| Blow N Go |
| Karen Marie Shelton |
| Date: 11/19/2001, 2/19/2006 |
Introduction
 When
HairBoutique.com first added the Conair line of hair care
accessories some years back, I cracked out my plastic and ordered several items that
I could personally test. Besides the
Conair Mini Metal Pro I bought a full sized blow dryer, 2
different curling irons, the chrome hot shaver and the heated towel
rack.
Note: Conair
discontinued the Mini Metal Pro but they offer an amazing array of
excellent hair dryers for every type of hair & every blow drying
need).
I decided to leave the Mini Metal Pro in the restroom at my
office for emergencies and for other
HairBoutique.com and T&S
employees to use if they had the need.
I am not a regular user of heated hair tools (blow dryers, hot
curlers, etc.,). There are many reasons. The main reason
is because I worry about the wear and tear to my very long hair. I
have been patiently growing my hair since 1988. I have learned
that to take the best care of my hair I need to steer clear of as
many disruptive treatments as possible.
Another reason for my hot tool abstinence is my intense business
schedule. Besides running HairBoutique.com 24/7, I am also in
charge of a fast paced software company that develops intelligent
voice products. Luckily both companies share the same
building which saves me lots of commute time but doesn't really give
me much time to spend on my hair every day.
 Every
morning I shampoo and condition my hair, towel blot it, detangle it
and then wrap it into a ballerina bun that I hold in place with my
trusty hair sticks. I blow dry and finger pick my bangs for 2
minutes and then I am out the door.
I let my hair air dry wrapped in its bun until noon. I remove the hair sticks and use my fingers to "comb" my hair
into natural waves. It is an easy, no fuss, no muss, method that
saves my hair and my schedule.
The only time my "drowned rat look" doesn't work is
when I am required to attend business meetings. Then I have to
adopt other methods of drying my hair.
How I Tested Conair Mini Metal Pro
I had the first opportunity to test my Mini Metal Pro under
emergency conditions. I arrived for work with my wet hair
dressed in my business casual attire. I was met by an employee who
freaked when he saw me. Not only had I blanked out
about a business meeting that morning, I had also forgotten
that the press was coming by to take photos of our latest HairBoutique.com products.
Luckily I keep a business suit at the office. Grabbing the
suit I went flying into the restroom to do my quick change
routine. I spied my Mini Metal Pro as I was throwing my suit
on and realized that it was the perfect time to put it to the test.
 Grabbing
the Phyto7
leave-in conditioner that I carry in my purse, I put a blob into the
palm of my hands and smoothed it over my still wet hair. I applied a little of
my favorite
Phytodefrisant on the lengths and grabbed my paddle
brush.
Time was of the essence, so I undid my bun and bent over to get
the bottom of my hair dried first.
I switched on the dryer at the highest/hottest setting and
was amazed at the heat it generated. In a matter of five
minutes my roots and underside of my hair was completely dry and
smooth. I flipped my hair over. In just three more minutes
the rest of my hair was completely dry.
 It
was amazing that in just eight minutes I dried my entire head of
thick, wavy and below the waist wet hair. It was soft, shiny,
straight and very dry. I finished with a tiny dab of Phytotherathrie
Defrisant Serum to keep my hair smooth and
shiny.
As I went running back down the hall towards my office the same
freaked out employee stood with his mouth gapping open. He
was shocked at my total transformation in just ten minutes. By the time the
business visitors arrived I was poised and ready for the
meeting with smooth, sleek, shiny hair.
Some Notes On Blow Dryer Use
When used properly, blow dryers can be a blessing for many
people. Although I am more cautious in my use habits, I am the
exception to the rule. Hair dryers are wonderful for adding
styling punch, and for helping to straighten unruly cowlicks, waves
and curls. If you use a hair dryer on a regular or daily
basis, remember to always use either a leave-in conditioner or
styling product that protects your hair from blow dryer heat
waves. It is important to remember to avoid holding the
hair dryer too close to your hair. Finally, rotate the dryer
so that no one section of hair is overexposed to heat.
For sleek looks, direct the air flow from the roots to the
ends. For rough and textured looks, reverse the air flow.
Blow Dryer Features
The Conair Mini Metal Pro has a professional length cord that is
6 feet long. This makes the dryer easy to use when moving back
and forth.
I really appreciated the long professional length cord when I was
bending and stretching with my head upside down. The cord did
not get in my way or tug or yank me back to the wall.
This is a great feature because it is important to keep a blow
dryer circulating so as to not overheat any one section of hair.
The handle easily folds in order to fit into the black faux
leather zippered traveling case. The dryer has 2 Speeds/Heats
with a full 800 Watts of power and a Removable Filter. The dryer
also has a limited one year warranty from Conair when you send in
the warranty card.
NOTE: Use
caution—do not use the dryer while bathing or in the shower.
Never operate the dryer if it has a damaged cord or plug.
Packaging
The dryer is very contemporary with a black handle and body.
It has a
shiny silver chrome metal housing with black accent stripes.
The removable air filter is a great option and will add many years
of life to the dryer.
The Mini Metal Pro comes packaged in a purple and black cardboard
box with a cellophane window to allow an instant peek at the
dryer. It comes complete with the zippered travel case and an
instruction booklet. The Conair dryer is an ideal gift because you
can easily wrap up the box and have a thoughtful surprise waiting to
be opened.
Other Options
 I
was very impressed with how fast the 800 watts of heat allowed me to
dry my hair. One thing that I did notice was that the dryer is
not quiet like some of the new Conair Quiet Tone models. Yes, it is fast, it is convenient,
but the Mini Metal Pro would not allow for easy conversation during
use. I am not complaining. I actually  like the time
alone to think and focus but some people may prefer a dryer that
offer more quiet. Conair has been the leader in the field of
toning down the noise factor of blow dryers. If a quiet
tone is a consideration for you, the Mini Metal Pro may not
be your best bet. If you don't care about standard dryer noise
then the Mini Metal Pro is a good choice.
Conclusion
Although I am not the best candidate for daily use of a
blow-dryer, I do use one for my bangs and quick change emergencies.
The Conair Mini Metal Pro is wonderful because it is very small,
folds up for easy travel and is very handy. Even better, it
has a full 800 watts of power for quick blow drying ease.
For people who need to use a blow dryer for travel, this model is
ideal. It is very small, lightweight and easy to fold and
pack.
Karen's Rating
On my own scale of 1-10, 10 being the best, I
give Conair Mini Metal Pro a 9.
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