Are You Using The Right Brush?

Your clients come to you because they trust your expertise—you know how to mix her formula, treat her hair type and give her the perfect cut. So you’ve also got to know which brush to use for the task at hand, and it comes down to more than just round versus paddle.  We talked to Ricardo Santiago (@stylistricardosantiago), an Orlando-based hairstylist (fresh off his presentation at BTC’s COLOR, Cut & Style show!) about how he chooses the right brush for the job.

Ricardo was on our stage, so we know he’s an expert!

First of all, when you’re blow-drying the hair, you need something heat-resistant. And for almost all hair types, choose something that enhances cuticle hydration and eliminates frizz. Ricardo says he likes Olivia Garden’s new Heat Pro Ceramic + Ion Thermal Styler collection, which combines copper ceramic technology and tourmaline ionic bristles in an ultra-lightweight design. The copper ceramic metal plate retains heat as you style to dry hair super fast, and the tourmaline ionic bristles leave hair with a healthy and shiny finish. The new collection comes in a seven-row and a nine-row size. Check out all of Ricardo’s best blow-dry tips!

BTC: Why are the sizes of a brush so important?
Ricardo: The benefits to using a seven- or nine-row brush are that you can dry even the most curly, coarse hair perfectly smooth using the proper technique,” Ricardo says. “They’re also a time-saver—you don’t necessarily need to dry and then spend a lot of time ironing the hair as well. Just the blow-dry is typically sufficient if done correctly.

BTC: What’s your favorite styling technique?
Ricardo: My favorite technique to style with the Heat Pro Ceramic + Ion Thermal Stylers is the wrapping method. It’s basically overdirecting the hair constantly and using the curve and shape of the head to smooth the hair out, yet give it some natural movement. It allows you to take full advantage of the tourmaline bristles and copper ceramic technology by allowing the heat to be channeled throughout the length of the hair for a smoother result.

We spotted Olivia Garden brushes backstage at New York Fashion Week!

BTC: Why is choosing the proper brush so important?
Ricardo: Using the right brush can make or break your final look! You can put hours and hours of work into a beautiful cut and color, but if that final style isn’t well done, then you just wasted time! That’s why I only use Olivia Garden brushes for my styling, whether I’m working in the salon or on stage—they are the only ones I trust!

Check out Olivia Garden backstage at Vivienne Tam
during NYFW S/S 2017!