With literally thousands of hairstyling products on the market at any given time, navigating the world of haircare can be daunting, overwhelming, and leave with us a lot of questions.
What’s the difference between an oil and serum? What does a texturising spray do? What products do I really need for my haircare routine?
So to help answer some of these questions and steer you in the direction of healthy, shiny, perfectly choiffed treases, we’ve rounded up the top hairstyling essentials every girl needs in her bathroom cabinet.
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RELATED: 9 best hair texturisers
Texturiser
Amp up the volume and grit of your locks with a texturising or sea salt spray. Texturising sprays are the perfect styling product for those of us who prefer a messy just-rolled-out-of-bed vibe while still looking chic. They add volume, texture, and style without weighing down your hair or adding that unfortunate “crunch” like some gel and mousse products do.
Try: bhave Gun Powder Matte Styling Dust, Goldwell Style Sign Texturizer and Oribe Dry Texturising Spray ($63, davidjones.com)
Shine spray
Handy to have in your hair arsenal, a shine spray will boost the look of dull and lacklustre locks that may be dry or damaged. Shine sprays help hydrate and smooth hair while giving it a little boost of shine to give you glossy, healthy-looking hair. They’re ideal for those of us with finer or straight hair as they’re not as thick and heavy as an oil or serum.
Try: Trevor Sorbie Smooth & Hydrate Protect & Shine Spray, ghd final shine spray and ELEVEN Australia Make Me Shine Spray Gloss.
Hairspray
A necessity for taming flyaways, hairspray is essential to keep in your kit to use either as a flexible hold or finishing spray to lock your style in place. Gone are the days when hairspray left your locks crunchy, stiff, and flammable. New-age hairsprays give you a flexible hold and provide volume and shine even on the most humid of days.
Try: TIGI Copyright Custom Complete™ Volume Finishing Spray, KMS HAIRSTAY Working Hairspray and Aveda Air Control Hair Spray.
Brush
Hair brushes are probably the one styling tool we use most frequently, and yet it’s often the one we spend the least about of time and money on. The thing is, not all hair brushes are made equal. A good hair brush that’s suited to your hair type can make a world of difference in keeping your locks healthy, strong, and free from premature breakage so it’s definitely time to stop treating this tool like an after-thought.
Try: Michel Mercier Wet’n Dry Brush for wet hair, Mason Pearson Hair Brush for damaged hair, and Aveda Exfoliating Scalp Brush for thinning hair.
Dry Shampoo
You know you couldn’t live without this one. Dry shampoo is a must-have to soak up oiliness at your roots to revive your hair and stretch out the number of days between your washes. It literally saves us so much time and effort each week and we’re forever indebted to this hairstyling necessity! Fun tip: Dry shampoo can also be great for adding volume and texture to hair, even when it’s clean.
Try: Batiste Dry Shampoo – LUXE, Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle and Pureology Fresh Approach Dry Shampoo.
All-in-one hair tool
All-in-one hair tools are our latest obsession and for good reason. These dynamic devices can brush, dry, and style your hair all at once, making them an ideal purchase for those of us with little time on our hands. Many also feature anti-frizz and smoothing technology to leave hair silky, shiny, and perfectly styled.
Try: Dyson Airwrap™ styler ($799, shop.dyson.com.au) and VS Sassoon Digital Sensor Hot Air Styler.
Heat Protectant
Protecting your hair from heat is a serious non-negotiable. Heat damage can leave you with dry, broken, brittle, and even discoloured hair. Heat protectant can make a world of difference in maintaining the integrity of your hair for those who are addicted to heating tools. For severely damaged hair, make sure you’re looking for a heat protectant in serum form. For all other hair types, we recommend a mist or a spray.
Try: L’OCCITANE Aromachologie Heat-Protective Control Mist, TONI&GUY Heat Protection Mist and Schwarzkopf Extra Care Heat Styles Heat Protection Spray.
Frizz-fighter
Nothing ruins a good hair day like flyaways and frizzy ends. Frizz-fighting products can come in a variety of formulas including sprays, serums, and oils, to help style and tame dry and/or damaged hair. Many frizz-fighting products contain nourishing botanicals to help style and hydrate hair while protecting it from environmental stressors and further breakage.
Try: Hask Hair Smoothing Shine Oil – Keratin Protein, KMS therma shape 2 in 1 spray and OGX: Nourishing + Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Hair Serum
What hairstyling product can you not live without?
i need some of these!