DANIEL BENOIT - With over 40 years of experience as an artist & stylist, no aspect of the industry escapes him, He was credited among the finest of world-
class hairdressers. Daniel
finds inspirations and ideas by traveling the glob & working with the best stylists, his keys to success are to stay humble,train,never stop learning & always be surrounded by the best people.He was the recipient of the Mirror Awards, Contessa and NAHA..
More recently, Daniel was approached by us for advice on how to choose the best hair-dryer. With a myriad of choice out there, it’s easy to be blown away (no pun intended) by the many options. Here we share an extract from the article where Daniel guides you through the differences between tourmaline, ionic and ceramic and what will give you that salon finish.
What’s with all the terminology?
“Ionic, ceramic and tourmaline hair-dryers are an invention of the last few years and I’ll admit, they sound kind of gimmicky. However, I have to say that when it comes to drying your hair, ionic hair-dryers are great. As you’re drying your hair you lose a lot of moisture, and ions put that moisture back into you hair while helping to deal with frizz. They also break down the water particles on your hair shaft into even tinier particles. This means that you’re cutting down your drying time drastically, which not only saves you time, it also protects your hair. Less time using heat on your hair means less risk of damage to your hair. Ceramic and tourmaline hairdryers have plates within are coated with these materials. The advantage of these dryers is they heat up quickly and they don’t pull or snag the hair – they actually smooth the hair. They protect the hair and give it a very glossy finish. In regular quality hairdryers, the plates are coated with metal. This pulls at the hair, and it also heats up unevenly and leaves the cuticle open, which means your hair is more vulnerable to damage, and you’ll get none of that smooth shininess you get with more advanced dryers.”
Got it. What else should I look for?
“The main component you want is power, so look for something with a high wattage to minimize your drying time. In addition to being ionic and having a ceramic or tourmaline coating, most professional hairdryers only have two speeds and two heat settings and maybe a button that gives you a cold shot of air. That’s all you need; you don’t need all those flashy buttons and things. Look for something that’s well-built and read the reviews online before buying something – you can usually tell from those whether a hairdryer is worth it.”
Does higher price = better quality?
“When it comes to any equipment that you’re using on your hair, anything that involves heat, the simple answer is yes. Think of it like a good wine. The more money you spend on it,
the better it’s going to be. If my clients wash their hair frequently, about 2-3 times a week, I tell them to invest in a good quality, high end hairdryer because the cheaper ones aren't as powerful and don’t last as long and if your hairdryer isn't powerful, you’re going to spend more time drying your hair, frying it in the process.”
So what’s worth the splurge?
“There’s a Canadian brand of hairdryers called Kadori which is known among hairdressers as the Rolls Royce of dryers. I've been using it for years, and they now have one that’s smaller and slightly lighter for women to use at home. That’s the one I recommend to all my clients. They’re not cheap – good quality hairdryers that last for years tend to be more expensive. But they’re worth it in the long run.”
What’s the best way to use a hairdryer for my hair type?
“If you have curly or wavy hair and you’d like to enhance your curls, you can get great results with a diffuser, which the kadori LIA 2500X hairdryers already come equipped with. If your hair is fine, use the lower power setting to dry your hair – a high power setting won’t do anything but damage it. For thick or frizzy hair, make sure to add a cold shot of air at the end of the drying, either by switching to a lower heat or by using the cold shot button on your hairdryer. This closes the cuticle quicker, adds shine and minimizes frizz.”
With power comes responsibility.
“The more high end you go, the more power and heat you’re dealing with, so you have to know how to use your hairdryer in a way that’s safest for your hair. It’s about the distance between the hair and the flow from the dryer – I've seen a lot of people, especially in salons, putting the head of the hairdryer straight on the brush where the hair’s being held taut, and that will damage the hair quite badly. The best thing to do is test the dryer on the top of your hand. Check the distance at which the heat becomes bearable – that’s the distance at which you should dry your hair. You can vary the distance by about an inch, depending on the thickness of your hair, and also because your hair is much more resistant to heat than your skin.”
Lastly: don’t forget to protect your hair.
“You lose moisture when you dry your hair – that’s why they created the ionic hairdryers – but to further protect your hair, it’s really important to use some kind of a heat protection. It creates a barrier between your hair and the heat. So whether it’s a voluminous mousse or a serum to moist and hydrate the hair or just a heat spray, always add some sort of product to your hair before using a hair dryer on it.”
Thick, mostly straight hair.
Even if you have only a little wave or curl that needs to be tamed, thick hair demands more heat than fine hair. Look for a model with high (370F-420F) temperature settings and a larger plate (1”-1.5”) that allows you to spread your thick hair out, so that ever strand gets equal attention from the heat.
Thick, curly or coarse hair.
If your hair falls into this category, you will want to look for a model that offers you both high heat and hair protection. Though you might have unruly hair, you will need to look for model the combine tourmaline with ceramic and far infrared heating system to protect your hair from becoming fried. Look for one with at least a 420F to 450F degree temperature setting.
