Technique Review: Round Brush Blow-Out

Hair by Benita Blocker. To achieve this sleek look, I blow dried the hair with a round brush. NO FLAT IRON. NO CURLING IRON. Round Brush only. Then sprayed some Aquage's Beyond Shine spray on it to tame some minor flyaways.

It is important to know that you need a hair dryer/ blow dryer with some serious wind velocity as well as some heat. The FHI Heat Nano Salon Pro 2000 was used to complete this job. This particular hair dryer features Low EMF. Please see my separate article on the topic of EMF.

I have featured other blow dryers on this blog. (Turbo Power, SuperSolano,and more) Please check out other blow dryer tool reviews on this blog. $150 for a good blow dryer is reasonable. You should get years of usage from it. However, if you spend only $40 on a hair dryer, you may get a year of usage out of it. If you spend at least $80 or more on a blowdryer, then more than likely it may have enough power to complete a round brush styling and get you past a year.

Your round brush styling does require skill in picking out the correct round brush for the job. Pictured is a Marilyn round brush with nylon bristles mixed with boar bristles. The nylon bristles hold heat and are designed for coarser; yet non-porous hair. I picked this round brush to complete this styling because the mannequin has coarse hair with tightly closed cuticles. For finer hair or porous hair, you may use an all boar bristle brush or a paddle brush.

Remember to rough dry each section to get excess water out of the hair before you start applying a lot of tension. Also, to determine if it is the right brush to use, please see how smoothly the brush slides through the hair without a blow dryer first. If it is snagging the hair, then it is the wrong brush. Also, the shorter the bristles are on a brush, then the less likely to get the brush tangled in the hair.

Comparing FHI Heat Iron Literature: Old and New!

As discussed in a separate article in this blog, notice the temperature warnings for fine and chemically-treated hair? In this newer literature, the warning is at the beginning of the paragraph, right? Reminder: Chemically-treated means color treated or relaxed, etc.
This is a picture of older FHI Heat Literature. Look at the "Temperature Settings" paragraph. Notice the same warning? Notice that in this older literature, the fine and chemically-treated hair warning was in the middle of the paragraph? So the newer literature pictured above emphasizes their warning about the dangers to fine and chemically-treated hair by moving the statement to the first sentence. Were they becoming aware of the damage that was happening?
Look at item number 6. Notice that instructions say hair should glide through iron without pulling nor gripping? If you have curly hair, you are more than likely shutting the iron tight trying to get the curl out? If you are already straight and just want to control some frizz, then a lower temperature, some flat iron serum and a simple pass should do the trick. But for curly hair and fine hair, why spend over $100 for a hot tool that is not designed with the health of your hair in mind?

Ionic Flat Iron Literature Review: FHI Heat, Croc, Chi

FHI Heat's most recent literature now reads "fine and chemically treated hair" should only use the lowest settings. So why pay $200 to $375 for a flat iron that only should be used at low temperature settings? Chemically treated means "permanently colored" or "relaxed" hair or possibly "permanently straightened" hair i.e. Japanese straighteners. Also, sometimes fine hair with texture in it needs some higher temperatures to smooth out, but using this particular technology based on the warnings may not a good option. Please see my article(s) on "direct heat" technology that has been around for generations.
This Croc iron had a lot of fine print. I tried to focus on two of the most interesting warning statements.
Look at second paragraph after PRECAUTION and the five lines down. It says "not to be used within five to six weeks after perming or tinting." That sounds like "chemically treated hair" should beware. This is the brand "Croc" literature. Please see my article(s) on "direct heat" as a hair solution option.
Now, look at second paragraph PRECAUTION and four lines down. It says "not to use with anyone who has had allergic reactions to straightening solutions or cosmetic products." Is it possible that the emissions from the iron could trigger an allergic reaction? Again, this is the brand "Croc" literature.
This Chi Turbo literature line item #8 mentions not to operate the iron where oxygen is administered. This may be a common warning for all hot tools . . . curling irons included. It is good to revisit the topic.

So after my attendance to countless trade shows, hair shows, and hair classes, the platform artists showcase "a show" . . . with new style and energy without mentioning any "fine print." Read your hair tools' literature. If the literature is old, then go to the store and look at the newest literature on the same brand. It should have the most accurate warnings. Remember ionic flat irons are only 10 years old or less. Just like most technological advances, it takes years to get it ready for offering to the general public, and it takes even a few more years to fully perfect. A great example is the laser eye correction. That procedure has come a long way within 15 years.