My Tried And True Hair Products

my jacket  |  curling iron

One of the questions I get asked most both here and over on Instagram, is what my favorite go to hair products are. Having done hair for 15 + years, I’ve definitely tried my fair share and feel like I can say I know what works best and what doesn’t! I stick to what works, when I find it, because it takes so much time for hair to really respond and react to the products. A lot of people think you can introduce a product for a few weeks and know if it works and that is far from true. It takes months for your hair to be come accustom to a new product and really react.

Another thing when it comes to your hair, the more products you use, the more weighed down and greasy it will become. I really try to limit the amount of styling products I use, and you’ll notice most of mine are strictly for protection. So with that being said, here is my line up of tried and true faves!

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leave in conditioner  |  keratin drops  |  smoothing balm + here

.. WET PRODUCTS ..

First up when I’m fresh out of the shower is this leave in conditioner. I have used it for years and never found one that does a better job. It protects against all the heat you are about to apply through blow drying + styling. It’s second purpose is to detangle. A big tip is to brush out starting with your ends NOT at the top of your head. Start from your ends and work your way up.

After the spray in conditioner, my next step is more Keratin with these drops. Again, I’m all about maintaining + strengthening my hair health! I use about a quarter size of this because my hair is thick + frizzy, but I recommend more like a dime size if you don’t have lots of hair. Sometimes I will use a tiny bit once it is dry and styled to to help with frizz and separate my curls.

And last but not least before we start drying is this a smoothing balm. I usually rotate between this one and this one.  The purpose of these is too smooth your hair and keep it from getting frizzy, especially on the ends. I love that it moisturizes and gets in deep, but never gives you a weighed down feeling.

protective spray + here  |  hair spray  |  texture spray  |  dry shampoo

.. STYLING PRODUCTS ..  

Before I touch it with anything, I lightly spray this protective spray through each of my layers. I’ve used that particular one for years and absolutely love it. Recently I started trying this one as well and love that it is an aerosol instead of spritz, but haven’t used it long enough to give it a full review. I’ll keep you updated! In addition to protecting your hair from the heat of curling or straightening, it also helps hold your curl longer.

Those are all the products I use every single time. Beyond that I try to limit products in my hair, but these are my other favorites I use as well, and I promise they are just as amazing!

Texture Spray : I am OBSESSED with this! It is amazing. It is basically like they took a wax and made it in to a spray form. . I LOVE using it when I really want my curls to have more texture and look their best. It is my go to for date night, a photo shoot, or even church, but definitely not something I’d put in my hair every day as it would add to much grit and make for quicker washing

Hair Spray : This stuff is the BOMB!  Hair spray can make or break how long a wash can last on your hair. I have never really liked hairspray but my friend Kate recommend this one when I was in Cincinatti last year and I fell in love and used it ever since. You use the TINIEST bit. It gets the job done but doesn’t give you that hard sticky look/feel most hairsprays do.

Dry Shampoo : Last but DEFINITELY not least is dry shampoo. It is no secret this is my most used hair product. haha! I can keep my hair looking like day 1 for almost a week with the help of this goodness. This is probably the only product I will recommend that isn’t a professional line. You will die over how cheap it is, yet how amazing it works.  And a little trick a friend recently shared, is to spray this in your hair when its wet after a wash. It will keep your hair from getting greasy for longer! Miracle trick!

I’ve used most of these for YEARS, and are my personal favorites! Remember to have patience with your hair when trying something new. It won’t get healthy over night! If you have any questions I can help answer leave them here or over on Instagram!

photos : aubrey taiese