ALL. THINGS. HAIR.
Hair has never been my strong suit. I’ve struggled for as long as I can remember, and I’ve tried every trick in the book to turn my dry, fine hair into thick, luscious locks! Truth be told, no amount of high-dollar tools or products can change the genetic make-up of our hair, but after years of trial and error I’ve found the products that work best for me! Granted, I do have tape-in extensions that help with thickness, but the products I’m sharing have helped my natural hair look the healthiest it’s looked in YEARS. So today I hope you’re excited to see a roundup of ALL THINGS HAIR: My Favorite Tools/Products! This is just PART ONE! I’ll be sharing all the dirty details about my color and extensions in PART TWO coming soon! But for now, here’s the products I use and love…
HOT TOOLS
The two things I look for in a hair dryer are POWER and HEAT. The one I currently own and use is the DryBar Buttercup Blow Dryer. It has great reviews, and it’s a super high-quality option – I have zero complaints! HOWEVER, I gifted the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer to my best friend for her birthday, and every time I use hers I promise myself I’ll buy it for myself when it goes on sale! The price seems outrageous, but I’m willing to fork it over for something as good as this! It dries your hair so fast, and it always looks so silky and smooth after using it. It’s on my shopping list, for SURE!
The other hair dryer I own is the cult-favorite Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer. For under $50, this one is SUCH a great buy! I keep this in my gym bag at all times, so I only use it in the mornings after a workout. The only complaint about this one would be that it gets EXTREMELY hot. This isn’t a problem if you have thick and strong hair! But for someone who has fine hair like me, the heat is almost too intense. Other than that, I highly recommend it for a budget-friendly dryer!
If I have the time, I’ll ALWAYS opt for curled hair > straight hair. Depending on my outfit or mood, I’ll either use a curling wand or a curling iron. Both tools are made to curl your hair, but they each give such a different vibe! 7/10 times, I choose to use my curling wand for the effortless/beachy look we all love! My favorite curling wand OF ALL TIME (hands down!) is the T3 Undone Waves 1″ Attachment. I won THIS 3 in 1 set during a giveaway several years back, and it still works as good as new (it’s also $50 off right now!)! You can either purchase the 3 in 1 set OR you can buy T3’s convertible base and the attachment(s) separately! I’ve linked both options below. As for my favorite curling iron, I love my Babyliss Pro 1″ Curling Iron. This one is wallet-friendly, and it creates the perfect polished curls!
My hair is STICK STRAIGHT, y’all. Truthfully I think my hair is straighter WITHOUT a straightener. BUT after getting my tape-in extensions installed I quickly realized that the texture of that hair is much different than my natural hair, so I needed a straightener to tame the mane. I also wanted to be able to run a straightener over my curls to make them look more “undone” and beachy! After I polled a ton of girls, I ended up purchasing the Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium 1.25″ Straightener. I’ve been using it for a few months now, and I love it! No complaints, and it does exactly what I need it to do!
STYLING TOOLS
I always use a wide tooth comb when my hair is damp/freshly washed. It definitely takes longer than using a brush, but it’s gentler and causes less damage and breakage to wet hair. As for dry hair, I don’t think I’ll ever purchase a different brush than the DryBar Lemon Drop brushes. This is the BEST detangling brush, and it’s also what I use to brush out my curls to add some fluff! I love it so much that I bought the Lil’ Lemon to keep in my gym bag! The last brush I recently bought and LOVE is the DryBar Texas Tease Teasing Brush! I have flat hair at the roots, and this works wonders for lifting your hair to the heavens without damaging it!
I dry and curl my hair in sections, so I always need a great set of hair clips on hand! The DryBar Hold Me Hair Clips are some of the only clips I’ve used that actually hold your hair in place. I also use these to pull my hair out of my face while applying makeup!
You might be wondering why a pillowcase is being mentioned in the hair-styling category, but just trust me when I say that the Slip Pillowcases are a GAME CHANGER to your hair (and skin!). Prior to owning this, I’d wake up with the MESSIEST hair – tangles, creases, frizz. After I bought this I woke up with my jaw on the floor because my hair was smooth and easily manageable. This has definitely helped extend the life of my hairstyles too! I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a cotton pillowcase!
PRODUCTS
When I say I’ve tried 100 different shampoos and conditioners, I really mean like 1,000. My hair gets accustomed to products quickly, so I always have to switch it up to keep it on its toes! That is UNTIL I found my current duo. Now mind you, I have dry and color-processed hair, so I need nourishing and strengthening products – and dare I say it, the Kerastase Nutritive Shampoo is the BEST shampoo I’ve ever used. It’s hydrating without being too heavy, and it makes my hair SO smooth and manageable. I love it in conjunction with the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioner. This conditioner makes my hair SO silky smooth, and you can also use it as a hair mask! Best of both worlds.
So I’m 26 years old, and for about 25 years of my life I aspired to have yellow blonde hair. Why? That’s a great question that I’d also love to know the answer to (insert embarrassed emoji). I’ve been on a journey this past year to switch from brassy to bright blonde, and the Unite Purple Shampoo IS EVERYTHING! My favorite hair gal of all time (@hannahcaltonbeauty) started using this on me a few months back and now I’m hooked. It takes the yellow OUT and brightens you up! HIGHLY recommend this to all you blondes!
I’ve been using Unite products for a couple of years now, and their 7 Seconds Detangler is one of their cult-favorite, tried and true products! I cover my hair in this after every shower, and it’s works some magic on all your wet hair tangles!
If you have oily hair, I’m sure you’ve either already stopped reading this paragraph OR you’re extremely hesitant to use a hair oil. But the RIGHT hair oil can be so beneficial by strengthening and detangling your hair. I’ve put this Ouai Hair Oil to great use. It’s incredibly lightweight, so it won’t weigh your hair down. I apply it to wet hair after a shower, but I also apply it to the ends of my extensions most nights!
I’m not sure if people use mousse anymore, but I sure do. It’s always worked wonders for my limp and flat hair! I’ve loved the Drybar Southern Belle Volume-Boosting Mousse for years! I love the scent, and it gives me mega-volume without making my hair feel crunchy or stiff.
I’ve probably gone through 20+ bottles of the Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 Finishing Spray. It’s magic in a bottle, y’all. It volumizes, texturizes, AND refreshes your hair. If you want to be WOW’ed by a hair product, try this!
I recently bought the IGK First Class Dry Shampoo, and I’ve been putting it to the test! This stuff is STRONG, and I love it to extend my hair that ONE extra day (it’s also 25% off with the code CHILL). However, for day-to-day, I much prefer the Batiste Dry Shampoo. It’s much more lightweight than the IGK so I’m able to use it several days in a row before needing a wash!
