.:: CybeleSays ::.

New Addition To The Hall of Fame!

I really wasn’t prepared to be wow’d tonight but I was. I had heard TURBOION’s Croc professional straigtening irons were good but I never tried one. I even drooled over them at January’s ISSE show! And this past week I was able to give one a spin. And wow! I was used to straightening irons making my hair straight but this one made it stick straight with not a lot of runs through the hair. It was almost too straight!

And I put this one through quite the test. I ran the blow dryer over my hair to dry it but I didn’t style it with a round brush, which I usually do to make it straight. So with no round brush love, I grabbed a section with a comb, and three runs later with the Croc Titanium Wet to Dry Flat Iron 1 ½", voila, stick straight strands. Finished my whole head and it looked like I just came from the salon. The iron uses the most advanced “Nano-fine Ceramic Heating Plates” to seal the cuticles and eliminate frizz, while preserving the hair’s condition. If you want to read more about the technology behind this one, check out their site. All I know is what it does!

Now this one can be used on wet or dry hair but I don’t recommend using it on wet hair. I’ve consulted a few hairdressers and they don’t recommend it either.

And watching this one heat up was kinda fun (yes, I’m easily entertained) too. It has a blue digital display and the hottest it goes is 430 degrees. The heat can be set to your hair’s needs, which they recommend: 280 to 310 for bleach or fragile, 310 to 390 for normal and 390 to 430 for coarse or thick.

So help me welcome the Croc Titanium Wet to Dry Flat Iron 1 ½" to the Hall of Fame. $150 @ misikko.com

The 6" Powerhouse

Let’s talk tools. This is a topic I like and know quite well. I recently tried T-PRO’s Slik Stik Mini ($19.99 @ amazon.com) with tourmaline nano ceramic technology. This little straightening iron heats up to 400 degrees in three minutes. It even comes with a glove to protect your hand from the heat and a storage pouch. How does it work? Flawlessly. It straightens just as well as its big sister but what I like most about is that it’s really light and easy to maneuver. I love this baby! As far as hair types it will work well on, it gets pretty hot so those with thick or curly hair will probably fair well with this one. Since there is no way to control how hot it gets, you might want to opt out of this one if you have fine hair.

Styling Made Easy

I swear I'm hair product challenged. Even when I make an effort to use the smallest amount of something, it ends up being too much and then I have greasy spots on my head. When I find a product I like and learn how to use it, in my head, I’m onto the next one to conquer my next hair concern. I feel that since I have this one product down, I assume the best for every hair product I come across. This works for about 1 out of every 50 and remember this is styling products. Shampoos and conditioners I am pretty good at choosing. Some of these hair styling products should be by prescription only, but then again I guess they are since some of them are only sold in solons. I gotta find me a class or something – hair styling 101.

Like when it comes to makeup, the tools you use to style your hair to get the right “application” are just as important as the above products you put it in. So bless their little hearts over at SPORNETTE. They make it so even the hair novice like me can style their hair somewhat presentable. I am really into their collection of Pronto Hair Brushes ($10.99-$12.99/1 ½” to 3” barrels @ folica.com) right now. Here are the features:

• barrel is concave so the hair stays on the brush
• barrel is ceramic so hair dries fast
• bristles are Tourmaline and Nano Silver

What I also like about these brushes is that the bristles are spaced further apart than a boars hairbrush. It is so much easier for me to grab a section of hair and wrap it around the brush whilst drying it. If I can’t seem to always figure out the styling products, at least I can get the tool part down. 

Time For A Change

Oh how I love a good hairbrush. And like the toothbrush, I sometimes become a nester in that I don’t notice when I need to replace it. So here’s a reminder for both of us! OLiViA GARDEN Healthy Hair HH-3 Ionic Massage Hair Brush ($10.75 @ aveyou.com) has a natural bamboo handle with an ionic cushion. The bristles are wood so unlike plastic bristles, you don’t have to worry about them breaking and actually damaging your hair. And this one makes for a great scalp massager!

Put Dye In Its Place

If you color your hair at home, then this is a must have. So do yourself a favor and have REPELLE Skin Shield Wand on hand next time you dye. Just run this stick along your hairline and around ears and presto, no stains on your skin! $4.99 @ walgreens.com

You Read It Here First!

As soon as I get home in the evening and know I’m in for the night, I immediately put back the hair and put on the PJs. Using a headband and then pulling the rest into a ponytail is not the most comfortable but it does get the hair off my face. Now I am happy to say I’ve found something better and we’re happy to make their Internet introduction. The TASSI ($14.99 @ tassicompany.com) headwrap will become the only way to comfortably get your hair off your face and neck.

There’s only a two beauty conventions I go to every year looking for the latest debuting on the beauty scene and this was one of the most useful ones I came across. Put the stretch terry cloth band over your head, pull hair through, push it up into the front like a headband and then pull the back up to catch the back of your hair. It’s the most comfortable thing to wear on your head! Use it for everything: getting a facial, putting on makeup, while tanning, showering. Basically anywhere you need to get your hair outta the way. Available in 8 fun colors! Big recommendation.

Stylin' Locks

SPORNETTE makes some of my favorite brushes. Their new collection of Coco Tourmaline Nylon and Boar Bristle brushes do double duty. The nylon tourmaline tips on the boar bristles make for excellent styling while it conditions your hair at the same time. The ceramic barrel speeds up the drying time! They named the collection Coco after the pretty chocolate brown barrel. It comes in 3 sizes: 2” diameter #1500/$13.99, 2-1/4” diameter #1505/$14.99 and 3” diameter #1510/ $15.99 @ metrobeauty.com ~Lisa

I Must, I Must, I Must Increase My Brush

Having long hair, I find that I need to use quite a few different brushes to accomplish the final look. Never in a million years did I think I would find something like this next product. ALTiMUS HAIR SYSTEMS is an interchangeable hairbrush, as in, you can make 27 different hairbrushes using one handle. How exciting! And the quality? These are professional grade brushes you would find in the salons. The handle is ergonomically designed so it’s really comfortable. Some of the brush attachments are the Large Flat Boar, Large Round Boar, Large Vent, Small Round Boar, Large Round Concave, Flat Boar & Nylon with Balls, just to name a few. And the attachments are not only really easy to slip on but they stay put until you want to change it out. There are a few different packs you can buy but the Deluxe System at only $49.95 seems like the best value. Never again will I have to search through my brushes to find the right one! Read more @ altimushairsystems.com

A Little Wonder That's A Hair Saver

Combs are ok at it and brushes never seem to work right unless you are a pro. SPORNETTE Little Wonder #111 ($4 @ spornette.com or 800-323-6449) really aids in the teasing and back-brushing department. The Tourmaline enhanced nylon and pure boar’s bristles are about ¾” wide and the handle is long so you have a lot of control when styling.