Finding the Proper Hair Products

How many hair products do you have sitting at home right now? Probably more than you can count and more than you will ever use! I am guilty of this myself. Every time I see a new hair product, I always have to try it, and then I end up with a basket full of hair products I have tried and will never use again. So how do you know if a hair product is right for you? Each hair product has a specific purpose to either help maintain the health of your hair, enhance your natural texture, or help give you the perfect style. It is important to be able to identify what products work best for your hair so you do not end up with a collection.

In addition to bridal styling, I also work in two different salons cutting and coloring hair. One of the most important products that affect hair is the kind of shampoo and conditioner that is used. If you color your hair, it is best to use a color shampoo and conditioner to help maintain the longevity of your color. Volumizing shampoo is a great option for clients with finer hair, but it can also be drying to the hair. Moisturizing shampoo is great if you have dry, coarse, or curly hair. I almost always recommend a clarifying shampoo because it is great for most hair types, and the main purpose of this shampoo is to clean the scalp and hair of built-up natural oils and hair products. Shampoo and conditioner play a huge role in maintaining the integrity and health of the hair and the scalp.

In addition to maintaining the health of your hair, there are so many products that enhance the natural texture of your hair. Curly hair is naturally drier than other textures of hair, so any light moisturizing creams, serums, lotions, leave-in conditioners, or light oils are great options. For wavy hair, these kinds of products would work well too, but wavy hair is typically not as dry as curly hair! For straight hair that feels dry, an orchid oil would work best for the ends of the hair. I also like to use serums on straight hair to enhance the natural shine and help control the frizz or flyaways! It is still important to try different hair products in order to find what works best with your hair, but having some knowledge will help you to choose the right kinds of products.

There are also thousands of styling products out there as well! I have tried a lot of them and found some that work great for achieving certain styles. For sleek styles, I like to use stronger hair sprays in order to eliminate flyaways and add shine. Medium-hold hairsprays are not as sticky as stronger hair sprays and work great for keeping curls in place. Lighter hair sprays are best for finer hair so they do not weigh the curls down. For creating polished twists and braids, I use styling pastes (Kenra 13 is my fave!). Texture sprays are great for giving the hair more grit without becoming sticky, and they also release the weight from the hair so curls hold longer. For volume, I love to use a mousse on wet hair and then use a round brush to create body in a style. My last favorite product that I love for volume is a texturizing powder. This product is used at the roots, and then the hair is slightly backcombed to create beautiful round shapes in upstyles.

Having some knowledge behind the purpose of hair products will help to choose what is best for your hair type and texture. There is so much more information about different products but this is a good basic guide to go off of when trying to decide what product will work for you!