With the weather heating up and the sun shining, we can finally get rid of those dreaded toques and embrace our hair!

I’ve been getting a lot of hair products lately and since I’m always down to try new products for haircare. Since there’s been A LOT, I’ve been collecting it all for a roundup post since I’ll be able to categorize it all by your hair type. Have curly hair? Want more shine? How about sky-high volume? Check, check, check, and more!

It’s gonna be a long one (no pun intended!), so let’s get right into it.

For those who have dandruff….

Dandruff actually runs in my family, so I’m always on the hunt for a good dandruff shampoo to recommend to my parents and brother (I get dandruff in the wintertime due to a dry sculp).  In fact, stats show that 25 per cent of women and 50 per cent of men are affected by dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis.

If Head and Shoulders ain’t your thang than take a look at the Vichy Dercos Anti-Dandruff Shampoo (C$19.95). This shampoo (available in two formulas – normal to dry and normal to oily) exfoliates visible dandruff from the first application and helps to banish it forever. Once you’re done the bottle, dandruff will be diminished for up to six weeks once you stop using it.

With regular use, the scalp regains its health and helps to get rid of itchiness and persistence dandruff. The formula contains Vichy Thermal Spa Water and is paraben free as well.

For those who have coloured hair…

You know that feeling when you leave the salon and your colour is looking fresh and then two weeks later it’s looking pretty lacklustre. When you spend that much money getting the colour of your dreams it’s very important to invest in some great products to maintain it.

I’ve been loving Nexxus Color Assure line for coloured hair, which includes a shampoo, conditioner, cleansing conditioner, purple shampoo, and deep moisture masque.

I have the shampoo and conditioner and have been loving how these make my hair look and free. The products are sulfate-free, which is important since I have extensions and can only use products with no sulfates, and replenishes hair with nutrients for vibrancy retention. The formula is infused with their exclusive ProteinFusion blend with elastin protein and quinoa to help bring hair back to life and keep the colour bright.

Nexxus also has a variety of other formulas in this line, so whatever your hair concern is, there is a haircare line out there for you!

To keep your blonde fresh…

Although having a great colour shampoo and conditioner is a must, so is having a good purple shampoo.

Blondes can easily look brassy and yellow fast, so having a purple shampoo can help to neutralize the colour to bring the depth back to your locks. Joico’s Color Endure Violet Shampoo (also sulfate free!) neutralizes brassy, yellow tones and helps to brighten lightened hair.

Although it’s important to have a purple shampoo in your arsenal of haircare products, I do recommend that you only use this one to two times a week max since you don’t want to overdo it. In the meantime, you can swap in your other colour care products for the rest of the time.

If you want sky-high volume…

I love voluminous hair and when I have the time to do it, I love to give myself an at-home blowout to achieve maximum volume. For those days though that I don’t have an hour to devote to my locks, I rely on a good voluminizing line.  One of my new favourites is actually by a Canadian brand and can be found in drugstores (total win!).

Cake Beauty’s new volumizing line smells like lemon cake (which is such a treat!), and they included a number of amazing products in the lineup. Start off your routine with the Big Big Deal Thickening Volume Shampoo (C$12.99) and The Big Wig Thickening Volume Conditioner (C$12.99), which is fortified with natural ingredients (the brand is cruelty-free and vegan) to give you moisture, proteins, and promote stronger strands.

Once out of the shower, spray the Mane Manager 3-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner (C$11.97), which is a triple-action formula that leaves your hair moisturized, your style refreshed, and your hair softer. You can use it on dry or damp hair to help add some oomph into your style or detangle, hydrate, and jazz up your locks.

For some added volume, apply a dollop of the Thick Trick Volumizing Styling Mousse (C$14.99) at the roots.  This styling product lifts and plumps hair without cakey feel (again, no pun intended).  It also doesn’t weigh down your hair and will add some shine.

Finally, to make your hair go a little longer without washing, spray The Gloss Boss Dry Styling Oil (C$11.97) onto dry hair to instantly refresh and revive it.  This formula is blended with natural oils and it restores moisture, protects from heat tools, and leaves you hair soft and shiny. I like using it after a workout to add a little bit of life back to my hair (since I’ve gotten extensions I typically wash my hair once or twice a week since it hold style so well).

For those who want to grow out their hair…

Speaking of great drugstore brands, one of my favourites Marc Anthony Haircare recently added some new products to their Grow Long line.

Already consisting of a shampoo, conditioner, treatment, dry shampoo foam, and more, new to the line up is the Strengthening Grow Long Anti-Breakage Mask, the 2-in-1 Dry Shampoo and Conditioner, the Intense Hydration Conditioning Treatment, and 10-in-1 Everything Foam.

Since Marc Anthony products are so inexpensive, you can definitely pick up the whole line for probably the cost of a shampoo and conditioner from lots of salon brands, however, if you are looking for one or two items to add into your routine then I definitely recommend the foam and the dry shampoo and conditioner.

The Strengthening Grow Long 10-in-1 Everything Foam (C$11.49) is the one product in this whole post which really surprised me the most. This foam has 10 benefits for hair in it, including softening, moisturizing, detangling, defrizzing, and conditioning the hair. It also includes caffeine, ginseng, and avocado to really help nourish hair and prep it for styling.

Here’s the thing though, when I first applied this to my hair I thought the texture would be like a mousse. You know when you apply a mousse to your hair and it instantly turns into a liquid. Well this stays as a foam, meaning that a little goes a long way.  Once I brushed my hair out, it was absorbed but I totally expected my hair to dry greasy-looking. Instead, once my hair was ready to style, it was actually super soft to the touch and free of any frizz.

Another all-star product from the line is the Strengthening Grow Long 2-in-1 Dry Shampoo and Conditioner (C$11.49), which is perfect for those days where you want to stretch out your hairstyle a little longer. This formula also contains caffeine and ginseng in it to fight off excess oil and dryness, as well as rice starch to absorb oil and add volume. There is no alcohol and no white residue, which is synonymous with dry shampoo. Hair is left feeling fresh and cleansed, while also conditioned and hydrated.

For those who want some added bounce and shine…