I’ve got a disdainfully bad habit of hoarding skincare — to the point where my collection has now spread across several areas of my apartment. I pay so much attention to keeping my skin healthy that I barely bat an eye at my extensive morning and nighttime routine (which involves between seven and 10 steps to complete). It wasn’t until I sat down for my most recent root touch-up that my colorist brought my attention to the health of my hair.
She pointed out that my strands were breaking, my scalp was dry and irritated, and my color wasn’t as vibrant as it should be… and that these were signs of a lack of proper care. It made sense — I don’t invest nearly as much time or attention to my hair as I do to everything else. I heat style nearly every other day, use cheap products that I know are filled with sketchy ingredients, and I don’t address damage the way I know I should.
If you’re also guilty of inadequately caring for your mane, here are a few product recommendations that combat multiple issues at once and prove that you can keep your hair perfectly healthy while still styling it the way you like.
The biggest haircare news in recent months is hands down the availability of an at-home Olaplex treatment. Professionals have been using Olaplex for years in their salons to combat damage, restore vitality to stressed and dull hair, and to rebuild the protein structures and bonds that are required for healthy strands that resist breakage. While the No. 3 isn’t as strong as what the professionals use, it is a great supplemental treatment in between salon visits. Olaplex is not a conditioner, so be sure to follow its instructions closely.
When it comes to deep conditioning, we all know that oil is hair’s best friend. The problem with oil is that it is an utter nightmare to apply and usually ends up in way more places than we intended. Briogeo knew the annoyance of this, so they encapsulated a long list of hair-loving ingredients (rosehip oil, biotin, coconut alkanes, etc.) in a mind-blowing gel-to-oil consistency. What feels like hair gel when you apply it root to tip melts down to a thin layer of oil that clings to your strands, not your pillow.
Micelles are definitely having a moment right now — and now they’re showing up more in hair care (and for good reason). Micelles allow for effective removal of gunk and buildup without stripping hair and skin of essential moisture. If you have curly or color-treated hair or wear your hair natural, purifying shampoos are likely too harsh on your hair due to the frequency of their recommended use. Devacurl Buildup Buster allows for adequate removal of left-behind waxes and silicons from your styling products without taking away too much of the good stuff.
If you shed like a full grown German Shepard or have roots that look like an oil slick the day after you wash, chances are your body is trying to communicate that your scalp might not be in tip-top shape. A healthy scalp and root system is essential to growing, and keeping, healthy hair, but so few of us actually have a product in our repertoire that is specifically made for the skin on our heads. Better to invest now, rather than once you really start to lose hair due to inadequate care.
It’s unreasonable to expect anyone to forever abandon heat styling, period. We love our loose waves, old Hollywood curls, and board straight sleek lobs — we just can’t help it. What we can expect however, are products that do a better job of protecting our hair from damage. IGK Rich Kid makes your air-dried hair look worthy of an I Woke Up Like This selfie while also protecting your hair from your hot tools when you choose to go that route instead — all while smelling like a tiki cocktail they probably serve in heaven.
Whether you’re battling thinning, oily, or bone dry hair, OUAI has developed the perfect supplement for you. They combine several different vitamins together in easy-to-remember once-daily capsules that go to work on dealing with hair issues internally, which we all know is really where most of our issues begin. All three varieties contain amino acids and other vitamins such as green tea extract and fatty acids, which can also be very beneficial to your skin as well as your hair.
If you’ve ever lusted after the perfectly piecey beach waves of a beauty blogger on Instagram only to end up with massive round curls when you attempted to recreate the look, chances are you weren’t equipped with the right styling product to make it happen. As the name implies, Bedroom.Hair gives you a more “lived in” look of piecey yet still flowing waves. As with all KM products, they approach the creation of each new formula as “skincare for your hair” and are cruelty free — you never have to worry if they are bad for you, animals, or the environment. Perfect.
