Choose the Right Hair Dryer for Shiny, Healthy Hair

I never thought a hair dryer could change my life, but I think I found one that comes close. Having thick, long, wavy hair, drying it is quite a chore.

Last week, I discovered that there really is a huge difference between the low-end ceramic, ionic, infrared hair dryers and the real deal. After my Conair Ion Shine Hair Dryer started sounding like a dying cow, I thought it was time to get a new one. I never noticed a difference from it and a regular hair dryer so I was skeptical of paying more for a high-end model.

Kat James, holistic beauty and health expert, recommends in her book The Truth About Beauty the Chi Air Ceramic, Ionic, Infrared Professional Hair Dryer to minimize heat damage and cut drying time. It uses a different kind of heat that evenly penetrates hair, while not scorching it. However, the thought of spending $100 to $200 on this hair dryer didn't appeal to me.

Fortunately, I saw a similar one on Amazon.com from the same parent company, Farouk Systems, as the Chi hair dryer. The hair dryer is part of the Deep Brilliance line of professional products, which uses the same Chi technology. The Deep Brilliance hair dryer has a list price of $259, but Amazon.com is selling it for only $49.99. It really is a salon-quality dryer worth a higher asking price. It makes my hair look so much shinier, smoother and healthier. It dries faster with fewer watts so it's not taking daily abuse. Best of all, the once unmanageable frizz is gone.

If my new hair dryer ever breaks down, I just hope Amazon.com is still offering such a great deal because I can't go back to the low-end version. Now that I can see and feel the difference, it would definitely be worth it to fork over the big bucks for a true ceramic, ionic, infrared model.