Hair Products
There is a huge selection of hair products at your local convenient store, sometimes it can be overwhelming or confusing which one to choose. Hopefully this article will give you a break down of the different types of hair products, what they can be used for and how to use them. We will begin with shampoos and conditioners, then move on to hair styling products.
Shampoos and Conditioners
First, shampoos and conditioners are not hair styling products, they are not used to style hair. Shampoos and conditioners are used as foundations to healthy hair. Shampoos cleanse the scalp and hair, while removing dirt, debris, product build-up and natural oils (sebum). First, apply the shampoo on the scalp to keep the scalp clean, then run the shampoo through the ends of your hair. It’s not necessary to focus the shampoo on the ends of your hair (because it is older and dryer hair), that unless you have a lot of styling product residue on your hair (you would want to remove any build up).
Next, you want to apply your conditioner throughout your hair, making sure you get the ends of your hair saturated really well. Rinsing your hair in cooler temperatures (tepid water). This is very important and I’ll explain why. Hair swells under heat, and swells back down under cooler temperatures. It then traps water (moisture) under cooler temperatures, allowing conditioners to seal in the moisture. This routine helps our hair to stay soft and retain moisture for shiner hairstyles and softer hair.
Styling product types
Styling products are used to create different hairstyles, such as: gels, mouses, serums, pastes, clays, hairsprays, and pomades, etc. These styling products are used to provide control to hair. Even though there are all different types of styling products, they all have something in common, a type of hold: light, medium, firm, no hold or an combination hold. For example, a gel may have a light hold, and a mousse may have a light hold also, but the difference between the two is the texture of the product. A gel has a goopy thick texture, sometimes taking more time to dry in the hair than mousse. However, a mousse can be more airy and light weight, drying in the hair quicker, and not clumping as much hair together than gel, thus producing a different hairstyle than gel.
To create the hairstyle you want, I recommend first deciding the type of hold you want (light, medium, firm), then the consistency of the product you are looking for (gel, serum, clays, etc). From there you can decide which product line you want to try out (it always helps to do a little research in the ingredients- check out organic hair products!). For example, I have curly hair, I want a lot of hold but not to where my hair is crunchy. I am going to try a medium hold mousse, because I like the light and airy feeling, I want my curls to be defined and soft (not clumped together). If i decide that I want an additional hold, I will try a medium hold hairspray also.
Furthermore, I recommend applying styling products in your hair wet and dry, because each way brings different results. For example, if you use a strong hold paste, that has a tacky grip to dry hair, it may not have the same grip on hair wet because the water changes the consistency and texture of the hair product.
Sometimes it may take you more than one go around for you to find the hair products that suite your needs. Don’t give up though, Your trusty hairstylist can can always help you with their expertise!
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