Top 10 Hair Stylist Tools for Styling Your Perfect Style

Do your friends and family members come to you when they need their hair done? Do you spend more time on other people’s hair than your own? Have you ever considered a career in styling hair?

If so, you need to familiarize yourself with the hair stylist tools you’ll need to succeed. Keep reading to find 10 accessories any aspiring hairdresser needs in their arsenal.

1. Shears

Shears are one of the most indispensable hair stylist products. You can’t have any old pair of shears. They should consist of high-quality materials and be the right fit for your hand.

Choosing the right blade length is crucial. Take into account the length of your hand and the techniques you will be performing most on your clients.

Shears with shorter blades provide a lot of control for precision cutting. Those with longer blades tend to be more efficient.

You also want to invest in blending shears to make texturizing hair easy.

We recommend having several different pairs with a variety of blade lengths. You’ll be able to create any hairstyle when you have many different shear options.

2. Powerful Hairdryer

Every hairdresser needs a blow dryer in their toolkit. The right dryer makes finishing styles faster, so be sure to choose a high-quality option.

Choose one that’s lightweight to reduce the strain that heavier tools cause. Look for options that come with a concentrator and a diffuser to help achieve different looks.

Higher-end dryers feature technology that can reduce hair damage and leave tresses looking shiny.

3. Hair Stylist Apron

The apron is another essential accessory for any hair stylist. Aprons are made of vinyl to repel hair, color, or other chemical solutions from ruining your clothing.

Another great reason to wear an apron is to protect against lice. More than 12 million Americans get lice every year. Hairdressers are often the first person to identify lice in their clients.

Your apron will add another layer of protection to ensure you’re not taking nits or bugs home.

 

4. Coloring Accessories

The right coloring accessories are a must-have if your clients are begging for a new look. At the bare minimum, you’ll need color bowls, gloves, clips, and color brushes.

The best color bowls have non-slip bottoms to avoid accidentally pouring your beautiful color all over the floor (or worse, your client).

Look for vinyl gloves that fit just right on your hands. You don’t want them to be too loose as they’ll be difficult to work in.

You’ll probably already have hair clips in your arsenal for cutting hair. We recommend having additional clips for color clients, in case they get dirty.

High-quality color brushes are non-negotiable. Look for ones with soft bristles to make controlling the color you’re applying easy. Wider brushes also make for smoother application across larger hair sections.

5. Hair Brushes

There are several hairbrush types that every stylist should have at their disposal.

Paddle brushes are the best hair detangling tool anyone could ask for. They’re suitable for almost every hair type and are magical for smoothing and defrizzing.

Round brushes are a blowouts best friend. They provide faster drying time and are available in several different sizes. Round brushes can even create a wavy style if the hair is wrapped around the brush during drying.

A teasing brush works great for clients who want a little more volume in their style. They’re made with boar bristles to be less harsh on hair than a comb.

7. Combs

You should have a wide variety of combs available for whatever job comes your way. Some combs work best for creating perfect sections for cutting or color hair. Others are designed specifically for styling purposes.

You can find high-quality comb sets at any beauty supply store. Look for kits that contain short, long, and wide cutting combs to cover all your bases.

8. Hot Styling Tools

Having a wide selection of hot styling tools will ensure you can do any style your clients ask for. You’ll need a flat iron and a curling iron at the bare minimum.

A flat iron is a versatile tool to have as it can create both pin-straight hair and curls. Look for tools that have ceramic plates and an adjustable temperature gauge.

If you only have space for one curling iron, chose a 1-inch barrel. It’ll be versatile enough to create any number of looks but won’t leave your clients with 19th-century ringlets. How you wrap the hair around the barrel will create many different looks.

If you’ll be working with hot tools, it’s worthwhile to invest in a heat protectant. These sprays work by adding moisture and forming a protective barrier over the hair.

9. Sectioning Clips

As we alluded to above, sectioning clips are a hairdresser’s best friend. You’ll not only use them when creating hairstyles but when cutting and coloring hair, too.

Look for aluminum duckbill clips that are long and thin with a slight curve. They should be grippy so they can hold back thick sections of hair. You’ll want clips that provide maximum grip without leaving unsightly marks in their wake.

10. Doll Head

If you love to experiment, a hair stylist doll head is a must-have. You can practice different techniques without forcing anyone to be your guinea pig.

There are many different mannequin heads on the market today. If you’re working with a tighter budget, those with synthetic hair are inexpensive and easy to work with.

If your budget allows, we recommend buying a mannequin head made with human hair. This will give you a more accurate idea of how the hair will react to the styles you’re attempting.

Get Your Hands on the Best Hair Stylist Tools

You’ll be like a professional stylist with all the right hair stylist tools at your disposal.

If hairstyling is your passion, you should consider making it your profession. Browse our list of programs to see if embarking upon a career in cosmetology is right for you.