Hair styling equipment which helps in creating hairstyles includes:
Hair irons A hair iron is a
tool used to change the
structure of the
hair with the help of heat. There are three general kinds: curling tongs, also known as curling irons, used to make the hair curly; straighteners, also known as flat irons, used to
straighten the hair; and crimpers, used to create small
crimps in the hair.
Hair dryers A hand dryer, hairdryer, or blowdryer is an
electromechanical device designed to blow cool or hot
air over wet or damp
hair, in order to accelerate the
evaporation of water particles and dry the hair. Blowdryers allow to better control the shape and style of hair, by accelerating and controlling the formation of temporary
hydrogen bonds inside each strand. These hydrogen bonds are very powerful (allowing for stronger hair shaping than even the
sulfur bonds formed by
permanent waving products), but are temporary and extremely vulnerable to humidity. They disappear with a single washing of the hair.
Hairbrushes . A brush is typically used on longer hair but can still be used for shorter hair, which is normally dealt with using a
comb. A flat brush is normally used for detangling neat and tidy hair, after a sleep; a round brush for styling and curling hair, especially by a professional
stylist, and with a
blowdryer. A paddle brush is used to
straighten hair, but not all work; they are usually used on untidy unkept hair. A hairbrush is also useful in removing loose hairs and in increasing
circulation to the
scalp. The brushing of a domestic
animal's
fur, particularly cats and dogs, is often perceived as a mark of
affection and/or a bonding experience, which can have a soothing effect, e.g. making a
cat purr. It is also often necessary during shedding season, as is often recommended by veterinarians, particularly for animals with longer or thicker fur, to aid the animal in grooming and prevent the shed fur from covering surfaces in a household. In the case of cats - brushing is often done to prevent
hairballs. Special brushes are made for cats and dogs. Brushes are often small and rectangular, with the width wider than the length, and an angled handle, designed for the ergonomics of a human brushing an animal which is below them, parallel to the ground, and or simply has a lot of surface area to be brushed. Varieties include a wire bristle brush, plastic or horsehair bristle brush, and small narrow toothed combs. For an
equine's tougher hair, a
curry-comb is used.
Scissors Scissors or shears are hand-operated cutting instruments. For people without hands, there is also the option of using a specially designed foot-operated style. They consist of a pair of
metal blades connected in such a way that the blades meet and cut. Scissors are used for cutting various thin materials, such as
paper,
cardboard,
metal foil, thin
plastic,
cloth,
rope, and
wire. Scissors can also be used to cut
hair and
food. Scissors and shears exist in a wide variety of forms depending on their intended uses. Children's scissors, used only on paper, have dull blades to ensure safety. Scissors used to cut hair or fabric must be much sharper. The largest shears used to cut metal or to trim shrubs must have very strong, sharp blades. Specialized scissors include
sewing scissors, which often have one sharp point and one blunt point for intricate cutting of fabric, and
nail scissors, which have curved blades for cutting
fingernails and
toenails. Special kinds of shears include
pinking shears, which have notched blades that cut cloth to give it a wavy edge, and
thinning shears, which have teeth that thin hair rather than trim it.
Combs A
comb is a device made of solid material, generally flat, always toothed, and is used in hair care for straightening and cleaning hair or other fibers. Combs are among the oldest
tools found by archaeologists, having been discovered in very refined forms from settlements dating back to 5000 years ago in
Persia.
Hair clippers Electric hair clippers have gradually displaced manual hair clippers. Today, electric hair clippers are used by the vast majority of barbers in
industrialized countries. All of these companies offer electric hair clippers in differing grades from bargain consumer units to high-end professional units. Most consumer grade clippers are intended for personal use by individual consumers and are often sold in kits which include several accessories such as clipper guides (for adjusting the length of the cut). Professional units are intended for hair care professionals and often are sold without any accessories (which must be ordered separately). The quality difference between the consumer grade and professional grade electric clippers has narrowed significantly over the years. Today the primary difference between the two grades is usually added or enhanced insulating for internal electrical components to prevent the unit from heating up during periods of prolonged usage. Some companies, such as
Conair and
Andis, replace some plastic parts in consumer grade units with metal parts on their professional grade units to extend the durability and useful lifespan of the product. Some companies, such as
Wahl Clipper, produce specialty clippers, such as the Trim n Vac, which are designed for ease of use at home.
