I know that styling one's hair isn't rocket science but for whatever reasons, I've always been hair-styling challenged, so when I got an email from Solano about their new line of brushes that use "Ceramic, Ionic and Tourmaline technologies to dry hair faster and reduce frizz, leaving hair smooth and shiny," I ate it up hook, line and sinker and immediately requested a sample. I received a complimentary 53 mm Solano Plasmium Grip Round Brush ($28, solanopower.com) and put it to the test. Does this brush that sounds too good to be true live up to its claims? Read on to find out…
What they say: "Spending hours at the salon getting your hair done is a thing of the past, but you can still even skip the occasional blow-out thanks to Solano's Plasmium Gel Grip Brush Collection. Designed for professionals, the gel grip keeps wrists from cramping and Tourmaline adds incredible shine, allowing the salon to come to your vanity!
The NEW Solano Gel Grip Thermal Round Brushes 38-53mm ($25-28.00) withstand high heat and use a ceramic barrel to dry hair faster and allow you to flip under, out, or create soft curls by holding after blowing directly with a dryer. Ionic technology also eliminates frizz and the bristles are gentle on color-treated hair to help prevent breakage.
The gel handle easily wipes clean on this unique paddle style Solano Plasmium Gel Grip Styler Brush ($20.00) that is perfect for following flat ironing or blow drying. The ComforTip bristles are gentle on the scalp, and the slim design is perfect for straightening or adding a finishing touch."
What I thought: I wasn't expecting miracles (ok, maybe I was), but I had high hopes for this brush, and I gotta say, it works pretty darn well! When you think about it, it kinda makes sense that the tools you use can drastically effect the results you get when styling your hair, but it's also about technique - anyone who's ever had a professional salon blowout knows this all too well. Using a simple brush and blow dryer, sans product, my hairdresser can give my hair volume, bounce, and shine with her skillful hands. Give me the same brush and dryer, and you'll get a frizzy mess.
But I digress: The Solano actually forced me to slow down and take my time, drying my hair in sections on medium rather than high heat. At first it seemed impossibly large and clunky, but I kept experimenting and plowed through my first blow dry for the sake of testing the product thoroughly, and the results were enough to make me keep using it. My hair was definitely less frizzy and smoother and the round barrel gave it some really nice shape and bounce.
The only problem I had after my first attempt was that loose hairs kept sticking to the squishy grip handle where they would remain stuck until I pulled them off. Also, I felt like I kept catching a few hairs and ripping them out. This however was remedied by a shift in my technique - I realized that I needed to dry even smaller sections of hair, thus eliminating the problem. I didn't time myself, but I'd say it took the same amount of time as usual to dry my hair.
My Solano is the only brush I've used since receiving it because the difference is noticeably better over my last large, flat brush. I'm not saying you need to buy this exact brush to get similar results, but I now believe that a large, hollow barrel brush with a nice rubber grip handle and short bristles is an important tool for at-home blowouts. I don't really buy into the whole ceramic/ionic/tourmaline "technology" but it certainly seems like the design of this type of brush can help one achieve a better blow-dry. Probably old news to many of you but new news to me!
Is there a brush you swear by for getting salon-quality blowouts at home? Do share!
UPDATE 3/30/11: I finally got around to bringing my Solano brush to the salon to get my hairdresser's expert opinion on the brush. Without telling her anything about the product, I just asked if she could try it out on my hair and give me some feedback. She instantly LOVED the brush for two main reasons: First, the handle was easy to hold and felt great in her hand. She loved that it relieved pressure on her wrist - a huge plus for someone who's doing hair all day.
Second, she noted the seamless construction of the Solano versus her old brush. Her old brush had annoying seams which would catch and pull hair. The Solano's barrel was smooth and didn't have any gaps that could catch and break hair strands.
Below, you can see the results of using the Solano without any added hair product - my hair looks smooth and shiny and its natural wave is enhanced! Wish my hair looked this good every day, but of course, some of it's still dependent on the blow drying/brushing skills of the user. Months later, I'm still using my Solano every time I wash and blowdry my hair and I love it.
