How Did I Live Without a Flat Iron?

For the most part, I'm pretty low maintenance. I do use make-up on a daily basis, but my everyday make-up is so minimal and natural that I wouldn't doubt if I've been suspected of going out in public bare-faced. I would say that it takes me less than 5 minutes to put my make-up on, which consists of the following:

• moisturizer
• under eye concealer
• pressed powder
• blush
• mascara
• some days - eye shadow
• if I'm going out at night - heavier blush & eye shadow and black eyeliner

I've never timed myself, but I should. I bet it's more like 3 minutes from start to finish, on a typical day when I'm not going anywhere special. 

 
I also don't like to spend a whole lot of time fussing with my hair. Sleep is way more important to me than perfect looking hair. That said, my hair tends to get a little poofy and frizzy if left unattended. If I blow dry it, brushing it the whole time, the look of it is markedly improved. I have a nifty tool that is a curling brush which dries my hair too, and I love it. It does take awhile to dry my whole head with it though, so if possible I'll let my hair air dry for awhile first. 

 
While I love my drying/curling brush, and also my blow dryer and my curling iron, my number one hair tool is my flat iron. Girls today are so lucky, because if I had had one of these babies back in high school, I never ever would have had a bad hair day. I look like I have a totally different head of hair when I use my flat iron - smooth, manageable hair. And the best part is what I can do with my bangs. 

See, for years and years I was reluctant to try having bangs again. I was reluctant because I enjoy being low-maintenance, and my hair kind of has a mind of its own. Plus I have these annoying little cowlicks right in front where the bangs go. I didn't want to have to use hairspray and spend lots of time messing with bangs to make them look natural and untouched. But when I got my haircut recently, I knew I needed to try something new, so I decided to take a chance and get the bangs. I figured the worst that could happen was I look stupid for a few months while they grow out, and I pin them back with bobby pins or something if they look like crap. The girl who did my hair is extremely talented though, because she managed to give me awesome bangs that don't annoy me in the least. And getting back to my flat iron, I discovered that even if I don't wash my hair or just want to throw it in a pony, I can flatiron my bangs and suddenly I don't look like a crazy woman with frizzed out hair. How often was I late to school because my bangs wouldn't cooperate? Now in less than a minute my bangs look great. If I flatiron all of my hair, all the better. But if I'm in a hurry, I'll just do the bangs and maybe some face framing hair and voila! I'm presentable.


How did I live without a flatiron? Do you love your flatiron too? Or do you have another hair tool that you find just as completely indispensable?