If you’ve ever grappled with an unwieldy hairdryer and brush in the pursuit of a salon-finish at home, only to find the result distinctly flat, you’d be forgiven for blaming your tools.
There’s a multitude of styling devices on the market, from premium dryers to miracle tongs, and it can be difficult to know what actually delivers. As for all those TikTok #hairhacks? “Please don’t tie a towelling belt in your hair and expect it to curl properly,” says Charlotte Mensah, hair stylist and founder of Hair Lounge, which counts Zadie Smith and Michaela Coel among its clients.
Whatever your hair type, the focus should be on tools that offer longevity and flexibility, according to Anna Baker, senior stylist at Errol Douglas Hair Salon. “If we’re investing in a tool as professionals, we’re using it seven days a week for nine hours a day – if it lasts us two years, it should last consumers five,” she says.
With that in mind, we asked six of the UK’s top hair stylists for their favourite tools – and the things on which they wouldn’t waste their money.
Jumbo waver
Many people with long hair struggle to create texture or a beach wave at home, but you can’t go wrong with the Beauty Works Jumbo Waver. The triple-barrel tongs are large, so you get a loose wave – we don’t want an 80s crimp! For a natural wave, I gently kiss the root of the hair with the tool, then apply more pressure as I pull it down to the ends. Whenever I do Shakira’s hair, it’s my go-to for her soft wave.
Beauty Works Jumbo Waver, £70
beautyworksonline.com
Mermade Hair Pro Waver 32mm, £54.95
beautybay.com
Hot brush
If you find blow-drying fiddly, or holding a heavy hairdryer makes your arms go dead, invest in a hot brush, especially if you travel a lot. I like the ghd Glide, and the Shark SmoothStyle is good value for money. The hairdryer is attached to the brush so you can use one tool to achieve several looks, from volume and movement to flicks and straightening. Always dry the hair by 80% first and divide it in 2in sections, starting at the nape and working upwards.
ghd Glide professional hot brush, £179
lookfantastic.com
Shark SmoothStyle hot brush, £79.99
cultbeauty.co.uk
Don’t bother with …
I’m not sure you need to spend £500 on a hairdryer. I’d go with a medium price point for something that will give you the same results and last. Also, don’t bother with those dual styling products that promise to dry your hair from wet and straighten it at the same time. You get a much better result if you blast your hair with a dryer then go in with a straightening iron. Liam Curran, hair stylist and groomer whose clients include Sienna Miller, Cara Delevingne and Ed Sheeran
Paddle brush
A good paddle brush is excellent for untangling hair. Get one that doesn’t have the bobbles on the end of the pins because when you’ve got curly, thick hair, these pull the hair out. Denman’s D38 detangling and styling paddle has a great handle for better control and long prongs that glide through the hair without snagging.
Denman D38 paddle brush, £16
debenhams.com
amazon.co.uk
Tail comb
We all talk about side, middle and deep-side parts, and you need a thin tail comb, or pin-tail comb, to get that precision parting and nice, clean sections. I’m quite old-school and I love Pro Tip for a good selection of combs.
Pro Tip 03 tail comb, £1.72
astonandfincher.co.uk
£2.49
sallybeauty.co.uk
Don’t bother with …
Those straighteners that can supposedly dry and straighten your hair at the same time. They’re unnecessary, damaging and expensive. I have women coming to me with frizzy, broken hair caused by these and it’s difficult to repair. Those tools should be put in the bin. Charlotte Mensah, hair stylist, founder of Hair Lounge and author of Good Hair: The Essential Guide to Afro, Textured and Curly Hair
Curling tongs
The ghd Curve Soft curl tong is a classic. I use the 32mm, a medium-large barrel that gives an effortless, undone look that’s not too big and bouncy – you can just rake your fingers through to soften. Always take medium sections and keep the tong vertical, winding it upwards for a loose, spiral drop, rather than the traditional way of getting the curling tong on its side and winding the hair around it. The beauty of this tong is it has safety features, so there’s no risk of burning your carpet if you leave it on!
ghd Curve Soft curl tong, £159
ghdhair.com
cultbeauty.co.uk
I always carry the Babyliss Pro Dial-A-Heat curling tong. It’s heat-adjustable, so ideal for delicate, super-fine hair. It’s also great for styling extensions, ponytail pieces or full wigs – you don’t want to push a lot of intense heat through fibre hair and risk melting it. Because it’s fully adjustable, you can dial it down to refine the shape or style you created the night before.
Babyliss Pro Dial-A-Heat curling tong, £27.95
justmylook.com
£31.27
amazon.co.uk
Velcro rollers
We’re seeing a lot of fringes in exaggerated shapes, but to avoid having to blow dry it every day, invest in medium-sized Velcro rollers. Use one or two on dry hair, rolling it through your fringe backwards away from your face, adding a little hairspray and leaving for 10 minutes. This will give you a beautiful centre-parted fringe that sits curved away from the cheekbones. You can also use the rollers on the crown for an instant lift when you don’t want to wash and blow dry your hair.
