Where the Wild Things Are NOT (or how to tame wild hair within seconds)!

Last night I went to see James Taylor at Jones Beach (watch YouTube video). It was a humid night and the sky was full of dark clouds. We went armed with umbrellas, and even a few plastic bags in case the heavens opened up. This post really isn't about the James Taylor concert, although James was great (yes, this man can sing). It's really about my wild and crazy post-concert hair! When I got home, my carefully blown-out straight style was literally in a mass of waves--really wild and crazy waves -- not at all the "cute" and "controlled" type of curly.





Luckily, I had two things on hand today that I just happened to have in the queue to review for the Advice Sisters "What Works" Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column for September/October this Fall (the July/August column will be up the first week in July, and you can currently check out May/June's huge, two-page column at http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html ). Both of these items can tame the "wild thing" called super-frizzy, curly or wavy hair, in just seconds!




The first is a low tech, easy fix: a hairband! I didn’t think there could be anything really new when it comes to this classic hair tool since they're been a favorite of women for so long, but this new, Scünci FlexiWrap Hair band $3.99 is not your mother's hairband. This one is bendable, flexible, stretchy and completely comfortable. It has the same, sleek good looks of traditional plastic and fabric hair bands, but without the hard, rigid frame that can pinch and crack and feel downright uncomfy on your head. The new Flexi-Wrap features a braided, patent-look, or cutwork hair band that looks like the solid, rigid ones but it's fold-able and soft, and stays put, thanks to a ponytail-type elastic that stretches to just the right size to hold fast to the back of your head. The FlexiWrap Hair Band really gives you a customized fit the one-size-fits all rigid ones can't, and it does it without pinching, binding, or pulling. This hairband stays so secure you can even exercise with it and it wont slip off. But you won’t even know you have it on!

The hairband in the photo is obviously the clear one. It looks beautiful on every type of hair, letting your natural color shine through. There’s also a tortoise-shell style, wide, braided band, and a slimmer, solid, black patent leather look hair band --one to go with just about everything you own. These make great beach and travel companies. Simply fold them almost completely flat for travel, and they won’t break in your bag -- the cleverest idea I’ve seen in hair ornaments in a long, long time. Even better, they cost less than lunch! They're sure to be new classics. and you’ll reach for these to tame wild hair (and just because they're great looking) on bad hair days, and good ones, too!

But if you can't stand the curls, the frizz, or the fuss, you'll want to bring out the effective but easy to use, 'big gun" the Infiniti Nano Silver Ionic Steam Straightener by Conair $129.99. I actually saw this a few weeks ago on one of those weekend television info-mercial programs (I was not doing anything early in the morning, and was flipping channels). The thing is, it's really impressive both in power and versatility. The TV ad showed women with really wild, seriously curly, or tightly permed hair as before and after, but you could actually see the flat iron do it's job with one swipe of the iron. There they were, former wild and curly girls, with sleek, shiny, perfectly straight hair!






The iron is an eye-catching red color, but what will really catch your eye are the high-tech bennies, courtesy of nano silver tourmaline ceramic plates and a tw0-stage steam and lock technology, to keep the look lasting longer. The iron simply glides through even the most coarse, thick, and wild hair, like a steamroller. The nano silver technology helps hair glide through the plates, while the tourmaline ceramic plates smooth the hair cuticle layer, condition, and protect hair from damage since you can effectively use high heat for less time. This way, your hair doesn't get so "fried." There's a removable water reservoir with variable steam settings for up to 20 minutes of continuous steam (steam helps the style set and stay smooth, hours longer). Two heating elements in this high-tech tool and five heat settings from a mild 202 degrees to 395 degrees help tame hair that simply won’t take "no" for an answer! Other nice features are the retractable, adjustable height detangling "teeth" that help hold hair straight. The ionic steam straightener is a true, added bonus it is equipped with a true ion generator that releases 2 million ions/cm3 to straighten and reduce frizz, and make hair feel soft and silky. A professional style swivel cord rotates 360 degrees so you can get to the back of your head without fighting the cord. When you're done, the iron is going to be hot, but there's a silver-y, heat-resistant travel bag included with your iron. Use it, and you'll still be able to safely pack it up right away without fear.


It's one thing to see amazing results on TV, but does this iron work as well for the average person (or at least on my currently wild-from-the-humidity, hair)? For starters, this flat iron is good for all hair types. If yours is fairly mild and straight, this flat iron will work wonders. But if your hair tends to be curly or frizzy, it’s one of the best "mane tamers" I've seen in a long time.
Although my hair isn’t normally that wild and curly, it is thick, wavy, and sometimes, stubborn. The Infiniti Nano Silver Ionic Steam Flat Iron let me get my hair totally straight without a struggle, even after my hair was immersed last night in the worst possible conditions. My hair was once again shiny, soft, straight, and manageable. A woman on the info-mercial said: "It’s by Conair, who wouldn’t trust it?" It may cost a few dollars more, but a good flat iron like this one will save your time, your sanity, and your sense of style!





For more information, visit Scünci: http://www.scunci.com/ and Conair: http://www.conair.com/