A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Following on from Saturday’s “I want a perm!” declaration, I thought I’d let you know what prompted this revelation. I used a styling wand! And not just any old styling wand but one that is generally considered a bit of a posh styling wand, the Cloud Nine version.

It’s a bit of a chunky beast with a large tapered barrel and a heavy-duty, solid handle.

The wand comes complete with a protective sheath that slides over the heated barrel and protects fingers/surfaces from burns and damage when the tool isn’t in use. The Cloud Nine The Wand certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted (or weak-wristed), it quite heavy and takes a little practice to wield comfortably. I don’t mind admitting that it took not one, but two ear burns (matching) before I realised that at least one secret can be found in a simple solution: for the love of God, do not move or angle the tool once it’s cms from your skin, move the hair. MOVE THE HAIR, NOT THE TOOL. Are we clear on this? Good.

The tapered barrel allows for a good amount of volume at the root of the hair, and as you wind the hair toward the tip of the barrel, the curl will become tighter.

The controls are simple and easy to master, the wand gives you complete control over the temperature you’re using, which is great for anyone whose hair frazzles at standard settings. My fine hair generally responds pretty well at low temperatures, so for obvious reasons, I’m relieved that The Wand (like their straighteners) gives me the option to turn down the heat. If you’ve got coarse hair, by all means… crank that baby up.

The Cloud Nine wand also comes complete with a heat-resistant glove, this took away THE FEAR and ensured that I could wind each lock around the barrel right to the tip, there were no straggly straight bits for me! Plus, just having one glove in your possession is total justification for trying out any Michael Jackson impressions that you’ve been secretly stifling over the past 31 years. Not that I did any. Ow!

Cloud Nine are currently campaigning for women to be kinder to their hair by having “off” days. I have plenty of “off” days but after reading the press release, I realised that weren’t thinking along the same lines. According to Cloud Nine, you can treat your hair without compromising on style simply by rethinking your “2nd day” look. An example of this would be curling your hair on day 1, wearing the curls to their full-potential before using day 2 to be kind to your hair, leave the heated tools on the dressing table and simply wearing your hair in a half up/half down style with loose waves (the remainder of day 1’s curls) keeping you looking stylish.

It’s a bit bloody obvious isn’t it… but I get what they’re saying…

So anyway, onto my before and after… here’s my hair in all its uber flat, just washed and dried glory. Boring.

I honestly thought it would take longer to style, I kept asking Mr. L whether I’d missed a chunk at the back because it took me less than 10 minutes to curl and achieve this…

The above photo shows the curls before I’d separated them with my fingers. I was a little haphazard because I wanted to accurately reflect how I’d use the tool.

I’m not the kind of girl who has the patience to part her hair in a thousand different directions, pinning each section up and spritzing with heat defence. I’m the kind of girl who sprays half a bottle of heat defence, brushes it through, before randomly taking sections (that may or may not be completely different sizes) and curls. That’s me. I’m a crapiologist, and this still came out looking good.

So there you have it, I really like this… for one major reason. I could achieve proper curls a couple of times a week without wanting to gauge my eyes out in frustration. I’m not a hair person, I’m rarely happy with my hair but I hate fussing even more. So much so… that I’m already contemplating a one-off perm so that my hair can look like the above without me doing ANYTHING at all. Except, I know that it won’t work out like that and I’ll emerge from the salon looking like little orphan Annie, so as an alternative to not having to do anything at all, the Cloud Nine wand has proven itself to be a genuine solution to achieving great curls with the least amount of fuss, even on low heat.

Now as for that 2nd day hair… well, I could have done half-up/half-down, but that’s how I wore my hair to school, so screw you 2nd day hair. Instead, I cheated and used an old-skool setting lotion. Take that! No waves for me, these curls lasted until I had to wash the buggers out ha!

Cloud Nine’s The Wand is currently £20 off the usual RRP, priced at £99.95 and available to buy online from cloudninehair.com

* press sample

en·rap·ture

verb /enˈrapCHər/

Give intense pleasure or joy to

Three new styling tools designed to give a variety of curls, waves and va-va-voom to your locks.  The new Enrapture range isn’t about the everyday, roll out of bed and make yourself look presentable.  The tools have been designed for when “everyday hair just isn’t enough”.

But what does that marketing guff actually mean?  Well, it means that this trio of hair styling tools has been created for those times when you want extra-special hair, going-out hair, sex-kitten hair (ok, I made that last one up) – you see what I’m getting at?  I wouldn’t use these on my hair before heading down to Lidl on a Friday morning because a).  By the time I’d mastered my ‘do’ the shop would be shut and b).  I might get chatted up by ‘Art’ the fruit n’ veg guy.

The tools in the range include:

Encode Totem Styler – A curling wand with a teeny flipper and independent heat zones to customize your curl.

Amplify Jumbo Waver – A waver with bigger-than-normal barrels to create beachy hair.

