Are You Making These Common Hair Mistakes With Your Hot Tools? Here’s What to Do
Whether you're regularly using curling irons and wands, blow dryers or flat irons, you might be doing some major damage to your hair without even realizing it.
While all of these tools can help you accomplish flawless daily looks, over time, they can result in brittle, dull hair if you don't take the proper precautions. Of course, there are steps you can take to prevent this—and even special tools, such as those from KOSA Professionals, are designed specifically to minimize damage.
But what exactly are those steps, and how can you avoid further damage? We got the opportunity to chat with Yummie O, CEO and founder of KOSA Professionals, to find out how to properly protect your hair, and why doing so is so important.
Sweety High: What would you say are the biggest mistakes people make when using heat tools for their hair?
Yummie O: Some of the biggest mistakes that people make when using heat tools is setting the temperature too high, which can cause damage to the hair, and not blow-drying hair completely before using a flat iron or curling iron. This is very important to maintain the integrity of the hair. Also, always use a heat protectant.
SH: How can we know whether we're applying too much or too little heat?
YO: A good indicator of when you are applying too much heat is when hair begins to become dry and brittle over time and will not easily revert back to its natural pattern as it has before. We suggest never using above 350° on natural hair and always using a heat protectant. A good indicator of when you are applying too little heat is you will know because your hair will not perform completely as desired during use.
SH: Is there a maximum time you should hold a heat tool in one place when styling?
YO: It is suggested that the less amount of time, the better. For example, one pass with a flat iron, blow dryer or curling iron. The least amount of passes on the hair strands, the better. This is why it is important to use tools that specialize in one pass.
SH: What are some of the most misused heat tools?
YO: Some of the most misused heat tools have to be blow dryers. It is well known that the blow dryer can be used for loosely drying your hair. Most people do not know that you can add attachments such as a concentrator for isolating sections of your hair to provide direct access. Another attachment used is a diffuser and it is perfect for curly girls. A diffuser is a large plastic dish that has small nozzles on the inside. When attached to the blow dryer, the diffuser streams air through the nozzles and circulates through the curls to create a more defined curl or wave pattern. Blow dryers are rarely utilized to their full potential.
SH: Are there certain tools that are no-nos for certain kinds of hair? If so, what tools, and for what hair types?
YO: There are not certain hair tools that are a "no-no" for certain kinds of hair. However, it is important to remember that not all tools are created equal. It is important to use professional-grade heat tools to help maintain the integrity of your hair.
SH: What types of products do you recommend for protecting hair with heat tools? What types of products might actually be damaging?
YO: In order to protect your hair while using heat tools, you should always use a heat protectant on your hair to avoid damage. It is important that this is a light serum or spray.
SH: How do KOSA Professionals tools protect hair from heat damage?
YO: To protect from heat damage, KOSA Professionals straighteners and blow dryers use infrared technology that releases negative ions to straighten hair. The negative ions help to preserve the natural hair oil, which then preserves the hair from getting frizzy or damaged. Additionally, our blow dryers have three different heat settings and three attachments that help evenly distribute heat through hair.
SH: Is there anything else you would like to add on the subject?
YO: We just released a new heat tool, the KOSA Elite 1/2" Infrared Styler. This is perfect for edges or tough areas with a 1″ or larger iron.
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