Is there anything worse than turning up to a hair job without the right tools or accessories? Even on an ordinary day this can be one of the most stressful experiences for a hair stylist but when it’s your clients wedding day it’s just terrifying! Being prepared ahead of time definitely helps to prevent disasters like this from happening but using a check list is by far the best way to avoid forgetting any vital equipment.
Must-Have Tools for Bridal Hairstyling
We’ve listed the 20 most essential items every bridal hairstylist should carry in their kit alongside some organisation tips that will help you keep the stress to a minimum.
1. Multi-Barrel Curling Wand
A curling wand is an essential styling tool in any hair stylist’s kitbag. Not only do they help to quickly produce curls and waves they make hair ups much easier thanks to the added movement and texture, especially when working with naturally straight hair. To save space in your bag a ‘Multi-Barrell Curling Tong’ is a great option, this will come with the curling wand electrical base and 4-5 different sized barrels to suit all hair lengths. A great budget friendly option is the 5 in 1 curling wand set from ICICosmetics.
Shop Now: Multi-Barrel Curling Wand
2. Hair Straighteners
Hair Straighteners are perfect for quickly smoothing out frizzy areas or straightening kinky roots. They also add fast flicks and curls around the face, working as both a smoother and curling tool they do much more than just straighten the hair. Our favourite is the GHD original, not only are they amazing but they last a lifetime too so it’s worth the extra money on the initial purchase if you use them on a regular basis.
Shop Now: Ghd Original Hair Styler
3. Hair Dryer
A good hair dryer can produce multiple styles and create that extra volume that other styling tools may not be able to achieve. Even if it’s not used on each client, it’s still good to have one in your bag for emergencies such as unexpected wet hair or if your other heated tools were to break. For wedding hair, we would advise using Velcro rollers alongside a blow-dry to ensure the style lasts the day! A budget friendly, stylist favourite hair dryer is the Parlux Advance Light which is not only powerful but lightweight.
Shop Now: Parlux Advance Light Ceramic Ionic
4. Heated Rollers
Heated rollers create the bouncy blow-dry look in half the time of a blow dry! Used on smooth, dry hair they inject volume into the roots for multiple styling purposes. When you’re styling more than one client on a wedding day, heated rollers are a fantastic time saving gadget that you can leave in whilst you work on other styles. Our favourites are the Remington Proluxe heated rollers that come with the clips and heat base.
Shop Now: Remington PROluxe Heated Hair Rollers H9100
5. Pintail Comb
Nothing quite compares to Cliphair’s Pintail Comb when it comes to creating sharp partings and neat sections. The pointed end precisely separates hair whilst the fine-toothed comb works to remove any tiny knots. The comb can also be used to backcomb and tease the hair, an essential for hairdressers and bridal stylists alike.
6. Backcombing Brush
Backcombing is vital for most hair up styles to add stability, volume and texture especially when working with soft, straight hair. Clip-In hair extensions are commonly used for bridal styling which require the natural hair to be teased before attaching, this creates a strong structure for the clips to grip too. A soft backcombing brush can also be used to smooth flyaway hairs and frizz.
7. Round Brush
Round brushes are perfect for creating voluminous blow dry looks. It’s important to have a small, medium and large size to suit all hair lengths. Small round brushes are particularly important for super short hairstyles like pixie cuts that are too short to be tonged or fit into rollers. Moroccan Oil Round Brushes last a long time and hold heat extremely well, they have a variety of size shapes to choose from.
Shop Now: Moroccan Oil Tools & Brushes
8. Detangling Brush
A standard detangling brush is an essential in most people bags but for a hairdresser even more so! To avoid any mishaps, make sure yours is suitable for hair extensions as well as natural hair. Our Cliphair detangling brush works on all hair types and all types of hair extensions.
9. Hairdressing Scissors
A lot of brides will require the use of hair extensions on their big day to add volume, length or both but sometimes they are slightly longer than they actually need. Always bring your scissors along for last minute trims on the day.
Shop Now: TONI&GUY Identity Hairdressing Scissors
10. Sectioning Clips
Cliphair’s Alligator Clips function as an extra hand when we need to section off and keep parts of the hair out of the way. Alligator clips are used regularly by bridal hairstylists to aid with sectioning, applying extensions, styling, colouring, cutting and treating. In comparison to other hair sectioning clips, alligator clips are the best due to their flexibility, strength and anti-slip technology.
