As you can see from this picture of Beyonce, sometimes the prettiest hairstyles are also the simplest. You don’t need to fuss over your hair for hours in order to look sexy and pulled together. All you need are the right styling tools at your disposal.

Beyonce’s rocking a look that I like to call the “bombshell ponytail.” It’s easy to do and super effective, and it can work with casual clothes or in a red carpet setting. All you have to do is grab your favorite curling iron. For curls like these, 1″ curling irons work best. While you’re waiting for your iron to reach optimal temperature, pull your hair into a slick ponytail. (Note: Do NOT leave your curling iron on the bathroom counter while it heats up! Doing so can start a fire or damage the iron. Look for heatproof curling iron holders instead.) Make sure you create a smooth silhouette around your face to add to the effect. A toothbrush spritzed with hairspray can help tame stubborn flyaways and frizziness.

Finish by dividing your ponytail into a few smaller sections and curling each one with the iron. That’s all there is to it! Glamorous hair doesn’t get any easier than this.

I hate clutter, I hate mess and I hate tangled wires.  I am not sure where my very strong opinions come from but I suspect they have something to do with my mother.  While she was certainly a great mother, she was not the most organized mother.  I was always a little embarrassed when friends would come over and they’d see how messy she kept the house.  She swore that she knew exactly where everything was in the mess and it was only when things got clean that things got lost.  My bedroom was an oasis in the chaos for me – everything labeled, everything had a place.  And not much has changed in the past twenty years since I left home.  My kids probably will have chaotic homes out of spite towards me but that is their problem, not mine.  And as long as they are under my roof, everything will be put away in an organized fashion.  Speaking of fashion, my daughter has decided that she wants to be a hairdresser or something because she has about twenty curling irons that she keeps around the house.  I may be exaggerating with the amount but it certainly seems that way when she leaves them willy nilly on the counters in the bathroom.  She claims she has to leave them out so that they can cool down and not burn the house down, which I appreciate but I can’t take the clutter.  So I finally got her a few curling irons holders that mount inside the cabinet doors under the sink.  What a relief when those were finally installed!  My daughter and I are on speaking terms again.  My mother and I?  We speak but she just doesn’t understand.

My girlfriends think I’m a little crazy but I never hear them complaining when we have to get ready to go out on the town. They think I’m crazy because I have a curling iron and a flat iron in every size that is available on the market.  I’m a bit of a collector, I guess, but the truth is that I just like to be able to have choices.  If I want my hair to be really curly, I have the curling iron for that.  If I want it to be straight and sleek, I have a flat iron for that.  If I want to make soft waves in my hair – you guessed it, I’ve got the tool to make it happen.  Needless to say, with all of these heat appliances my bathroom runs the risk of getting a little messy.  But that is why my best girlfriend got me a couple of curling iron holders that I can mount to the wall.  Now she loves that it feel like coming to a salon when she comes over.  I love it to!

I use a lot of heat devices on my hair.  From hair dryers to curling irons to flat irons to hot curlers, you name it, I probably have it.  Unfortunately, my bathroom doesn’t have any place to plug in my electronics because the apartment was built in the 1940s.  This means I had to set up a vanity space in my bedroom so that I can fix my hair in front of a mirror with good lighting.  I actually love my vanity area but it isn’t big so I have to keep it as orderly as possible.  Otherwise it starts to look really crowded and shabby – and I can’t be inspired to create beautiful hair in that kind of environment.  The thing that has made a major difference for me is investing in a curling iron holder.  I’m not talking about the kind that you mount on the wall but just individual curling iron holders that are made of heat protectant material.   Having these little “sleeves” allow me to put my irons away in their bin right after I use them – otherwise I’d have to wait for them to completely cool before storing them.  I just don’t have that kind of time.  If I leave them out to cool, chances are I’ll have to run out to get to work and when I come home I’d have to clean that area.  I like to just get everything done at once.  Plus, I like buying curling iron holders in fun patterns.  The more creative they are, the more inspired I am!

Methods for curling hair have certainly changed a lot in the past 100 years!

When you think about the evolution of at-home hair styling methods, it’s truly astounding how far we’ve come in the past 100 years! For instance, take a look at this crazy contraption. Are you wondering what it is? It’s actually an early 20th century “hair curling machine,” not a medieval torture device…although you wouldn’t know it from the expression on the woman’s face who’s trying it out! Nowadays, we don’t have to rely on such astonishing inventions just to lend a little curl to our hair. There are professional curling irons that actually improve the quality of your hair, rather than damaging it; travel curling irons, so you never have to be without your trust styling tool; and curling iron holders designed to keep all of your irons in order, whether at home or on the go. Would you have subjected yourself to a hair curling machine like this if you had been around a hundred years ago or more? I can’t say that I would’ve been brave enough to try it out! Thank goodness we have more options than that!

As any curling iron addict will tell you, curling iron holders are an absolute necessity for ladies on the go. They’re available in lots of different colors, styles and varieties, but I think that choosing one made of heat-proof material is one of the most important considerations imaginable. First of all, it could be a safety concern! You don’t want to accidentally toss your curling iron in your bag before it’s cool, then reach your hand in there to grab something else and end up burning your fingers! A hot curling iron without a heat-proof case or cover could also singe or even burn the contents of your purse or bag, and potentially damage the iron itself. Buying a heat-proof holder for your curling iron is also a great way to save on time when you’re getting ready to go somewhere. Instead of having to sit around and wait for everything to cool down before you can pack your bags and be on your way, you can just put the iron in its heat-proof case and go. Everytime I go out of town on business, I make sure to bring my curling iron in its heat-proof holder. I can’t even tell you how many hours this has helped me save – it really adds up! If you’re traveling without one, you’re missing out. They’re affordable too! Go to your nearest beauty supply store or search online for one today. You’ll thank me later!

My husband will not get off my case about all of the appliances I use on my hair.  I keep reminding him that it takes effort to look effortlessly beautiful but he just doesn’t get it.  I have a hair dryer, three different flat irons and five different curling irons that I need to make different hairstyles work.   And I don’t think that is too much!  I am always looking for new heat appliances to try too – you never know which ones will revolutionize my hair routine.  I guess if I am going to keep the husband quiet, I’m going to have to find a way to organize all my tools better.  I think I need one of those carts that the stylists have at the salon.  The ones that have holes for each of their different irons.  A custom made curling iron holder!  I’ve been looking around online and I’m excited to finally pick one out.  I’m sure once I get my curling iron holder, he will find a way to complain about that too – but at least the bathroom will look a little more organized.

Image via Wikipedia

One of life’s little annoyances is when you use your ceramic curling iron or hair straightener in the morning and then you need to pack it quickly to travel. It is always still hot, which can be damaging to your clothing, luggage and more. I usually just wrap the barrel in a washcloth but this is not always an effective solution. Without having a way to secure the cloth, it has a tendency to slip and slide making it a precarious way to protect one’s belongings. Luckily, I am not the only one suffering from such frustration when it comes to my curling irons because more and more manufacturers are coming up with convenient carrying cases.

There are many cases on the market these days, ranging in price. It is important for a curling iron case to be heat resistant. Make sure you look for cases that offer thermal protection. “Fire retardant,” “heat resistant,” “teflon lining,” and “insulated” are key words to look for when purchasing a curling iron case. You can go with a basic black case or go with personality by purchasing on from Vera Bradley. These make great gifts for most women in your life. If you are in the market for a whole new curling iron you can also find a new iron that comes with a tailor-made case for that product. Travelling is getting easier for those of us who use irons on our hair!

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