I’m an editor, baker and consummate planner. My day-to-day is a balance of writing, networking events, happy hours, commuting, press events and time with family, and it can be so easy to let my personal aesthetic fall to the wayside. And while I pride myself on being relatively low-maintenance — I’m a jeans-and-tee kind of gal most days, and I tend to go for the no-makeup makeup vibe — I like my style to be neat: a clean, minimal, classic look that feels professional and approachable.
So how do I achieve that look? Well, my number-one secret is the Conair Steam Stylist. It’s portable, compact and endlessly convenient. (I even bring it to work with me for midday touch-ups.) Plus, it’s powerful enough to tackle everything from minor wrinkles to deep creases with three versatile solutions: steam, press and iron. Here’s how I use my Steam Stylist all day long.
Morning
Most days I like to pick and prep my clothes the night before, so I don’t have to think about it in the morning. But when life gets in the way (or the outfit I picked last night no longer fits my mood), I can break out my Conair Steam Stylist and cut my ironing time exponentially: Its dual-sided plates — like on a hair straightener — press both sides of the clothing at the same time.
Maybe my favorite thing about my Steam Stylist? When pressing isn’t what I need to get the job done, it packs three functions into one compact device, so I can steam, press and iron with efficiency. The easy-glide ceramic-coated aluminum plates lock and unlock with the flick of a switch, so you can swap from ironing to steaming to pressing seamlessly. And it’s designed to reach all parts of a garment: You can use it horizontally, vertically — at any angle at all. (Collars, my former ironing nemesis, are dreaded no more!)
Midday
Okay, I know I just said my favorite thing about the Steam Stylist is the 3-in-1 feature. But it’s also hard to beat a device that’s sleek and lightweight enough to carry when anticipating wrinkle emergencies on set or at a shoot. Post-lunch touch-ups are a must, and I always give my outfit a quick pass before heading out to a happy hour or networking event to make sure I’m looking fresh. Just be sure to find a private spot where you can remove a garment as you should never steam a garment while wearing it.
The Steam Stylist’s easy-to-fill removable water tank means hassle-free operation (not to mention cleaning — no mildew here). When I bring a new outfit to change into after work, the Steam Stylist’s two steam settings — normal and turbo — release any wrinkles that have been setting into the clothes in my bag all day long, no matter how stubborn.
Night
As I said, I like to prep my outfits the night before so I’m not scrambling in the morning. Since the Steam Stylist makes creasing and pressing super-easy, I can ensure I’ll look crisp from nine to five (and beyond) the next day. Gone are the days of sending my clothes out for this — because I get a professional look right at home.
Carson is a Senior Food and Drink editor for branded content on Delish, Cosmo, Good Housekeeping, and many more. She enjoys improving her home one DIY at a time, creating new desserts, and searching for the best lobster roll on the East Coast. You can find her on Instagram @iseecarsondaily.