On a subsequent trip to the salon, I surprised my stylist with her own Solano brush - but she had beat me to it! She had actually purchased her own brush to use on all her customers, she liked them so much. So there you have it! Two thumbs up from a pro.
The NEW Solano Gel Grip Thermal Round Brushes 38-53mm ($25-28.00) withstand high heat and use a ceramic barrel to dry hair faster and allow you to flip under, out, or create soft curls by holding after blowing directly with a dryer. Ionic technology also eliminates frizz and the bristles are gentle on color-treated hair to help prevent breakage.
The gel handle easily wipes clean on this unique paddle style Solano Plasmium Gel Grip Styler Brush ($20.00) that is perfect for following flat ironing or blow drying. The ComforTip bristles are gentle on the scalp, and the slim design is perfect for straightening or adding a finishing touch."
What I thought: I wasn't expecting miracles (ok, maybe I was), but I had high hopes for this brush, and I gotta say, it works pretty darn well! When you think about it, it kinda makes sense that the tools you use can drastically effect the results you get when styling your hair, but it's also about technique - anyone who's ever had a professional salon blowout knows this all too well. Using a simple brush and blow dryer, sans product, my hairdresser can give my hair volume, bounce, and shine with her skillful hands. Give me the same brush and dryer, and you'll get a frizzy mess.
But I digress: The Solano actually forced me to slow down and take my time, drying my hair in sections on medium rather than high heat. At first it seemed impossibly large and clunky, but I kept experimenting and plowed through my first blow dry for the sake of testing the product thoroughly, and the results were enough to make me keep using it. My hair was definitely less frizzy and smoother and the round barrel gave it some really nice shape and bounce.
The only problem I had after my first attempt was that loose hairs kept sticking to the squishy grip handle where they would remain stuck until I pulled them off. Also, I felt like I kept catching a few hairs and ripping them out. This however was remedied by a shift in my technique - I realized that I needed to dry even smaller sections of hair, thus eliminating the problem. I didn't time myself, but I'd say it took the same amount of time as usual to dry my hair.
My Solano is the only brush I've used since receiving it because the difference is noticeably better over my last large, flat brush. I'm not saying you need to buy this exact brush to get similar results, but I now believe that a large, hollow barrel brush with a nice rubber grip handle and short bristles is an important tool for at-home blowouts. I don't really buy into the whole ceramic/ionic/tourmaline "technology" but it certainly seems like the design of this type of brush can help one achieve a better blow-dry. Probably old news to many of you but new news to me!
Is there a brush you swear by for getting salon-quality blowouts at home? Do share!
UPDATE 3/30/11: I finally got around to bringing my Solano brush to the salon to get my hairdresser's expert opinion on the brush. Without telling her anything about the product, I just asked if she could try it out on my hair and give me some feedback. She instantly LOVED the brush for two main reasons: First, the handle was easy to hold and felt great in her hand. She loved that it relieved pressure on her wrist - a huge plus for someone who's doing hair all day.
Second, she noted the seamless construction of the Solano versus her old brush. Her old brush had annoying seams which would catch and pull hair. The Solano's barrel was smooth and didn't have any gaps that could catch and break hair strands.
Below, you can see the results of using the Solano without any added hair product - my hair looks smooth and shiny and its natural wave is enhanced! Wish my hair looked this good every day, but of course, some of it's still dependent on the blow drying/brushing skills of the user. Months later, I'm still using my Solano every time I wash and blowdry my hair and I love it.
On a subsequent trip to the salon, I surprised my stylist with her own Solano brush - but she had beat me to it! She had actually purchased her own brush to use on all her customers, she liked them so much. So there you have it! Two thumbs up from a pro.
www.ThePantryDrawer.com
When my stylist found out what I was using, she immediately made me switch to a round brush with all natural boar bristles, which are kinder & gentler to your hair, plus increase shine.
ive been using a brush like this for almost a year and my hair definitely has always been damaged from highlights. natural boar bristles doesnt give my hair any bounce/volume (which it needs), but this type of brush does... so i'm sort of stuck... damage but fluffy vs healthier but flat/greasy-looking lol.
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