Am I the only woman who gets confused perusing all of the hair styling products on the market? There are mousses and gels, sprays and serums, balms and lotions. It all makes my head spin!
When I do find a few moments to go shopping these days, I seldom have the time to read the back of every label to figure out which type of product will work for my hair. It is frustrating and enough to make a grown woman cry.
The truth is that most hair products are made for specific types of hair. So the trick is finding the product that is right for yours. Let’s see if I can help shed some light on the hair product issue.
Those who style their hair with heating utensils like hot rollers, curling irons or brushes, flat irons, or blow dryers, might want to consider a heat-protectant product. These products work by coating the hair to lubricate and protect it during the heat styling process. This helps to reduce the amount of damage caused by heating utensils.
With the popularity of heat styling utensils today, there are a lot of products from which to choose. Some of the best on the market in this category include L’Oreal’s Natures Therapy Heat Control Leave in Protection Cream at around $8.99, Nexxus Heat Protection Styling Spray at around $13.99, Shine Therapy Heat Protector by Sedu at around $7.99, and Redken’s 22 Hot Sets at around $9.99.
L’Oreal can be purchased at most discount department and drug stores. Nexxus and Redken are sometimes available at major drug stores. Shine Therapy, however, seems only to be available at beauty supply stores and online.
Heat protecting products are generally applied to wet hair, although some also work on semi-dry and dry hair. For best results, most of these products recommend application section by section just before styling.
For those with flyaway hair or a coif that tends to frizz, an anti-frizz serum might best fit the bill. These serums sooth and smooth the hair. Most products in this category contain silicone, which sits on top of the hair shaft to protect it during the styling process. Many contain vitamins and moisturizers that also condition and hydrate the hair shaft at the same time.
Some of the best products in this category include Garnier Fructis Intense Anti-Frizz Serum at around $7.99, Pantene’s Prov-V Style Always Anti-Frizz Serum at around $8.99, Citre Shine Anti-Frizz Polishing Serum at around $6.99, John Frieda Frizz-Ease at around $7.99 and Sammy Silk Anti-Frizz Styling Serum at around $7.99.
Garnier Fructis, Pantene, and Citre Shine are generally available at discount department and drug stores. Sammy’s Silk Anti-Frizz Serum is available in some drug stores, certain cosmetic stores like Ulta, as well as online.
Anti-Frizz products are usually applied to wet hair in dime sized amounts. Too many products can leave the hair feeling greasy and lifeless. The hair should be allowed to air dry or be blown dry with a diffuser or styled as desired. Using heat styling utensils on severely frizzed hair is not recommended even with the best styling products.
Probably the most popular styling product today is hair mousse because it can be used by the broadest spectrum of hair types. That popularity is understandable since mousses provide soft hold and manageability without making the hair stiff or sticky. Some even offer volume for fine, limp hair and definition for curly hair.
There are hundreds of hair mousses on the market today and most of them are quite competent. However, some of the best include TreSemme Volume Mousse at around $5.99, Aussie Real Volume Styling Mousse at around $3.99; Bio-lage Hydrofoaming Styler at around $10.99, Finnesse Touchables Extra Control Styling Mousse at around $3.99, and Herbal Essence’s Body Envy Volumizing Mousse at around $3.99.
Most of these mousses can be found in discount department and drug stores as well as online. Mousse application is a little less difficult that many other hair styling products. Generally a tablespoon sized amount of product rubbed into the hands and applied to wet hair is sufficient. Application should begin around two inches from the roots and worked out to the ends.
Gels provide strong hold, which is particularly suitable for short hairstyles. Most styling gels contain water-soluble resins and silicones. Individuals with delicate or color treated hair should avoid gels with alcohol in order to avoid further drying out the hair.
Gone are the days of Dippity Do’s sticky and stiff gel. Today’s styling gels are a totally new generation. Although there are fewer gels on the market than mousses and sprays, there are still some excellent options. Here are some of the best: L.A. Looks Styling Gel at around $2.99, Dimensions Shape Styling Gel at around $3.99, Garnier Fructis Style Wet Shine Gel at around $3.99, L’Oreal’s Studio Mega Gel at around $4.99 and Aussie Mega Spray Gel at around $3.99.
A thin layer of gel should be applied to the palms of the hands and then worked through damp hair from the roots out. For a wet look, allow the hair to dry naturally. Otherwise, style or blow dry with a diffuser.
Styling creams and lotions are great for smoothing and straightening course, curly hair. Many of the products in this category also moisturize and hydrate the hair.
There are tons of excellent styling creams and lotions on the market today. Here are some of the best: Bed Head Smoothing Cream at $25.99, Nexxus VersaStyler Artistic Designing Lotion at around $24.99, Sebastian Laminates Cream Styler at around $9.99, Biosilk Silk Therapy Thickening Cream at around $11.99, and Aussie Catch-the-Wave Taming Milk at around $12.41.
Bed Head, Nexxus, Sebastian and Biosilk are generally available in beauty salons and beauty supply shops while Aussie products are available in most discount department and drug stores.
Like with gels, creams need to be applied carefully. About a dime-sized amount of the product should be applied to wet hair before blow drying or styling. Too much cream or lotion may leave the hair looking limp and lifeless.
Additional styling products include waxes, pomades, balms, and sprays. However, those products are even more narrowly focused for certain types of hair.
If you want to try a new hair care beauty product, check out the manufacturer’s website. Some offer free samples that will help you determine if the product will work for you.
Whatever product is chosen, always use a light hand in application. It is always possible to add more product, if needed. However, if you use too much you may have to start all over again.
Hair is a woman’s crowning glory. For that reason, we want our hair to look healthy and shiny and we want our style to stay in place. Choose products that will help you do just that.
