'Nicky Clarke-Frizz Control Styler' Review
- Saffron Noble
- Jan 24, 2019
- 4 min read
Hi, it's Saffron.
I received this hair styler as a gift at Christmas, I hadn't asked for a particular dryer brush but my mum did good in choosing this one- to find out why, keep on reading....
What is it?
This styler brush retails for £24.99 on the Superdrug website [price checked on 23/01/2019]. It comes with 4 attachments which help create different looks. The different attachments include; a small 20mm round brush (great for styling short hair), straightener (for smoothing hair), a concentrated nozzle and a large 38mm round brush (great for volume and thicker hair).
The styler's head is changed by lining up the white dot marked on the attachment with the one on the styler base and twisting until it locks. To unlock, you need to hold in a small button to release it before twisting it the opposite way to before.
The styler uses "Ionic Technology" (I have no idea what this means :/) which apparently helps to smooth hair and reduce frizz. The styler has 2 heat settings and a cool setting (good for setting your style).
Off the bat, this product shows it has the potential to be useful for many different hair types and style preferences.
First Impressions
When I first tried to change the different attachments, I felt the twist to lock feature was very risky, in the way that the plastic felt like it could be brittle. When I tried to twist the pieces on, I felt like I was going to snap the little bit of plastic that keeps it in place. This resulted in me not properly securing the head which meant it was loose and eventually fell off. As you can probably guess, this was very annoying and frustrating. My sister also received this as a present and she too had the same experience as me when trying to change the attachments.
My first few goes using the styler was to see which attachment worked well for my hair type and the style I wanted to achieve. My hair is naturally curly, which, if not blow dried properly, will end up as frizzy as Monica's hair when she went to Barbados. The first few times were frizzy and not too great. I played around with different combinations of attachments and heat settings and eventually learned what my hair likes.
I found that the concentrated nozzle was pretty pointless; if I'm drying my hair with this brush then I might as well use a brush attachment, if I wanted to use the nozzle I could just use a regular hair dryer. This being said, I am lucky enough to have multiple hair dryers, so if you did only have this one styler, then I guess it could be useful if you just want to get your hair from wet to dry.
I've never had a dryer brush before, so using this felt unusual as first. It felt awkward trying to get the hair to stay on/in the brushes because the air blew it away. I couldn't figure out how best to hold it against my head so that it would do what I wanted to my hair but also felt comfortable. I also noticed that the heat settings are right where my hand rests, which can be a problem if I need to adjust the brush's position mid drying a section.
My Opinions After Using The Product
I feel like the problems I was facing were down to user error. Like I said, I have never had a dryer brush before so didn't immediately know how to use it best. Most things come in time as you familiarise yourself with the product.
After testing out different combinations, I found that, for the style I am aiming for, and my hair type, I like to use the 38mm brush head with the heat setting no.2. This can get hot so I'd recommend not touching the actual brush part (trust me, I speak from experience). At first I found it useful to use a heat glove when turning the brush (turning adds volume and curl). It meant I could get used to what I was doing without burning myself. Now, I don't really use a heat glove because after some practice, I have got used to the movements required and handling of the brush.
I'm not as shy to change the attachment heads now. It takes a bit of force to click them into place, but the product feels sturdy and secure. I think I got over my fear of snapping the plastic which helped me fit the parts together properly- so after a bit of practice I'm sure you would too (that's if you're considering buying it).
Final Verdict
I really like this product!
I was a little unsure about it at first, but after using it a few times, I think it is a game changer.
Usually when I blow dry my hair I use a regular hair dryer with a small paddle brush- I've tried using a round brush but I just can't juggle it all and get a good result. To get the style I am usually looking for, I always have to use straighteners on it after to get it sleek and frizz free.
Drying it with this styler is soo much different.
Even with nearly dripping, curly hair fresh from the shower, I can get a small section (partitioning the hair really helps) and in only a few runs through, my hair will be dry, straight, sleek and frizz free- no need to use straighteners on after. Yes, I would use straighteners if I wanted to be extra fancy for a party or night out, but for everyday, uni hair, this is great. It even stays this great after sleeping on it- honestly, it might be even better after being slept on.
I think it does generally save time, especially for my hair type, because you're basically doing 2 steps in 1. Even if it doesn't save time, it definitely reduces effort as you only really need to hold one arm up most of the time. This product could also benefit those who struggle to use straighteners (I don't have bad hands but I've had my fair share of hand cramps from using straighteners).
For the price, I would definitely recommend this product. It is a decent quality and can produce great results (with a little practice).
Thanks for reading :)
Saffron xx
To stay updated with what I get up to and future blog posts,
Follow me on;
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CreativeSln
and
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sln_creative/
Comments