Embarrassingly, I had a heated hair tool become problematic recently. I had my Hot Tools iron stored with a bunch of tools in a drawer. I hadn’t used it in a while, but needed to be presentable for some Mandatory Fun at work. Since my hair was dry, the Airwrap wouldn’t be a good fit. Thus, I reached for a reliable tool to do some quick low-effort wrangling of my hair.
What I found, though, was that the handle of the iron was odd: the texture wasn’t the same. It was inconsistent and, inexplicably, tacky or sticky. This wasn’t because of product build up, though – we’re talking the handle, not the barrel.
Weird, but Maybe It’s Fine?
…or, maybe not. I tried to clean it; no dice. I ventured and gave using it a shot anyhow, because nothing was unsafe from an electrical or heat perspective. This was a mistake, though: strands of my hair stuck to the handle as I curled. I ended up pulling out a few strands as a result. Ow.
I considered duct- or gaffers-taping the barrel, but that would interfere with usage of the temperature dial. Instead, I used a washcloth to create a barrier; imperfect, but it let me finish without further tugging.
Store Hair Tools with Care
The issue here was that I hadn’t!
I just had them tossed erratically in a drawer rather than taking the time to store hair tools carefully. So what happened, why does it matter? The handle of the iron had a silicone coating. It must have been touching another hair tool that did as well. This isn’t best practice, as it can lead to material compromise and degradation.
Keeping things separated will combat this – store the tools in their packaging or storage bags if you have them. If you don’t, use something that will create a physical barrier between them.
This will help keep your hair tools in working order, and keep your hair – and skin – safe as well.
It isn’t that your hair tools can NEVER touch. But pay attention to your tools. If they have a silicone-y soft-touch coating, it is best to keep them separate or in storage pouches. It is always wise to make sure you clean your tools before you put them away.
Are you Giggling?
There’s a parallel to be drawn, here, which I’ll phrase delicately: inadequate storage of adult novelties can cause similar problems. This isn’t just a storage problem, either; related products might contain silicone, too. Don’t use those together.
In short, proper care, and storage of your tools personal items are universal.
But really, though –
That isn’t the only way silicone-on-silicone can be problematic. Using two products in your skincare and makeup ALSO cause issues with pilling, etc.
The Bottom Line
Store hair tools with care to prolong their lifespan and prevent discomfort during use!
Theoretically I could have salvaged it if I wanted to tape it off and try to re-coat it with some sort of spray-on coating, but that was too much hassle than I could say is worthwhile. At $38-44, I would absolutely purchase the iron again, however, and I will take better care to keep ’em separated. For now, though, I’m popping it onto my wishlist since it isn’t urgent.