Medium Velcro rollers, £4 for six
superdrug.com
Velcro rollers, £8.99 for 32
amazon.co.uk
Detangling brush
I would never be without a Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Detangler hairbrush. It has a good handle and is fantastic for brushing through curly, multitexture or afro hair to detangle and avoid matting before shampooing. Tangle Teezers come in every shape and size, from handbag to paddle brush, so they’re good for all hair textures. They don’t cause static like a lot of other handbag brushes.
Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Detangler hairbrush, £13
sephora.co.uk
£11.09
amazon.co.uk
Don’t bother with …
Hairbands that have a metal clasp. The metal repeatedly drags along the hair shaft and can cause breakage, especially when the hair is wet. Always go for a full-fabric hairband – I’m a 90s girl and you can’t go wrong with a scrunchie! Anna Baker, senior stylist at Errol Douglas
Silk bonnets
Everybody knows about silk pillowcases, but silk bonnets, traditionally used for afro and textured hair, are slightly elasticated and big enough to sit over the entire hair. They reduce the risk of tangles and frizz on all hair textures, so add them to your night-time routine to protect the polish of your hair while you sleep and minimise the need for additional heat styling the next day.
Silke hair wrap, £50
silkehairlondon.com
lookfantastic.com
Smart hairdryer
I’m careful when recommending heat products, but the Dyson Supersonic Nural hairdryer has light technology that measures the scalp temperature, making it difficult to overheat your hair. The attachments snap off magnetically and cover every hair type, from a comb that stretches out tight afro hair to diffusers for wavy and curly hair. I usually modify the heat and speed depending on the attachment I’m using, but this has a chip that remembers the settings for each and auto changes the settings, effectively giving you a hairdresser’s brain at home.
Dyson Supersonic Nural hairdryer, £399.99
dyson.co.uk
boots.com
Olive wood brush
The Altesse gentle detangling brush has been part of my kit since last year. It’s made from solid olive wood, and each piece is a lifelong investment. It looks old-school but comes in a modern travel case. The natural boar bristles and cushion are gentle against the scalp, stimulating blood flow and distributing natural oils without damaging the hair like other brushes can.
Altesse Beaute gentle detangling hairbrush, £210
beautyeditmayfair.com
thefrenchpharmacy.com
Don’t bother with …
I see those bottles with comb attachments used to oil the scalp all over TikTok. They encourage people to mix their own oils or use essential oils, but these can be too strong, blocking the pores on the scalp or unbalancing the scalp microbiome. You could be doing more harm than good. Tom Smith, hair stylist and trend forecaster
Hair straighteners
The ghd Chronos styler is the most used tool in my kit because it’s easy to work with and super versatile. You can create a sleek and shiny look, glamorous curls or beachy waves just by switching up your technique. The tool also operates at the ideal styling temperature of 185C, which is great for maintaining hair health.
ghd Chronos straighteners, £289
ghdhair.com
amazon.co.uk
Don’t bother with …
Personally, I’ve never used a single-use diffuser. I’m not sure why anyone would buy one over a hairdryer with a diffuser nozzle. A pro hairdryer gives you so much more flexibility and range to style your hair regardless of the hair type. Andrew Dylan, London-based hair stylist
Beard trimmer
I always have a Braun Series 9 beard trimmer when travelling or going to clients’ houses; it does everything in one tool. The clippers have loads of attachments: a stencil, a detailer, a mini tool for nose, ears and eyebrows, and one for larger volumes of hair. It also comes with a ruler stencil that’s curved to follow your cheekbones and help get that barber finish. It’s amazing how many men shave their sideburns and facial hair by feeling – always use a mirror, take a little bit off at a time and start on your stronger side.
Braun Series 9 beard trimmer, £79.99
braunshop.co.uk
£119.99
boots.com
Low-temperature straighteners for styling
Hairdryers often get hotter than straighteners, and you can do more damage going over the same piece of hair with a dryer and metal brush. I use the Dyson Corrale straightener because it gives you the option to play with heat and you can use it on the cooler side for subtle styling like a bevelled fringe.
Dyson Corrale straighteners, £399.99
dyson.co.uk
johnlewis.com
Texturising scissors
If you’re cutting a fringe, use texturising scissors to go over the same area a few times. This will give you a serrated edge that will hide a multitude of sins, give a softer result and make it much easier to blend. Hair that’s cut too blunt doesn’t move as nicely, and these scissors fast-forward you through that two-week period of hating your fresh style. A top tip for cutting a fringe at home is to never go as short as your hairdresser does: you’ll always need extra length to be able to visually match it up afterwards.
Yasaka 20 teeth thinning scissor 6in, £219.96
chrisandsons.co.uk
£202.80
directhairdressingscissors
Don’t bother with …
I don’t use any crimpers or crimping irons. You get a much more organic finish with a straightening iron, or by braiding the hair and ironing over the braid for a beautiful, beachy finish than anything too done. Pete Burkill, hairdresser and master stylist at Josh Wood
