Product Timeline

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Evolution of Product

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Other Hair Styling Tools

It is curious to see how our artefact, which is from the 1960s, was remade in the 1990s with almost no upgrades or notable changes (Eaton’s 1969, 317). Even in the present day, the concept of this hair styling tool has not changed. Take the “Conair CHV26RHRNC Tourmaline Ceramic Ionic Instant Heat Hair Setter with Heated Clips” for example. This product found on amazon, and as seen in figure 14, is extremely similar to the Samson Dominion Ten-Ten Hairsetter. Apart from the fact that the Conair model has more rollers and a built-in clip holder in the case, it is the same as the Samson Dominion Ten-Ten Hairsetter. Almost 60 years later and those minor details are all that has changed. Today we have products like hair curlers and straighteners that can replicate this look with arguably more control, but even those hair styling tools have not evolved greatly since their original release.

The curling iron is a great example of another hair styling tool that has not evolved all that much since its original release. The two images down below show one of the first hair curlers (pre electricity) alongside a more recent hair curler (post electricity). As seen in these images, the general shape and intended use of both of these models are extremely similar. Even after the invention of electricity, the basic shape and process of the curling iron has stayed the same! The user is meant to squeeze the handle, put a section of their hair in between the rods, release the handle so the hair is tight in between, wrap around (curling motion), and release. This example just goes to show that a lot of hair styling tools have not greatly evolved since their original release/creation.