Extremity Heated Rollers – Heated rollers with the ability to heat hair from BOTH sides of the curl.

I’ll be reviewing all three tools but initially I want to show you the Encode Totem Styler* which at first glance looks rather complicated.

It’s basically a curling wand with the addition of a flipper (which you can choose to use or ignore) and three individually heated zones on the barrel that will heat to a temperature of your choosing.  The point of this is to give you the option to customise your curl.  Do you want a looser wave near the scalp getting tighter toward the end?  You need to dial in a 1-2-3 (1 being the lowest heat setting).

The styler incorporates a 25mm, titanium-plated barrel that ensures a fast heat-up and snag-free styling.  I did find the ‘cool-tip’ to be a little uncomfortably warm after around 10 minutes of styling, so that’s something I’d like to see improved in future versions but I can’t say I had any other ‘technical’ problems relating to the tool’s build quality.

The styler is light enough to hold comfortably for long periods of time and once you become accustomed to the way the coding system works, it’s all rather intuitive.

I can see a Facebook group in the company’s future, asking their fans to unlock their ‘codes’ and share their hair results with other users.  “Hey, check out my hair – I’m a 2-2-3!” etc. etc. – It’s a neat idea and whilst it could be a little gimmicky if it didn’t actually work, the whole independent heat zones provides tangible results so I’m not complaining.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if the styler came with 2 extra pairs of hands?

Well, I tried to recreate the Katie Melua-esque (in my dreams) curls that I was given at the launch event in the (dis)comfort of my own bedroom and for a novice,  I didn’t do too badly!  Sure, I may have given myself a minor scorching on the wrist but I’m not used to these wand things!

I’m looking forward to trying out some more coding combinations for different effects (the above was 1-2-3, loose-med-tight), I wanna know what a 2-3-2 would turn out like… it sounds weird in theory!

The Enrapture Encode Totem Styler is set to launch this month into all major retailers (Boots, Argos, Debenhams etc.) with an RRP of £74.99 (ouch) – for more information, check out www.enrapturehair.com or talk to the hair gurus on Facebook or Twitter

It’s all about big hair this year isn’t it?!  Do you curl your hair for special occasions?

* press sample

Just as the waves tumble onto the shore, I want my waves to tumble onto my shoulders.  Defined, smooth and shiny.  I want beach-beautiful locks (minus the sand).  A bit of sunshine would be nice too!

Babyliss Wave Envy promises just this, well… not the sunshine but beachy waves that last!  Never you mind what the shipping forecast says, I wanna look like I’ve just stepped from the Atlantic dunes at La Tranche Sur Mer.

The Babyliss Wave Envy is designed to clamp your hair between the barrels for a few seconds before releasing into a perfectly formed wave.  You then move the entire unit down to the end of that formed wave and clamp again… repeating until you reach the tips of your hair.  It actually works very well and my fairly fine hair was fully (if not expertly) ‘waved’ within 15 minutes.

The Babyliss Wave Envy features:

~ A top temperature of 200°c
~ Three heat settings for different hair types
~ Ultra-fast heat up
~ Ceramic plate and barrels
~ 2.5m salon style swivel cord
~ Cool tip for safety and ease of use
~ Heat protection mat
~ 3 Year Guarantee

It is indeed very easy to use, I’m someone that has never been able to curl their hair very succesfully with straighteners but this makes it a doddle albeit in a very different style.  On my hair, it doesn’t really look that beachy… I’d describe it more like a bohemian, almost hippy-like wave.  I think I should go get some big flowers to stick in it.

The unit is light to hold, easy to wield despite its cumbersome appearance and didn’t make my arms ache during use.  I was able to wave all sections without swearing and didn’t burn my fingers/ears/head once.

My personal preference is to ‘wave’ my hair with this tool and then wear it up in a loose bun with various bits falling and looking all tousled.  In honesty, I would prefer to see slightly larger barrels than are present on the Babyliss Wave Envy… a personal preference for my tastes would be for a looser, less crimped-looking wave.  But I’m sure there are just as many who will love this more boho-chic look.

It is perfect for summer and it also holds amazingly well on my hair which usually repels all curl.  The photos above were taken around 4 hours after waving with just a v. small amount of hairspray and no pre-styling products used.

The BaByliss Wave Envy retails at £50 and is available from Boots, Argos, Tesco Direct and Amazon.

* press sample

Click the image to go to the deal…

The smaller barrel size is the same price… I don’t know if these ones are much cop (they get good reviews on Amazon), but it seemed like a decent deal with free delivery if anyone’s on the lookout for a conical wand.  I know I am, but I’m not sure if my hair is a touch short for them…. I don’t wanna look like a moon faced Orphan Annie wannabe.

Deal or no deal?

EGO Professional are a haircare company that manufacturer a number of styling tools including: 2 types of straighteners, curling tongs and a hairdryer.  I had the opportunity to try a set of their hair straighteners for potential review, and I have been putting them to the test throughout December.

