Whether you’ve vigorously applied a myriad of hair products to help style your mane, or if you’ve given up entirely and succumbed to the natural way of life, there are just some days where no matter what you do, your hair just won’t sit right.
As most of us don’t have the time (nor the money) to try every single product under the sun, we’ve done the hard work for you, pulling the best moisture balancing, nourishing and hair-loving products on the shelves to solve which ever kind of hair concern you’re stuck with.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best hair products everyone should own if you’re looking to get out of hair disaster, minus the time and effort.
The Common Hair Problem: Dull Strands
To restore luminosity to dull strands, adopt a long-term care ritual to build-up your hair’s resistance to daily stresses, with ingredients proven to restore shine and radiance to hair, like chamomile and aloe vera.
Conditioning with a nourishing product (both after you wash and with a weekly mask) is essential, sealing moisture into your strands and filling in any cracks in the cuticles, leaving your hair soft and glossy.
Remember, anything left on your strands has longer to soak in, so leave-in conditioners and oils are a great shine-boosting option.
When it comes to styling, try directing the nozzle of your hairdryer down the hair shaft, to help flatten the hair’s cuticle and create a silky, smooth surface for the light to bounce off. To impart instant gloss, using a shine spray will help to keep hair in place while also adding lustre.
Dull Strands Tool Kit:
Herbal Essences Classic Moisture Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner with Chamomile, Aloe Vera and Passion Flower, $10.50 each at Woolworths.
Not only does this delectable duo leave hair with an irresistible fragrance (think the real scent of pear, lily and jasmine), this moisture balancing shampoo and conditioner from the Herbal Essences Classics range cleanses and nourishes strands to restore radiance and shine. Made from 90 per cent naturally derived ingredients, it’s enriched with chamomile (considered a sacred ingredient in Ancient Egypt) to nourish hair, improve the rate of hair growth and improve the overall structure of your hair. Passion Flower helps hair look shiny and healthy, while aloe vera revives dry and dull strands.
Plus, the products are cruelty-free and PETA-approved, containing zero paraffins and mineral oil, with the shampoo made with zero silicones and conditioner free from sulphates.
Brought to you by Herbal Essences.
ghd Shiny Ever After Shine Spray, $38 at Adore Beauty.
ELEVEN Australia Frizz Control Shaping Cream, $27.95 at Adore Beauty.
Philip Kingsley Preen Cream Anti-Frizz Treatment, $46.50 at Adore Beauty.
Elixir Ultime Original Hair Oil, 100ml, $72 at Kerastase
The Common Hair Problem: Dry Brittle Hair That’s Breaking
Dehydrated and brittle strands are generally a result of both environmental and physical factors like the overuse of colour and bleach, or heated styling, which weaken your hair’s cuticle, causing split ends and snapping.
Care for your hair at home with the right regimen: shampoo, conditioner and a weekly treatment, and choose your tools wisely (a wide-tooth comb when detangling wet strands, and boar-bristled brushes when styling dried hair).
Dry Hair Tool Kit:
OGX Biotin & Collagen Extra Strength Shampoo & Conditioner, $25 at Woolworths.
Evo Natural Boar Bristle Brush 38mm, $55 at Adore Beauty.
The Common Hair Problem: Lack Of Volume
There is a solution for hair that lacks volume and looks limp, and it’s all about styling your hair when it’s wet. Start with a lightweight, yet volume-building shampoo and conditioner and for weightless volume on the go, dry shampoo is essential for adding texture, grip, and bulk to slippery or fine hair.
Fine hair tends to hold more moisture, so go easy with styling products and steer clear of heavy serums (which rob your strands of body). Opting for a light-hold mousse and mists instead is the perfect choice.
Lack Of Volume Tool Kit:
Goldwell DualSenses Ultra Volume Boost Shampoo, $40.95 for 100mL at Oz Hair & Beauty.
Extra Volume Conditioner by MOROCCANOIL, $43.50 at Adore Beauty.
Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Two Day Extender Oil Absorbing Dry Shampoo, $38 at Adore Beauty.
The Common Hair Problem: Crazy Curls
The outdoor elements are making your curls crazier than usual. The curlier the hair, the longer it takes for natural oils to travel from the scalp to the ends, causing the lower half to appear dry and frazzled. Start by adding moisture in the shower, then protect and hydrate every inch with a styling product that doubles as a leave-in conditioner.
Don’t forget the more you manhandle curly hair, the more you ruffle the cuticle which equals more frizz. The key is to cut down on friction, so stop rubbing damp hair with a towel after showering. Instead, keep a roll of paper towels in the bathroom and take a square of it in each hand to squeeze the water out of the hair after showering. Applying curl-controlling products after this should keep the fuzz at bay.
Curly Hair Tool Kit:
HASK Curl Care Curl Defining Cream, $17 at Priceline.
Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Shampoo (RRP: $23) and Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Conditioner (RRP: $23) at Woolworths.
HASK Curl Care Curl Enhancing Mousse, $17 at Priceline.
The Common Hair Problem: Growing Out Your Pixie Cut
You’re trying to grow out your pixie cut, but it looks thin and stringy rather than long and luscious. While cutting isn’t going to change the actual condition of your hair, regular snips will perk up the overall look and shape of your grown-out style.
Hairdressers unanimously agree on visiting the salon approximately every six to eight weeks for medium to long hair, and every four weeks for shorter styles to prevent fraying ends. ghd ambassador Jayne Wild agrees, adding that “it’s a good idea to combine frequent cuts with a weekly treatment or a daily leave-in conditioner to seal dry ends”.
Kevin Murphy Re-Store Treatment 200ml, $60.95 at Adore Beauty.
Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask, $65 at MECCA.
Olaplex Hair Perfector Treatment No. 3 100ml, $54 at Sephora.