Hair Steamers – Worth the Investment?

We’re halfway through a new year. You’ve set career goals, you’ve met them. You’ve set hair goals… eh, you’re working on those. (Despite how easy it may sound, it is REALLY HARD finding the time to drink a gallon of water a day.) Hey, we get it.

On top of the high effort, maintaining fabulous hair is getting increasingly more expensive. It can be difficult sorting through all of the pricey new hair trends, but don’t worry! We’ve got you covered, girl. Here’s another hair investment for 2020 that we think is totally worth it: hair steamers.

Think about that rejuvenating feeling of getting a facial or stepping into a steaming hot shower and feeling your pores open up and say “ahhh.” Now apply that to your hair. Kinda like when you step outside on a humid day and your hair acts a complete and total fool — only this is more targeted, without the heat damage, and before you’ve spent three hours working on the perfect twist out.

Using a hair steamer enhances and reshapes your natural curls, increases your hair’s absorption of your favorite hair products, and strengthens your strands by making them more pliable and less prone to breakage.

Standing Hair Steamers

Hair steamers have been around for a while, but historically we only saw them in beauty salons. In more recent years, we’ve seen a lot more at-home models produced that can give you salon results in the comfort of your PJs. BUT, with salon results can come salon prices.

Here is why hair steamers can be a whole investment – they range in price from as low as $40USD to well over $1,000USD, with the most popular models averaging around $100USD. If you’re going to invest, make sure you get a good one. Check out the Red by Kiss Hair and Facial Steamer, which retails for $99.99USD on Amazon, and, by most accounts, gives you a high quality steamer for a reasonable price.

Handheld Hair Steamers

Another more affordable option is buying a handheld hair steamer.  Of course, the lower price tag means more work for you.  Instead of relaxing with a magazine while the steamer works its magic, a handheld steamer requires much more guidance and attention.  

Handheld hair steamers allow you to focus on small sections of your hair at a time.

On the other hand, it does allow you to focus on small sections of your hair at a time.  Even though it takes longer, some people prefer the added level of manipulation.  If you’re leaning towards a handheld steamer, the Q-Redew Handheld Hair Steamer, which retails for $78USD on the Q-Redew website, seems to be the fan favorite.

Still skeptical? What would you say if we told you there was a way to test the effects of a steamer on your hair for $20? Okay, what would you say after cursing us out for saving this for last? If your answer is “tell me more,” then you’re in luck! There are lots of YouTube videos . To save you from losing twelve days of your life getting lost in the YouTube abyss, we’ve added one of our favorites here:

While we think this is a fantastic hack, there are a lot of elements and settings that are beyond our control when dealing with a clothing steamer (most importantly, the temperature). So, listen carefully to the tips and tricks, and, if you aren’t prepared to deal with the added precautions of using a too not made for hair on your hair, we recommend dishing out the extra cash and buying a made-for-hair steamer.

What do you think? Are hair steamers worth the investment? For those of you who already have them, do you see the benefits?