Back in November, I tried the Cloud 9 straighteners, and whilst I was very pleased with their performance at lower temperatures… I was concerned that they tugged a little more than I had expected.

I was curious to see how these EGO Professional Hair Straighteners compared as they are both marketed as salon quality irons, both with a RRP of over £100.

The packaging is simple, a blackened red box housed in a plain white cardboard sleeve, it simply doesn’t have the ‘kerb’ appeal that the Cloud 9’s had with all that sleek black and turquoise.

A few things about these irons from the “blurb”:

Take statement styling to a whole new level with Ego 1″ irons. Featuring fully adjustable heat settings, a polished exterior and ribbed outer body, these fabulous irons utilise heat boost technology to deliver a consistent, optimum temperature in seconds. Whether you want to simply straighten or create amazing waves and curls, all the inspiration you need is now in your hands.

Let’s take a closer look at the irons…

I was a little confused by all that ribbing.  I’m used to sleek smooth barrels for optimum curling, and I even commented to their PR that I didn’t understand how the ribbing could help create curls at all.  Reflecting on my comment… I think that I was hoping that it might lay a foundation and soften the negative review I was sure would transpire after attempting curling.

As you can see, the ribbing covers the whole of the barrel from the tip to the base of the ceramic plates.

The controls are very simple, comprising of two features.  An on/off switch and a dial which controls the temperature of the irons.  Disappointingly simple really when compared to the Cloud 9’s flash LED enhanced interface.  It took a little more “peering” to ensure that I had selected my desired temperature setting.  Not generally a problem, but in the dark winter I did have to angle the straighteners towards the window to get the light to fall on them so I could tell how hot I’d set them.  I’m being finickity, but it made me appreciate that sleek interface of those Cloud 9s. 1-0 to the Cloud 9s.

Back to the design of the Big Ego Hair Straighteners, I captured some close ups of various aspects of the tools…

The barrel is a matte red, unisex in appearance and not smooth or at all ‘silky’ to the touch.

The Big EGO Hair Straighteners boast ceramic 1″ plates, overall build quality is very solid and not at all flimsy to the touch.  They heat up in a matter of seconds, easily as fast as the Cloud 9’s leaving me barely enough time to spritz my hair with my chosen heat defence spray!

The power cord (at 10ft) is more than long enough to allow for a great reach and the swivel connector ensures that you can use them without having to contort your arms into weird and wonderful positions.

Slightly more important than the swivel connector though, is the glide.  Oh god, do they glide? Swish! Straight down the hair shaft without a single pull or tug… Ah-mazing.  I’ve tried with dry hair and damp hair and I simply cannot make these babies give my hair a yank.  Smooth as silk.  1-1, that’s a tie folks!

But how does they perform?

Here’s the obligatory ‘before’…

Same as my C9 trial, I went to bed with wet hair… woke up like an explosion in a mattress factory.

And after…

Hello sleek bob!!  (please ignore the weirdness that is the layers my hairdresser has cut into the back of my head – yet another reason to ditch her).

This is at 150 degrees (or as close as I could tell on the dial).  I wanted to use the same temperature for comparison purposes.  I was able to achieve this finish in around 13 minutes, which is longer than the Cloud 9s but to be honest, I *think* the time difference was at least partly down to me being more cack-handed on the test than the fault of the straighteners.  Out of fairness though, I’m gonna have to give the Cloud 9’s a point for speed.  2-1 to the Clouds.

The final thing I wanted to try was curling, I actually curled one side with my Cloud 9s and the other with the Big EGO hair straighteners, and instantly… I preferred the C9s.  I found the Big EGOs awkward to use with the ridges on the barrel.  I actually gave up halfway through after getting annoyed with them.

And then I tried a couple of weeks later…

Oh my word.  I don’t know what ‘clicked’… but my hair seemed to find a natural path through the channels in the ribbing, the strands wound round the barrel with ease and I was left with defined but smooth waves, kinda like my before picture but tamed.  Whilst the C9s curl admirably, these seemed to leave my waves with greater definition.  And I’m (rightly or wrongly) putting that down to those funny grooves.

2-2 – feel the tension!

Both straighteners leave my hair feeling soft, shiny and smooth.  My hair hair feels almost ‘conditioned’ once straightened and I’ve not noticed any damaging effects from regular use (although I always ensure I use heat defence spray, and mostly use the irons at 200 degrees or below).

One last thing…

Price.

The Cloud 9’s retail for around £129, the Big EGO’s around £109.

3-2 to the Big EGOs.

Two very good pro styling tools, both with great capabilities… but that glide… those waves…

The Big EGO Hair Straighteners are where I’d put my money.

You can purchase the Big EGO Hair Straighteners online and Feel Unique are currently offering them for £99.99 delivered – bargain!