NewBeauty Awards: Hair Stylers + Tools

BEST HAIRSPRAY

A stylist staple since the ‘80s, Sebastian Professional Shaper ($20) is like a safety belt for hair: it offers flexible control, but holds any ’do—from high ponies to long, loose waves—in place.

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BEST VOLUMIZING FOAM

Innersense Organic Beauty I Create Lift Volumizing Foam ($28) achieves the near-impossible task of lifting hair from the roots to add body while also making it feel soft, and it’s a favorite of curly girls, too.

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BEST BLOWDRY PRIMER

A few sprays of Kérastase Genesis Defense Thermique ($39) before heat-styling makes a world of difference, especially for weak hair that’s prone to fallout and breakage from brushing.

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BEST FRIZZ FIGHTER

Hair guru Rita Hazan says her multitasking Smoothing Crème ($28) is “the secret to achieving salon-level blowouts at home,” and we agree. It even kept one tester’s strands frizz-free in 85- degree Florida weather.

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BEST TEXTURIZING SPRAY

Fueled by an intoxicatingly beachy scent, Playa Endless Summer Spray ($24) effortlessly amps up volume and texture while treating strands to some serious UV protection and nourishment.

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BEST CURL REFRESHER

Founder Tracee Ellis Ross created curl-quenching PATTERN Hydrating Mist ($18) to not only refresh hair in between wash days, but also create an invisible shield against daily pollution.

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BEST CURL CREAM

The name says it all: One dollop of creamy Miss Jessie’s Pillow Soft Curls ($22) before air-drying or diffusing creates fluffy, feather-soft curls with subtle definition. We call it a low-maintenance miracle worker.

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BEST THICKENING SPRAY

From stylist extraordinaire Kevin Murphy’s Blow.Dry collection comes Ever.Thicken ($34), a fine spray with heat-activated long chain polymers and thickening cotton sprout to make hair look and feel fuller.

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BEST BLOWDRYER

Whip-smart Tineco Moda One ($299) makes tedious blow-drying more efficient with an LED sensor that turns red when it senses moisture and blue when it’s cool to avoid overdrying and damaging hair.

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BEST CURLING IRON

Fueled by HeatID technology, T3 Curl ID ($235) teaches its users a very valuable lesson: High heat does not equal longer hold. The smart-touch interface on the handle lets you program your hair profile for a custom heat setting.

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BEST HOT BRUSH

Scrambling to get ready after hitting snooze too many times? Moroccanoil Smooth Style Ceramic Heated Brush ($130) tames bed head quickly and easily for a smooth, polished look.

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BEST FLAT IRON

You’ve seen ghd platinum+ ($249) win in this category before, and it’s no mistake. It predicts your hair’s needs and hair type and constantly adapts its power to ensure optimum styling at 365 degrees for stick-straight strands or bendy waves with a quick swipe or flip.

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BEST BLOWDRYER BRUSH

The only difference between Drybar The Single Shot Round Blow-Dryer Brush ($150) and a bouncy salon blowout? You don’t get to sit back and sip champagne. This truly is the two-in-one hair tool we never knew we needed.

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BEST ROUND BRUSH

Leave it to Harry Josh to create the best round brush we tested this year. The nylon bristles on the ultra-light 1.7 inch Magnesium Thermal Brush ($55) grip and smooth every hair, creating a blowout Harry himself would approve.

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BEST DETANGLING BRUSH

There’s a reason every hairstylist has the WetBrush Original Detangler ($9) in their kit: The glides-right-through solution makes working through tangles—on pretty much any hair type—effortless.

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BEST PADDLE BRUSH

Skeptics of fancy hair brushes have yet to try the French-made Raincry Condition Brush ($120). Top-quality boar bristles condition the scalp and hair—it feels like a massage—for maximum strength and shine.

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BEST WAVER

Anyone with hair longer than their chin can use triple-barrel Trademark Beauty Babe Waves ($56) to create the fairytale hair once reserved for mermaids and Disney princesses.

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