultimate, ultra-lightweight addition to your mane management routine.
SHOP ALL DRYBAR >>>If you’re pressed for time, haven’t mastered the hair brush-hair dryer hand co-ordination or just prefer a 2-in-1 device, amika’s Hair Blow Dryer Brush 2.0 is here to fast-track your way to a salon-worthy blow out. Featuring three adjustable heat and speed settings, it’s fitted with a unique oval barrelled shape head and combination of short and long nylon bristles to lift from the root and boost unbeatable bounce.
SHOP ALL AMIKA >>>
HOW TO USE YOUR HAIR DRYER
- Start by applying heat protectant all over your mane.
- Making sure to hold the dryer at least six inches away from the hair, begin rough drying damp strands first.
- Then, for a boost of volume place your head upside down and blast the hair at the roots, working fingers to massage the strands as you go.
- Next, section your hair and use a barrel brush to comb through strands while holding the dryer above the section.
- Use a shot of cool air as you go to add shine.
- Continue to blow dry until all sections are styled.
THE BEST HAIR STRAIGHTENERS
A fan favourite since its release in 2001, ghd’s Original Styler glides through your tresses for a sleek sign off. is Made with floating ceramic heat technology, it delivers an optimum temperature of 185ºC and takes 30 seconds to reach that temperature – making it ideal when you’re in a hurry. Plus, for peace of mind, it has an automatic switch off after 30 minutes of no use too...
SHOP ALL GHD >>>If your blessed with thicker, longer lengths then ghd’s Max Limited Edition Wide Plate Hair Straightener should be your go-to. Why? We’re glad you asked... With its ultra-wide plates, it gets to work on larger sections of your hair. Plus, powered by dual-zone technology that maintains an even distribution of heat from root to tip, this hot tool gets to work quickly to deliver fly away-free hair that would otherwise take longer to style.
SHOP ALL GHD >>>HOW TO USE A HAIR STRAIGHTENER
- Start by spritzing strands with heat protection.
- Next, section hair away from your face, and begin straightening strands no wider than the length of the hair straightener
- For a sleek look glide down the length of the locks from root to tip, twice.
- Continue doing the same on all sections of hair.
- For a wavey look, place the tool at the root then twist at a 180° angle away from the face, gliding the straightener down.
- Repeat on all sections.
THE BEST HAIR CURLING WANDS
A versatile tong that achieves loose waves, bouncy or sleek looks, the ghd Curve Classic Curl Tong is a must-have for professionals and newbies alike. With a 26mm barrel – ideal for creating a plethora of styles – it’s infused with the brand’s proprietary 185ºC optimal temperature, ceramic coating and clever ultra-zone technology. What’s more, with a spring activated ergonomic lever , protective cool tip and generous professional-length cord it gives you more control, flexibility and safety.
SHOP ALL GHD >>>Creating undulating curls that are sleek and smooth or loose and tousled, amika’s Jumbo High Tide Deep Waver brings beach waves straight to your bedroom. Utilising three ceramic barrels, that work together to deliver heat evenly onto each tress, it creates a deep S-shaped bend that can be customised to your desired look. Locking in moisture and sealing hair cuticles in one glide, the Deep Waver is infused with far-infrared technology and negative ions for long-lasting, super smooth lengths.
SHOP ALL AMIKA >>>amika’s The Chameleon 5 Barrel Interchangeable Curling Kit has everything your strands need for a show stopping sign off. The ultimate multi-tasker, this hair curling set features five interchangeable wands that slot easily into the lightweight, titanium barrel. But that’s not all, coated and infused with far-infrared heat that instantly penetrates the hair cuticle, it allows you create everything from pin-curls to larger-than-life waves and everything in between – without damaging your lengths.
SHOP ALL AMIKA >>>
HOW TO USE HAIR CURLERS
- Make sure your strands are completely dry and apply heat protection.
- Section your hair depending on how tight or lose you want your curls (smaller sections mean tighter curls, larger sections mean looser).
- Then, wrap lengths around the tool starting from the root.
- Hold your hair in place for between 5– 10 seconds and then release.
- Continue wrapping all sections, then wait for them to cool down before brushing through with fingers or hairbrush.
BEST HEATLESS HAIR TOOLS
Made from 100% pure silk, the Silke London Heatless Curler delivers bouncy curls without any hard work. Featuring everything your strands need for fast overnight styling, the set includes a foam curling rod, two silk ties, a hair clip and a carry bag. Twisting tresses into the perfect S-shaped curls this is the new age in hair tools... without the use of heat.
SHOP ALL SILKE LONDON >>>For more bespoke curls sans the heat, Kitsch Satin Wrapped Flexi Rods allows you to wrap your locks in whatever way you wish. Featuring six dusky-hued, flexible satin hair rollers, the set is a perfect alternative to heatless hair styling — ideal for when the weather gets warmer. Gliding on tresses without snagging or pulling, this hair tool stays in place once secured and creates beautiful bounce and body once the hair is released.
SHOP ALL KITSCH >>>Want to learn exactly how to use heatless curlers? Read our guide here.
BEST HAIR BRUSHES
You can’t use your hairdryer to create a perfect blow out without having a brilliant brush that does all the work for you. Cue: ghd's The Blow Dryer Ceramic Radial Hair Brush. Renowned for its salon-quality extra-large styling tool infused with a heat-retaining ceramic barrel, this everyday essential makes quick work of your blow dry. Topped with a non-slip handle, it ensures maximum tension with every brush stroke, meaning your tresses are treated with optimal heat and movement to deliver bouncy, shiny locks as you style.
SHOP ALL GHD >>>Created especially for curly, coily and wavey strands Pattern’s Shower Brush glides through wet, thick hair, without tugging or pulling. Designed with rubber bristles that comb through textured hair with ease, it has just enough space between its rows to clamp curls together, creasing a beautiful curl pattern as you go.
SHOP ALL PATTERN >>>We know healthy hair starts at the root, so why not indulge your scalp with Aveda’s Scalp Solutions Stimulating Scalp Massager? A sensorial experience for your wash day routine, this hair hero is carefully designed with thin, long and flexible bristles that reach and massage your hair when wet. Uniquely formulated with bi-level filaments that target the scalp and your strands, each bristle is finished with a rounded ball tip that provides gentle yet thorough exfoliation.
SHOP ALL AVEDA >>> SHOP ALL HAIR BRUSHES >>>Now you know everything you need to know about hair dryers, straighteners, curling wands and more, the only thing left to do is pick your preferred hair tool...
SHOP ALL HAIR TOOLS >>>
