Hair

5 Hair Products Every Woman Needs

posted on August 23, 2018 | by Jessica Sclamberg

5 Hair Products Every Woman Needs

I love the saying; your hair is the crown you never take off. It’s true, right? It’s your very best accessory and most women would say it’s their most defining attribute. So, are you treating your hair well? Here are my 5 “can’t live without” hair products every 30 something should have for an effortless, confident look – all while taking care of your locks. I’ll link out to my personal favorite brands per product, too!

A Heat Protectant

Are you protecting your hair from the sun and the heat of your blow dryer and hot tools? If you choose to buy one product from this list, make it this one! Each strand of hair is made up of 2 layers. The outer layer we call the cuticle (on healthy hair this appears shiny) and the inner layer is called the cortex. The cortex of the hair is where all the protein and water molecules live. When you apply heat to the hair whether blow drying, flat ironing or diffusing your curls, you are removing water from the inner cortex. This drying process then effects the look and feeling of the outer cuticle layer of the hair.

A trusty heat protectant acts as a barrier between your hair and the heat. It usually seals in the moisture and reduces frizz. Apply your heat protectant to your damp hair. Brush your hair to make sure the product is distributed throughout then blow dry your hair thoroughly before using your hot tools.

Sea Salt Spray

Do you ever wonder why after swimming in the ocean your hair shines in all its beachy glory? It’s the sea salt component that does wonders for your hair! For those of you who are the wash-and-go type of gal and love some texture and waves, sea salt spray will definitely be your new best friend.

Spray sea salt spray on damp hair. I would hold your hand out about 8 inches away from your hair so you get an even spray and not a clump of product. Depending on the length of your hair, do one high spray, one mid and one low spritz. Spray it in and let it be! Once you start messing with your hair is when the frizz happens. If you must do a little scrunch go for it, but then let it be.

A little pro-tip and friendly reminder: sea salt will absorb the moisture in your hair, so if it’s a daily thing, invest in a hydrating conditioning masque to use once a week. This will keep your hair feeling good and looking good.

A Finishing Product

A finishing product is something you apply to your hair once you’re finished with your styling. I like to think of this product as the icing on the cake. Sometimes after blow drying your hair, you need a little something extra and most of the time it’s moisture. As I mentioned before, you want the outer cuticle layer of your hair to look shiny.

Try to remember that when applying your finishing product whether serum, oil, or crème, less is more. You don’t want to overdo it as it leaves your hair looking greasy. The rule of thumb is to put a dime size amount of product into the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together until the product has been evenly distributed on your hands. Then apply it to your hair starting at mid length working to the ends. We often don’t need more oil at our roots so avoid that top area until the very very end, if at all.

A Texturizing Spray

Okay my friends, a texturizing spray is actually different than a sea salt spray. For starters, you apply the texturizing spray to dry hair. It is essentially a mix of all of our favorite things: a little hair spray, some dry shampoo and some sea salt spray. Basically, everything you need to give your hair that second-day look.

I love to use my texturizing spray after I’ve curled my hair. It gives my hair some grit and makes it look less perfectly done. It’s that lived-in look we all strive for before we step outside. Apply generously throughout the hair.

Dry Shampoo

Is it too late to take back my sentence in heat protectant and say dry shampoo is the product you can’t live without? Dry shampoo is the best creation ever because it allows you to sleep in later instead of having to wake up to wash and do your hair!

Dry shampoo is applied at your roots close to your scalp. It absorbs all the weighty oils in your hair leaving it looking and smelling clean. Make sure when you spray your dry shampoo in that you have enough time to let it do its intended job. Set a 10-minute timer and leave the dry shampoo alone before breaking it up.

I promise, your hair and your life just got a whole lot better with these 5 products in your bathroom cabinet.