helios by ghd is here to take over your 2020 and top-tier stylists are loving it. We sat down with ghd ambassador Monique McMahon of Que to get her insider intel into the tool, including her top tips, favourite looks, first impressions and so much more on helios and beyond.
How did ghd helios surprise you when you first used it?
A couple of things definitely stood out straight away. The first one was the weight of it – it wasn’t heavy on my wrist, it’s quite easy to manoeuvre, it feels balanced in my hand, which was great. And the other thing which stands out majorly is the speed of the airflow and the direction that comes out – that was amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever used a hairdryer with that amount of speed or force of air coming out from the nozzle.
What is a surprising technical tip you do when drying clients’ hair?
Being a colour specialist and having a colour specialist salon, it’s really important to always have the heat on medium when drying coloured hair. The porosity level of coloured hair is a lot higher than natural hair, meaning it holds moisture – so using a hairdryer with an ionic system like the ghd helios is better because it breaks down those molecules and dries the hair faster.
My other tip to clients is to always have the speed or velocity on medium as well. When you’re drying coloured hair, it’s not necessarily to put it on high speed, high heat at all. It’s kind of like when you go to the gym and you’re on the treadmill – you’re not going to put that on 20 all the time just because it can go to 20. You’re going to put it on what suits you personally, and it’s the same with drying hair.
Would you buy helios for yourself? Does it make your life easier?
Yes, I’ll definitely buy it for my salon and my team – the airflow of the ghd helios is strong and fast, and it dries the hair quickly which is great in a salon environment.
What do you think clients will love most about the ghd helios?
Well it looks sexy! I think looks are really important; and of course all the other features we’ve spoken about. They’ll really like the fact that they have the option to put it on medium heat and medium velocity for their hair health and still get really quick, great results on their hair.
What are your clients looking for from a hairdryer, and how to you think ghd helios meets those needs?
I think they’re looking for something lightweight, something that isn’t too hot and won’t damage the hair, with options for speed and heat – all of which the ghd helios nails.
How do you think the different colours will be received by clients?
They’ll love them; they’re perfect. I love the ink blue but my favourite is the white, personally! It just looks so luxe and expensive.
Favourite blow-dry look to create?
We do a beautiful brushed-out blow-dry. It’s very old fashioned, it’s using the brush and getting lots of volume, lots of shine on the hair, lots of movement, and getting just that little bit of bend – we love that style.
What was the first blow-drying tip you got as an apprentice?
Always hold the hairdryer parallel to the brush.
Why do you love partnering with ghd?
ghd are a great brand, they’re innovative, and while they’ve been around long enough and are established in the industry they’re still young and fresh in their approach. And most importantly ghd just always has the hair’s health at its forefront in product innovation.
What is your favourite career moment with ghd?
Definitely being part of the helios launch with ghd, on stage with Grant Norton, Jules Tognini, and Marie Uva – it’s been amazing!
For more information visit www.ghdhair.com/au