11. Hair Pins
Kirby grips and loose pins will be used on almost every updo hairstyle for wedding hair so pins in all shapes and sizes are an absolute must for any bridal hair stylist. You should have a variety of colours including blonde, brown and black to ensure they stay discreet in all hair types. Most hair shops will sell variety packs with all the above included, it’s worth stocking up on a few boxes as it’s rare to get the clips back from your clients after you’ve used them. Salons Direct have a handy variety box that includes both tight grips and looser pins in all hair colours for a very reasonable £11.90!
Shop Now: Hair Tools Pins and Grips Session Kit
12. Hair Bands
For ponytails, buns and other up do hairstyles, you may wish to use hairbands to hold the hair up more securely. It’s important to have a variety of colours and levels of thickness depending on how discreet you need them to be, and how thick the client’s hair is.
Shop Now: New Look Hair Bands
13. Transparent Mini Elastic Bands
Mini elastics are perfect for tying off braids or tiny ponytail styles as they are super small and transparent, so they match with any hair colour. It’s always handy to have a pack of these in your kitbag as they have so many uses for a variety of styles.
Shop Now: ASOS Mini Clear Elastic Hair Bands
14. Handheld Mirror
In some locations, mirrors aren’t always in convenient places or moveable which can be an issue. Whilst working on someone’s hair you may want to ask them certain questions before you move on to the next part of the style e.g., are you happy with the front? Is the bun high enough? Without a mirror you will need to wait until the looks finished for feedback. A medium sized handheld mirror is a life saver in these scenarios.
Shop Now: Amor Handheld Mirror
15. Wave Comb
Glamorous waves are still one of the most sought-after hairstyles in 2024 and can be easily achieved with wave comb, otherwise known as a ‘wide-toothed’ comb. After the hair has been styled and left to cool, Cliphair’s Wave Comb expertly glides through your hair, effortlessly detangling without any snagging on your scalp. Our comb is also paired with a stylish lilac pouch that perfectly fits any smartphone, doubling up as a trendy case.
16. Velcro Rollers
Velcro rollers are used alongside hair dryers to enhance and prolong the volume in the hair after a blow-dry. After inserting rollers into each section of hair, it can then be kept in place by a small metal slide clip, keeping the curl intact whilst it is still warm. The slide clips can also be used by themselves to create pin curls, a great alternative if you haven’t got rollers to hand.
Shop Now: Revolution Velcro Rollers
17. Soft Bristle Brush
Soft bristle brushes are highly versatile and can be used for brushing out tight curls to finessing low-brush cuts. It’s also commonly used for polishing off your favourite sleek updos such as slick back ponytails to smooth out any unwanted frizz.
Shop Now: Hair Lust Vegan Bristle Brush
Additional Tools and Accessories
Take your bridal hairstyling up a notch with additional tools and accessories for your kitbag. Here are some crucial extras that you might have overlooked:
1. Extension Lead
Quirky or alternative locations aren’t always built for the getting ready process, so the power outlets may not be in convenient places. Pack an extension lead to ensure you can set up in the most comfortable position for you and your clients.
Shop Now: Argos Extension Lead
2. Hair Padding and Hair Donuts
For elaborate updos and bun hairstyles, hair padding or what is often referred to as a ‘hair donut’ is used to give the illusion of more hair, all whilst creating the perfect, circular shape. Hair padding is also the ideal base for extensions to clip to and wrap around. Remember to have a variety of colours to ensure they are well hidden in all hair types and colours.
Shop Now: Aston and Fincher Updo Hair Kit
3. Business Cards
Promote yourself while you are working! It’s likely you’ll meet family and friends of the bride when you are working on their hair, which means many are likely to ask for your information or want to book you for their own events or even weddings. Printed business cards are an easy and quick way to give people your contact details without needing to stop what you are working on for too long. Some venues may even allow you to leave them with the weddings team to recommend you to future brides.
What Do You Need for Bridal Hair?
If you include all the tools and accessories in your kitbag above, you should have everything you need to achieve any bridal style request. We haven’t included decorative accessories as this is down to the bride/bridal parties’ personal choice, but we would advise ordering these well in advance, so you have time to change them if needed. For more guidance on choosing the best bridal hair accessories, you can read more about some of our favourites in our designated 11 Essential Products Every Bridal Hairstylist Needs blog, along with our guide to the Top Bridal Hair Accessories available on the market right now.
