Ever since my hair went through a bout of heat damage in high school, I've been afraid of using heated tools and products for fear of experiencing the same fate.  But after years of nursing my curls back to health, paired with educating myself on how to use heat properly, I've learned to appreciate the beauty of hot tools in my life. Whether it's to diffuse my hair dry during colder months or safely blow it out before getting box braids, "heat unlocked possibility and supported me in finding new and fun choices," as award-winning actress and activist Tracee Ellis Ross so eloquently wrote on Instagram.