New styling tools

Philips has launched two new styling tools to help keep your locks looking sleek.

Moisture Protect Dryer

$189, from selected department and electronic stores (Photo 1)

This hairdryer is made with an infrared sensor that supposedly detects the temperature of the hair and prevents it from overheating and stripped of moisture.

Review: Besides the temperature setting, there is another switch which allows me to control the airflow. This function is handy when I want my hair to be dried with a high temperature but gentler airflow.

There is also a Moisture Protect button that can be turned on to give hair extra protection. So even when I switched the heat settings to the highest, the hot air did not feel as drying. I often scald my scalp with my regular hairdryer, but had no such problem with this tool when the Moisture Protect button was on.

Afterwards, I found my hair smoother, less frizzy and less stiff than usual. The leave-in hair oil I applied later was also better absorbed as my hair was not as parched.

However, as the heat from the dryer is not as powerful when the Moisture Protect button was on, it took a slightly longer time for my hair to be completely dry.

This blow-dryer also comes with an extra volume diffuser adaptor that is made to give hair more body.

EasyShine Ionic Styling Brush

$55, from selected department and electronic stores (Photo 2)

This battery-operated hairbrush is built with an ioniser to neutralise the positive charge of static electricity, and to smoothen hair.

Review: The best way to use this brush is on damp hair, so I brushed my towel-dried hair with it. I was impressed when my hair was later left frizz-free and smoother than usual. I also tried this on dry hair and it performed just as well.

However, this brush works best on long straight hair that is not too damaged.

This article was first published on Dec 5, 2014.
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