Our Holy Grail Hair Products
Last month, our team shared our skincare routines. (It was SUCH a treat hearing readers’ recs in the comments, too; I screenshotted all the lip balm suggestions!) Today, we decided to do the same for hair: our daily routines, our favorite products, and the little tricks we’ve learned along the way. Here goes… Alison Piepmeyer, Partnerships Director How would you describe your hair?My hair is one of the things I really like about myself. It’s wavy/curly with lots of texture. It usually cooperates with whatever look I’m trying to pull off, which I appreciate! Tell us about a typical morning.Depends on my mood and energy level. Sometimes I’ll do a full curly-girl routine (with a microfiber towel, mousse, defining cream, and hair wrap). But that takes a while. So, I usually let it air dry into loose waves — that way I can stretch washes longer, along with dry shampoo. I used to part it down the middle, but lately I’ve been copying Natasha Pickowicz’s half-up style. What kind of detangler do you use?I love the T3 paddle brush because the bristles are spaced far enough apart that they detangle my hair without ruining the curl pattern. (Curly hair can get very poofy very quickly.) What’s your wash routine?I wash my hair only once or twice a week, because curly hair gets dry so easily. I also color my hair, so less frequent washing makes the color last longer. I rotate between a few shampoos: Nizoral (for dandruff and hair-loss prevention), a purple shampoo and conditioner (when my blonde starts getting brassy), and Odele shampoo and conditioner for regular washes, because it’s acne-safe (I have acne-prone skin, and I’m very strict about this!). Air-dry or blow-dry?Mostly air-dry. If I’m doing the curly-girl method, I’ll diffuse it, but otherwise it dries into slightly chaotic waves that I’ll clean up with this straightener. Do you have a favorite hair-styling trick?Following hairstylists on Instagram has taught me everything. Ashley Streicher completely changed how I use a flat iron. Amber Yackzan has great styling tips for bobs. Sophie Marie taught me “The Bowl Method” for curly hair. Do you have a nighttime hair routine?If my hair is curly, I’ll sleep in a silk bonnet to help preserve the curls and prevent frizz. Otherwise, I throw it up in a silk scrunchy and fix the waves in the morning. Do you have a hero hair product?Living Proof dry shampoo forever! I use it constantly, since I go a while between washes. Any other treatments?I have a lot of grays, and my hairstylist explained that blonde highlights are the easiest way to blend them naturally. The grow-out is softer, which means I can go much longer between salon visits. What’s the biggest haircare lesson you’ve learned?Do. Not. Cut. Bangs. I’ve been laughing because all the online hair girlies are obsessed with Mika Abdalla’s haircut on the new show Off Campus. But thank god for PSAs like this, you’re doing the Lord’s work. Christine Pride, Columnist How would you describe your hair?Long and thick. Also: reliable. I’ve had the same simple hair “style” (if you can call it that) for decades, and though sometimes I want to chop it all off, I’ll take my steady, familiar hairdo over novelty. Do you have a go-to style?I have exactly two hair looks: a top knot/bun (80% of the time), or blown out waves (20% of the time). Maybe — MAYBE — you’ll catch me with a side braid, if I’m feeling wild. What kind of brush do you use?My hair tangles easily, so I use this Tangle Teezer brush, which is good for gently working out snarls and smoothing my hair out. What does your wash routine look like?Boring and low-maintenance: I use TRESemmé Curl Shampoo and Conditioner, then slap on Nourish & Shine and Ouidad Leave-In Conditioner for extra moisture. Air-dry or blow-dry?Blowing it dry myself takes 193 hours. So, if I want a really good blowout, I go to Blo Bar. Their blowouts last me five precious days. Do you have a before-bed hair routine?If my hair has been blown out, I sleep with it in a bun in this blue bonnet — it’s very sexy. Do you have a hero hair tool?I tried the Rev Air for a hot second. It’s basically a vacuum meets a blow dryer. But it didn’t give me dramatic results, despite the amazing before-and-after photos all over the internet. Not a hero product, but I thought it worth mentioning, because there’s a lot of hype around this thing! Any other treatments you regularly do?I get my hair chemically straightened four times a year, like clockwork. And now I’ve added a color rinse to the routine, to cover grays. I can’t do these treatments at the same time, so it makes for eight annual visits to the salon! (Shout out Beauty Bar in Harlem.) At home, I try to use this deep conditioner for 10 minutes, once a week, so my hair doesn’t get too damaged from the aforementioned treatments. What’s the biggest haircare lesson you’ve learned?It’s only hair. Jannelle Sanchez, Senior Editor How would you describe your hair?Very full and very long. My hair also has a slight natural wave (for those who use hair charts, mine is 2b). How do you do your hair in the morning?I wash my hair every three days. For the first two days, I’ll wear my hair down and tousled. I’ll comb out any tangles, smooth frizzy bits with my straightener, and leave the rest untouched so the waves stay intact. Three days post-wash, my hair is oilier, so I comb it out and pull it into a sleek, middle-part ponytail. I’ll top it off with a layer of hairspray. The smell always makes me think of my grandma getting ready for work. What kind of brush do you use?I’ve been using the same wide paddle brush for eight years! Tell us about your wash routine.For the past two years, I’ve boughtthe jumbo pack of Nexxus Advanced Hydration Therappe Humectress Shampoo and Conditioner from Costco, and it worked well. But just this week I tested out Hairstory’s Air Dry Kit, and I was shocked by the results. I used the pre-wash and cleansing cream,…
