The Best Hair Styling Tools of 2018

From curling wands to straighteners, hot rollers to hair dryers, 2018 has seen a number of new heat styling tools hit the hair market. And for our experts at The Chapel, styling tools are a vital part of their kit. With the ever-increasing choice of equipment, it can be difficult to decide which would best serve you and your hair. That’s why professional stylist Oliver Thompson from our Islington salon is on hand to share with us what he considers to be the best styling tools of 2018.

Image Credit:
Adam Harvey

Blow Them Away

Hair drying technology has come on leaps and bounds in the past few years. Gone are the days of noisy dryers and the smell of singed hair. Our stylist Oliver’s new favourite is the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer. Oliver says “the Dyson hairdryer is quiet so you can have a conversation with your guest”, perfect for creating the most relaxing salon experience in-store or at home. If you’re going for a blow-out, he recommends keeping the temperature low. Always remember to protect your locks when blowdrying. Keratse’s L’Incroyable Blowdry is the ultimate accomplice for blow drying — with thermo protection of up to 230ºc, this heat lotion can keep your hair frizz-free for 96 hours.

If you’ve got a natural kink, Oliver recommends getting the Dyson diffuser stating that the attachment “works incredibly on curly hair!”. For curls with equal parts protection and definition, we’d recommend the Keratese Crème de Boucles. Just run through your hair with your fingers, and let the diffuser do the rest!

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Adam Harvey

Silky Straight

Next up on Oliver’s list — hair straighteners. Whilst many of us use these on a daily basis to achieve silky straight styles, repeated heat styling can be damaging to our hair. To solve this problem, Cloud Nine straighteners are a firm favourite for Oliver, “Unlike GHDs which are set at 190ºc, with Cloud Nine you can control the temperature”. This means that you can tailor the heat setting to your specific hair texture, and reduce the temperature to minimise damage.

For this reason, Oliver sees them as essential for those with fine hair. Simply spritz some of Redken’s Iron Shape II Finishing Thermal Spray over your hair before styling to give it a lightweight layer of defence against damage. And better yet, Cloud Nine was created by Robert Powls - the founder of GHD - so you know you’ll be getting professional hair technology, with a little less damage.

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Adam Harvey

Wonderful Waves

Waves are a great way to revive your locks by giving them somebody and bounce, and Oliver recommends a range of tools for creating texture. “I love the GHD tong for natural waves”, says Oliver, “as it creates an amazing curl and they run through the hair beautifully”. Finish off your style with a drop of Redken's Outshine 01 Anti-Frizz Polishing Milk to hydrate your hair and give it a healthy gloss.

Oliver also suggests a more budget-friendly alternative, “Babyliss Pro tongs are much cheaper. Although they don't glide through the hair as well, they give the same effect. Also, a big plus is that you can turn the temperature down on them.” For an effortless, protected style that will last all day, simply spray some of Redken’s Hot Sets 22 through your hair and create a few waves in here and there —the messier the better! Perfect for an on-the-go style for a busy mum, or those of us who just like an extra few minutes in bed.

Image Credit:
Adam Harvey

Work, Rest and Protect

As fun and transformative as heat styling can be, continual use of styling tools can be damaging to your hair. That’s why it's important to schedule days of rest from the heat and embrace your natural texture. Take the time once a week to apply a deep conditioning mask, like the Kerastase Masque Fondemental with nourishing Brazil nut and rice bran oils, to repair your hair after a long week of strenuous styling. Find out more about the best hair protection products of 2018.

At The Chapel, we understand that selecting the right styling tools can be a long and expensive process if you don’t get it right. So why not visit Oliver in our Islington Salon to chat some more about the best styling tools for your hair.

Want to find out more about caring for your hair? Explore the rest of our Expert Advice section.