FHI Heat Curling Iron (1 1/4″) ($195.00) is really the creme de la creme of curling irons. FHI’s curling iron barrel sizes range from 3/4″ to 1 1/2″, and my girl Pursebuzz recommended I get a 1 1/4″ as a multi-tasking curling iron. This particular barrel size gets you larger curls, and without a curl styling product beforehand, gives you more beachy waves than tight curls. For those less hair savvy, the smaller the barrel, the tighter the curl. Thus, larger barrels are more likely to give you waves than ringlets. Also, longer hair can tolerate larger barrels, because there is more hair to wrap around the barrel.

With my shorter hair style (although, it is rapidly growing out!), I do find the 1 1/4″ to be a little large at times, but I know it would be the perfect size on my previous, longer hair. You can definitely get your Victoria Secret’s full, sexy hair with it! I think I need to pick up a 3/4″ or 1″ barrel curling iron at some point, so that I switch as I need to. Another trick I picked up from Pursebuzz is to use those plastic rollers (they cost a few bucks, and you can find them at a beauty supply store or even your local drugstore). You can pick them up in different sizes, so after you’ve used the hot curling iron, wrap them up in these, to let the curl set and conform a bit more while you do your makeup.

Design: I really liked the handle design of this particular curling iron. It has a digital temperature display, and the temperature can adjust from 212 degrees to 410 degrees Farenheit. Although, mine displays in celsius, and I’m not sure if there’s a way to change it (and I’ve been too lazy to check the instructions manual!). Thicker hair needs higher temperatures in order to keep the curl, while thinner, finer hair requires less heat. To find a good heat setting, you shouldn’t have to hold the barrel in place for more than several seconds. If you find you can’t get a curl unless the iron is in place for a minute, you probably need to crank up the heat. The handle comes equipped with an up and down button for temperature, as well as the power button. Once you’ve found your desired temperature, you can then press the power button once to lock in your temperature. This is great, because I do find I occasionally bump the up or down buttons, and this way, the temperature doesn’t change. There is also a kickstand to allow you to prop up the curling iron on your countertop so the hot bits don’t come into contact with the surface, which is always helpful. I find it doesn’t heat up, as long as you don’t allow the metal to touch the barrel itself.

Time: This baby heats up in under five minutes. I would say just a minute or two, and it’s pretty much ready for me to use. I have thick hair, so I do keep the temperature of this quite high (300+).

Get the low-down on some more pros and cons!

Pros: I’m most definitely not a hair expert, but I’m trying to gain some hair knowledge! I know that excessive heat tools and products can damage your hair, so ever since I started getting into styling, I’ve been looking out for products and tools that minimize that damage. FHI’s curling iron contains a ceramic heater, which is supposed to cause less damage to your strands.

Cons: Everything about this iron is fantastic, nothing is really lacking, except when it comes to the rubber tip at the end of the barrel. When I curl my hair, I often place two fingers at the end of the barrel (where the rubber tip is) to help curl my hair around the barrel’s curvature. The problem is I find the rubber tip is pretty warm! I’m utterly confused by it, because I know it shouldn’t be conducting heat. It isn’t scalding, so I can still put my fingers around it no problem, but it’s definitely warmer than I’d like. For those who use lower heat settings, you might not notice this at all. I actually wonder if mine is dysfunctional in that aspect, because FHI advertises it as a “cool-touch tip.” So take this con as just a possibility, but it could very well be something specific to my iron.

Also, the price is obviously above and beyond some beauty addicts’ budgets. I’m not yet advocating this particular curling iron over any others, as this is only the second I’ve tried in my life (the first sucked, and it was also wickedly old!). If you love FHI’s Flat Irons (cult faves!), and you have the beauty budget to finagle it, this is a product that works well!

GOSSIP GIRL stars Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodsen), Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf), and Taylor Momsen (Jenny Humphrey) get their perfect locks using FHI Heat products! Here are some tips to get Gossip Girl hair!

Jennifer Johnson, Department Head of Hair for Gossip Girl for Seasons 1 and 2, explains below how she achieves the fashion-forward looks on the show. A professional hairdresser for 18 years, Johnson started her career working in salons, then doing hair for Broadway and for Bette Midler’s tours, and finally becoming a behind-the-scenes hairstylist for film and TV.

“Gossip Girl allows me to exercise lots of creativity because we are dealing with fun characters,” she states. “It’s really great and I feel fortunate!” Says Johnson, “I can’t say enough about how much the FHI Heat tools help me in my job. I love the shine and smoothness on the hair from the FHI Heat Runway styling iron! I love everything about what it does and offers–the heat, the adjustable temperature–I just can’t say enough good things about it!!! It’s my new favorite tool. I love also the T-Rex clips and the Nano Salon Pro 2000 Blow Dryer!”

Learn how to style your hair like the cast of Gossip Girls!

Blake Lively, who plays Serena van der Woodsen, always sports an effortless look. “I usually use the Runway styling iron to achieve this look which is never perfect, but always a little messy,” states Johnson. “For summer, we aimed for a wavy undone look. While for back to school and fall, we are aiming for a more constructed look for Serena.” About Serena’s “goddess look” for the summer Hamptons party: “This is a messy updo look,” explains Johnson, who outlines the steps below.

1. Curl whole head using a FHI Heat Curling iron
2. Use Runway styling iron to relax some of the curls
3. Twist some of the hair and pull it back
4. Pink up all the hair in back
5. Accessorize front by using a necklace as a headband

Leighton Meester, who plays Blair Waldorf, always displays a very perfect, constructed look, finished off almost always with headbands. “To achieve this look of true perfection, I take half-inch sections of hair and curl it with the FHI Heat Curling iron, curling it in different directions, achieving big curls,” says Johnson. “I put the headband on after.”

Taylor Momsen, who plays Jenny Humphrey, always sports a different look. One of her looks is super straight hair, which is achieved by applying the FHI Heat Hot Sauce to hair and then running the Runway iron through hair. The other look is a curly look achieved by curling the whole head with the FHI Heat Curling iron and then setting the curls with velcro rollers.

www.fhiheat.com