I’m a pretty easygoing person – as long as I’ve washed and styled my hair for the day. It’s an essential part of my morning routine, without which I’m mentally useless, so I was pretty excited to see which hair tools stylists can’t live without. As a girl who’s stuffed five brushes, a blow dryer, some sectioning clips, and a one-inch iron into every overnight bag I’ve ever packed, I have a lot of respect for those who have mastered the best styling tools, especially the pro tools that hair stylists swear by. That’s why I reached out to handful of great hair stylists, and they were more than willing to share which hair essentials they absolutely need in front of their mirrors during the work day.
Here’s my general takeaway after having talked to these professionals: the basics are simply imperative. Fancy inventions and innovative tools are one thing, but when it really comes down it, getting a sleek, professional look is all about having a dependable brush, a great blow dryer, some sectioning clips, and maybe an iron. The trick, then, becomes finding ones that are super high quality and get the job done without headaches, hassle, or hair damage. Check out these top hair stylist picks for great tools that they simply cannot live without.
1. Style Hair To A Smooth Finish With Premium Boar Bristles
Mason Pearson Hair Brush , $105, Amazon
“Since straight sexy hair is coming back and beach waves are still very popular, the one hair tool that I'm always resorting to is my
Mason Pearson hair brush,” says Steven DeCarlo, Senior Stylist at Mizu New York Salon. “I love using my Mason because I can get hair super sexy-straight and smooth without any frizz and lots of shine! It’s the first brush I grab!” DeCarlo blow dries his clients smooth using this brush, which uses premium-grade boar bristles that distribute the natural oils and improve scalp circulation during styling.
2. Dry Hair Quickly While Adding Shine And Volume
Harry Josh Pro Dryer 2000 , $335, Amazon
According to Glenn Ellis, hair stylist and Keratin specialist at Marie Robinson Salon, "The Harry Josh Blow Dryer is a must-have in my kit because it dries hair fast, and also adds shine and volume with no struggle. It’s perfect for the girls that want ‘city swept’ hair in a time crunch.” It has an extra-wide nozzle to increase air flow, as well as eight different heat and ion settings to personalize your hair-drying experience.
3. Check Out This Lightweight And Balanced Styling Brush
Ibiza Blonde Boar Round Brush , $47, Amazon
According to Julia Kim, Hair Stylist at Marie Robinson Salon, “I cannot live without the blonde bristle Ibiza round brush in large size. It’s great for long lengths — blonde bristles give the perfect amount of tension to detangle as it smooths, plus gives body and natural movement.” People love it because the handle is made of cork, so it’s especially lightweight, and because it’s well-balanced and made with reinforced boar bristles, it’s exceptionally easy to use while styling.
4. Keep Sectioned Hair Out Of The Way For Hassle-Free Styling
Marianna Single Prong Curl Clips , $7, Amazon
Another favorite from Julia Kim: “Single prong pin curl clips. They’re the best for a lightweight grasp to hold a set look without the fullness collapsing." This set of 80 Marianna single prong curl clips glide through the hair without causing crimps or breakage, and they’ve got such rave reviews because they’re strong, made from durable metal, and make it easy to section hair while drying.
5. This Small Dryer Packs A Punch
Sedu Revolution Pro Tourmaline Ionic 4000i Hair Dryer , $200, Amazon
"I always come back to the Sedu 4000i blow dryer,” says Nicole Perteet, Hair Stylist at Marie Robinson Salon. “The Sedu is smaller than most dryers making it easier to travel with, but don't be fooled by its size — it still packs a punch. Because of its high drying power and ionic charge, hair blows out quickly and smoothly with fullness and shine, resulting in a longer lasting blow-dry.” This one also comes with a cold button that actually works, so you can “smooth down the cuticle on unwanted fly-aways after blow drying or all over for a more tousled look.”
6. Create Any Look You Want With One Tool
GHD Pastel Classic Flat Iron, $150, Amazon
According to Judy McGuinness, senior stylist at Mizu New York Salon, “My must-have tool is my GHD flat iron. It can create pretty much any texture I want, from sleek and smooth to wild waves! I use it in the salon for more wearable looks but also on set to create more creative runway looks.” This one comes in an adorable pastel color, and it’s got a durable but light body, contoured plates that glide through hair, and a rounded body that makes it easy to create curls and waves, too.
7. Effortlessly Add Volume, Waves, And Curls
Sedu Revolution 1" Clipless Curling Iron , $126, Amazon
"The Sedu curling wand is perfect for a gal on the go to get a wave in their hair,” says stylist Glenn Ellis. “I use it on clients after drying their hair with my Harry Josh Blow Dryer. The wand is extremely versatile, not just because the wand comes with adjustable sizes, but it’s great for polishing a client’s natural curl/wave. The wand is also great to polish hair after rough drying.” This one comes with a heat-resistant glove, advanced heating technology to evenly style each curl, and a built-in kickstand to keep your counter safe.
8 & 9. Detangle Any Kind Of Hair Without Hassle
Wet Brush Detangler , $10, Amazon; Shu Uemura Wonder Worker , $42, Amazon
Two more must-haves for stylist Glenn Ellis: "The Wet Brush is a LIFE saver, especially for clients that have extremely tangled hair. It's super soft and doesn't pull hair when you detangle.” It’s made for any type of hair, wet or dry, and it seriously minimizes damage in the process. “I love spraying Shu Uemura Wonder Worker to soften up the hair before detangling,” says Ellis. “The brush is super inexpensive and the spray is the most effective de-tangler I’ve ever used.”
Images: Fotolia (1); Amazon (9)
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