I’m not a huge hair person – my hair is pretty easy to manage being that it’s not too thick and not too thin, and is relatively straight. However, I have tried a good number of hair products this year, and decided to share the standout products with you all!
Good hair starts with good washing, and this is the first year that I tried some non-drugstore shampoo and conditioner options. From the drugstore, I’d recommend L’Oreal’s sulfate-free line or OGX products.
Shampoo and Conditioner:
Verb Haircare’s Ghost line – Verb’s Ghost Shampoo and Ghost Conditioner are my current go-to’s. They are free of literally every ingredient to stay away from (parabens, sulfates, and more) and vegan as well. The line is available at Sephora, but if you purchase from my Verb link I will earn a small commission! Help a girl out.
Purple Shampoo and Conditioner:
My hair isn’t super blonde, but I do get blonde highlights. I like to use purple shampoo and conditioner on occasion to keep brassiness at bay. I like Amika’s Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner.
Treatment Shampoos:
I also have two treatment shampoos that I use for certain issues. I use Neutrogena’s Anti-Residue Shampoo about once per week to get rid of any product build up, and I also use the T/Gel Shampoo from the same brand if I’m dealing with a dry, itchy scalp.
Dry Shampoo:
By far the best dry shampoo I have ever tried is the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo. It’s the only dry shampoo that works for me. It’s strong and really absorbs any oils on your scalp, and it lasts a long time – over 24 hours. Make sure to massage it in and brush it out to ensure no white patches.
Detangler/Leave-In Spray
After washing and towel drying my hair, I like to use a detangler/leave-in spray before brushing it out. My favorite of the year has to be from Eva NYC. I was originally sent the Eva NYC Mane Magic 10-in-1 Primer through Octoly to post about for a campaign, and after going through an entire bottle I reached out to the brand and they sent me more! It smells amazing and gets rid of all knots, meaning less hair breakage. The best part about it is that it’s multi-use – it detangles, conditions, protects against heat damage, and more. It’s even better than It’s a 10 and a fraction of the price.
Hair Oil
Next, I will go in with a hair oil. I love Verb’s Ghost Oil as well as their Ghost Dry Oil spray as more of a finishing oil. I still love my Gisou Honey-Infused Hair Oil as well, but it’s super pricey and thicker than other hair oils.
Anti-Frizz Products
When my hair is almost dry, I use a moisture and shine cream to help de-frizz, moisturize, and smooth hair. My favorites are High Dive and Waterfall by R+Co. I find them to be pretty much equal in their effect on the hair. They smell amazing, too. I also really love R+Co’s Foil Frizz + Static Control spray. Not only is the packaging AMAZING, but it’s the perfect product to protect against static control (which is pretty much unavoidable in the winter).
Brushes
I swear by using a WetBrush post-shower. You aren’t supposed to brush wet hair, but with a little detangler, WetBrush makes this completely safe. There is absolutely no tugging. I even keep a mini one in my purse. Conair makes a great dupe for these that I love as well.
I have had a Mason Pearson hairbrush for as long as I can remember. My mom gave them to my sister and I when we were little girls. At that age, I had no idea how nice of a brush it was! These brushes have a combination of nylon and boar bristles to help smooth out the hair. It distributes oils (in a good way) so that your hair is less frizzy. These brushes last forever – mine is probably 15 years old.
Hair Tools
My newest discovery is the Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hair Dryer. I haven’t quite figured out how to give myself a salon perfect blowout, but this is great for drying and straightening hair at the same time. It eliminates the need for using a blow dryer and brush at the same time since it’s both things in one tool.
If I want my hair to be even more sleek and straight, I’ll go in with my GHD Classic 1″ Styler flat iron or the L’ange Le Vite Straightening Brush. The GHD iron is great for getting super straight hair, while the straightening brush allows for a bit more volume and movement in the hair. The straightening brush is definitely faster, and gives your hair more of a perfectly-imperfect look.
I think that’s it! Let me know what your favorite hair products of the year were in the comments below.
Xo,
Meg