Plate materials
Basic Flat Irons
– These are the most common flat irons, made with metal plates and no heat settings, usually confined to just On/Off. While some people, especially those who only occasionally flat iron their hair, or only flat iron a small portion of their hair may find a model like this helpful, in general, most people opt for the next level of iron.
Ceramic
– Ceramic models come in a variety of function, with many different heat settings. You may be able to 
find a ceramic model for fairly cheap, depending on its other functionalities. In general, however, the more functions it has, the more expensive it is going to be. There are also different qualities of ceramic. The reason these are more popular than the basic models is because they are far less likely to burn the shaft of the hair as they straighten it.
Tourmaline
– Tourmaline is by far the most durable materials, and is well-loved in the beauty industry because it heats up quickly, holds its heat well, and leaves hair looking healthy and shiny, rather than crispy and fried like some other materials.
Ionic
– Ionic is by far the most advanced technology used in straightening irons, and is therefore also the most expensive. This defiantly does the best job for the widest variety of hair types. If you have dry hair, it is the most recommended option for your hair, which actually traps moisture into the hair, rather than sapping it away like other materials do.
In general, the thicker and curlier your hair is, the higher heat you will need in order to straighten it. That means that the thicker and curlier your hair is, the more advanced flat iron you should buy. Better quality materials not only allow the flat iron to last longer, they also do less damage to hair that needs hotter and more vigorous straightening in order to get the job done. 
Eyes:
dryer with multiple speed and heat settings. Depending on the condition of your hair, you will want to use different dryer settings. For example, if your hair is only damp instead of wet, you'll want a lower heat setting. If you're drying your hair to fit a certain style, then the different speed settings will come in handy.
dryer that weighs less than 1 lb. Professional grade hair dryers tend to be very light because they are designed to be held and used all day long. However, even if you're only drying your hair after you get out of the shower, a lighter blow dryer will be more comfortable to use. Furthermore, it'll allow you to more easily reach difficult-to-reach places on your head, resulting in a more even spread of heat.
ds-off policy. “Keep your hands out of your hair throughout the day as the natural oils on your hands may weigh the hair down,” adds Daniel.
Use the right products right where they’re needed. “Start by blow-drying about 20 percent of the water out of your hair,” says Tony Ricci, founder of Ricci Hair Co. in Edmonton. “Then apply your
you to create more than just straight smooth hair but beautiful lose curls. And yes, I said CURLS. I am always surprised when I curl my clients hair and the say “wow you can curl with a flat iron?” It takes patience but once you get it you will have beautifully tousled waves!
When using any Kadori tools it’s important to always use products. Along with helping your hair look and feel smooth it also acts as a barrier for your hair protecting it from direct heat. Think of it like a fire fighters gear, they go into the fire but their uniform keeps the fire from contact with the skin. Plus they usually smell pretty good!
To start take a 1 inch horizontal section at the lane of your neck. Place the Kadori iron at the root, turn the iron once toward you and slowly pull down till the ends slip through. (The key to this technique is pressure. You need to hold the iron tight enough so the hair doesn't fall out but lose enough that the hair glides through easily.)
Continue taking horizontal sections from bottom to the crown.
To finish use a dime size amount of serum,starting from the ends working toward the roots. Shake your hair for a lose tousled curl!
Daniel Naumovski
general, it should be avoided.
Titanium: Titanium is lightweight, heats up quickly, and maintains an even heat throughout the use of the tool. It’s found mostly in high end irons.
Gold: A lot of Hot Tools irons are gold-plated (typically 24K), which means they get hot and stay hot. They also typically have a heat dial which allows you to control the temperature (very important feature) so you don’t do excessive damage to the hair.
So if you are shopping for a new tool, look for descriptions using words like “ceramic, tourmaline, or titanium”. These will be high quality, produce steady heat (so you don’t get the weird wavy look on flat ironed hair) and should be rather durable.
My favorite flat iron of all time is the Kadori 1” (both 1" and 1.25" Max styler are great). After spending money on 4 Chi flat irons for my business, and watching them all fall apart, I finally invested in a
a 
casual looks, or simply just something a little different every so often. Curling irons and rods can help in enhancing natural curl patterns as well.
Which Tool is Right for You? Both curling rods and irons are available in a variety of options including titanium and tourmaline. Titanium is a favorite with stylists as they prove to be very durable, corrosion resistant and perform extremely well for all hair types. Tourmaline, sometimes blended with ceramic, allows a larger flow of negative ions, which results in extra shine and protection to the hair. Both technologies are in the Kadori curling wands as they evenly distribute heat each time it is applied to the hair.In deciding what is right for you, first make up your mind about what you want from your tool? Do you need to just “fix” a few curls or ends here and there, or do you want a head full of tighter or looser curls? For the most part, if you have medium to longer curls or waves, you can easily use a curling rod. These tools have become more popular over just the past few years since they help make longer locks curly, wavier or simply add more volume. Almost all