Must Have Hair Products/Tools

Every gal will always have her essentials. I will do another post soon on my makeup must-haves, but lets start with the hair. Hair is more important than you think...our hair frames our face and the way how we dress it up can either depend on our mood, event we're attending, or if you're like me, how much time you have to get ready.

Regardless of if my hair's going to hanging in a ponytail or dangling loosely below my shoulders, I always start out with a couple of essentials that I've been using for a very long time. I've experimented with this brand, that brand, this product, and that product, and I just keep coming back to these tools/products because it's worked for me. Trust me, I've tried everything from the high end brands, all the way to the dollar store brands. I think I will stick with this routine, and below each picture, I'll explain what and why I use it.

First, I always shower and wash my hair at night before bed. The reason? My hair TAKES FOREVER to dry. I definitely do not have enough time in the morning (if I did, I'd be sleeping..hahaha) to take a shower, wait for it to dry, style, get dressed, do my makeup, get lunch ready and get out the door. So to make my morning routine easier for me, I shower, pick out my clothes, and pack my lunch the night before. Anyway...moving onto my essentials, right before I start styling my hair, I'll throw in the following products:

I love TRESemme and after using a bunch of other products claiming to do the same, I found that the only difference was the price difference. TRESemme was definitely cheaper :D. In order to keep my hair nice, neat, shiny, soft, and most definitely, NOT FRIED, I use the Heat Tamer Spray. I just lightly spray all over my hair and don't forget the INSIDE of your hair! Lift up the roots and spray the strands. Take a brush or comb and lightly but swiftly brush through.

Let that dry for a little while and then lift your hair and spray the root boosting spray. Then scrunch it up a little to build the volume. Once again, do this throughout your hair focusing on where you want the volume. Don't put this bottle away just yet, because you'll need it again in just a few minutes. Remember, don't use TOO much, because you're going to be doing this in layers.

 

Remington Printed Ceramic Flat Iron

Next, I use a straightening iron. I know, I know...what if you want curls?? Well, use this flat iron to curl your hair! Yes, it's super simple. Youtube it, there are many great tutorials showing how to do so. Whether you want large "fluffy" curls or tight ringlets, an excellent flat iron will always do the trick. I usually wear my hair straight because it's easier for me to maintain during the day. No need to invest in a largely expensive one that will cost hundreds of dollars. I got this one at Target for $16.99 and it works perfectly! Heats up really really hot as well.

For my on the go, but don't wanna do a ponytail style, I straighten the bottom layers and with the flat iron, I straighten the top layer but round the hair out as I pull it between the ceramic plates. This way, it gives my flat hair a sense of depth and it's not just sitting flat on top of the other layers.

Of course, next comes the teasing. There are two very, very, very important factors when it comes to teasing. I've learned over the years (since my friend Michelle taught me how to tease my hair), it's all about the hairspray and the teasing comb. When I first started, I just used one the cheap ones from Walmart with a rattail. Although those are somewhat useful, I recommend throwing in an extra $4 and head to Sally's and get one of these babies:

This is a boar bristle teasing brush I purchased from Sally's for five bucks! Actually, it was on sale for $3.49 but it's usually $5. It has the boar bristles and those other pink bristles are made of plastic and really do help. The other tool you need? Good 'ol hairspray:

Yes, this is AquaNet...the must have hairspray of the eighties. Hahaha..I remember my older sister using tons and tons of hairspray to help hold her 'do together. Back then, I was too young to know why they did, but nowadays, I have a little more of an understanding. Like I stated before, I've used almost every hairspray out there, and for my hair, I can't find one that works like AquaNet. So...I think I will stick with AquaNet.

Next, I back comb the crown and side areas of my hair to add in the volume. To avoid a mullet looking hairstyle, I also tease the underbelly of my hair all around to get a more voluminous look. If I go for a curly hair look, I will still add volume by back combing under the top layer of my hair, and then spray AquaNet all over. Of course, I don't use nearly half as much as my sis did, but just enough to hold throughout the day. :D Hopefully, these helpful staples help you. :D