I've just got a second-hand Airstrait, and so far, I really like it for how much it smooths my hair. But the ends are a real problem.
I have lots of fairly wiry hair. I used to think it was quite thick but my hairdresser said it's actually normal thickness but there's just a ton of it. It used to be ringlety/large curls, but since menopause, has been tiny curls/frizz, so I've given up hope of wearing it naturally curly any more (I sometimes can for the first day but after that, it's wild). So it's been trying to dry it smooth but with curl/wave/shape at the ends. I was using the GHD Duet, but the Airstrait seems to do the smoothing part much better and more quickly, and I'm mostly really pleased with that aspect of it.
However, it just leaves the ends totally straight and kind of all hanging in separate layers, because it's so thick. I used ColorWow Dreamcoat but that's not helped, and lots of other smoothing serums etc, but it's just the volume of it and the fact that the ends just go utterly straight and a bit stiff-looking, so it still seems kind of witchy. The layers of it just stand out from my head, and end in random ratty looking ends, though they aren't actually ratty or poor condition at all, there are just so many layers of them.
I've been trying online suggestions of twirling the sections up and pinning them after drying, which worked briefly but the curl fell out within 10 minutes, and another suggestion of trying to use a round brush and the Airstrait as just a hairdryer, which I"m sure would work if I were more talented (as it's what my hairdresser does and it looks lovely then), but I've never been able to master the blow dry with a round brush as hair gets blown everywhere, tangles, I don't have enough hands, etc. I just have so much hair.
So I think I might need to actively try to curl the ends, but not sure with what. I have a Curl Secret but I'm always afraid the hair will get stuck! I wonder if a curling wand would be better, or tongs, or some other waving iron kind of thing? Does it matter if it's a really good brand like GHD, Cloud 9 etc, or a £10 one from Argos? The place I got the Airstrait has second-hand of the fancy curling tools too, so I could consider it if it would make a difference. Or just a different technique with the Airstrait? (I know it's not really designed for curls, but I'm told you can get a bit of a flip at the ends). I hoped it would be a one-tool-to-do-it-all kind of thing, but it seems not. (i tried the Airwrap years ago and didn't get on with it - this works better for the smoothing aspect at least). So what else should I get to do something (that lasts) with the ends?! Any ideas?