Hair rollers Traditionally, a hair roller is a small roller with
velcro used for styling and curling hair, and with a
blowdryer. The damage that extensive heat application can cause to hair is well known however and so a number of alternative, heat-free hair rollers have been manufactured for the market.
Ribbon A ribbon or riband is a thin band of flexible material, typically
cloth but also
plastic or sometimes
metal, used for ribbon cutting
silk, are often used in connection with dress, but also applied for innumerable useful, ornamental and
symbolic purposes; cultures around the world use this device in their hair, around the body, or even as ornamentation on animals, buildings, and other areas. Ribbon is also sometimes used as a package sealer, on par with
twine.
Hair elastics A rubber band (in some regions known as a binder, elastic band, lackey band, laggy band, lacka band or gumband) is a short length of
rubber and
latex formed in the shape of a loop. In the U.S. it is called a
hair tie, and is often covered with fabric. Such bands are typically used to hold pony tails and braids together.
Kanzashi Kanzashi (
簪) are hair
ornaments used in traditional
Japanese
hairstyles. Kanzashi first appeared when women abandoned the traditional
taregami hairstyle where the hair was kept straight and long, and adopted coiffured
nihongami hairstyles. Kanzashi came into wide use during the
Edo period when artisans began to produce more finely crafted products. Some believe they may also have been used for defence in an emergency. Nowadays, kanzashi are most often worn by brides and professional
kimono wearers such as
geisha, tayu and
yujo or adepts in
Japanese tea ceremony and
ikebana. However, there is currently a revival among young Japanese women who wish to add an elegant touch to their
business suit. Kanzashi are fabricated from a wide range of materials such as lacquered wood,
gold and
silver plated metal,
tortoiseshell and
silk, and recently,
plastic. In fact, early
bakelite kanzashi are extremely collectible. There are many varieties and many styles of wearing them. The way in which a geisha wears her kanzashi indicates her status immediately to an informed audience; according to the type and location of the kanzashi. Maiko (apprentice geisha) usually wear more numerous and elaborate kanzashi than older geisha and progress through several hairstyles where the kanzashi must be worn in a fixed pattern.
Headband (Alice bands) A headband is a
clothing accessory worn in the
hair or around the
forehead, usually to hold hair away from the
face or
eyes. Headbands generally consist of a loop of
elastic material or a
horseshoe-shaped piece of flexible plastic or metal. They come in assorted shapes and sizes and are used for both practical and fashion purposes. Horseshoe-shaped headbands are sometimes called Alice bands after the headbands that Alice is often depicted wearing in
Through the Looking-Glass.
Barrettes A barrette (also called hair-slide in
British English or a hair clip in
Australian English) is a clasp or pin for holding hair in place. Barrettes are worn according to size, with small ones at the front and large ones in the back. They are used to keep hair out of the eyes or secure hairstyles but can also be just ornamental.
Hairpins , a type of hairpin A hair pin or hairpin is a long device used to hold a person's hair in place. Hairpins made of
metal,
ivory,
bronze, carved
wood, etc. were used in
ancient Assyria and
Egypt for securing decorated
hairstyles. Such hairpins suggest, as graves show, that many were luxury objects among the Egyptians and later the Greeks, Etruscans, and Romans. Major success came in 1901 with the invention of the
spiral hairpin by
New Zealand inventor Ernest Godward. This was a predecessor of the hair clip. The hairpin may be needlelike and encrusted with jewels and ornaments. It often may be more utilitarian—designed to be almost invisible after being inserted into the hairstyle. The jewels and ornaments on the hair pins add as a hair jewelry piece. In many cultures, hairpins are used with jewelry for many of occasions. For instance, in American culture, women predominantly use hairpins as a jewelry accessory at weddings, balls, and other major events. Hairpins also may be constructed from different lengths of
wire that are bent in half with a u-shaped end and a few kinks along the two opposite portions. The finished pin may vary from two to six inches in final length. The length of the wires enables placement in several styles of
hairdos to hold the style in place. The kinks enable retaining the pin during normal movements. ==See also==