May
2019
The mane affair: Hair products you need for spring!
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…
I love everything that Design.ME does, so when I saw they came out with two new products earlier this year, I had to get my hands on them (even if one of them is for curly hair and I don’t actually have curly hair…).
First up, their most exciting release is the Gloss.ME (C$24) which is their cannabis sativa oil hair serum. Don’t worry, you won’t actually get high from using this as there is no CBD or THC in the serum. It’s actually hemp seed oil which is extracted/manufactured by cold-pressing hemp seeds found on the hemp plant. The formula also has rice bran oil to help all you damaged hair girls, as this will help your hair gain back some shine and luster, as well as hydrolyzed soy protein to strengthen, boost shine, and moisturize. Last but not least, it also contains fan-favourite argan oil and moringa seed oil to help moisturize the hair and repair split ends.
If you’re a curly haired girl then you’ll love their new Bounce.ME (C$22), which came out in February. I don’t have curly hair, but have been using this balm since it’s perfect for adding moisture, volume, shine, and definition (I always curl my hair anyways, but it’s natural straight).
This lightweight curl balm gives you medium-hold and conditioning for curly hair and also protects the hair from environmental stressors, controls frizz and flyaways, and offers up heat protection as well. The formula also contains argan oil, which adds shine and infuses hair, as well as omega fatty acids, vitamins, and hair-living oil. It’s also of a catatonic nature, meaning it has a positive charge to tame negative charges, such as frizz. I know it’s a lot of science, but this curl balm really does a great job (and this is coming from a girl with straight hair).
MoroccanOil for Light Tones collection
So speaking of argan oil, the OG brand, MoroccanOil recently came out with a couple collections formulated to different hair colours, Light Hair Tones and Dark Hair Tones.
Since I’m a blonde, (well, kind of, I’m more ombre), I got their Light Hair Tones collection, which includes their iconic argan oil and a dry shampoo. The Moroccanoil Treatment Light (C$36) is formulated for light-coloured and fine hair. I like applying a dime-sized amount to damp hair as it conditions your hair and boosts shine and moisture. It also detangles, speeds up drying time, and leaves hair smooth and manageable.
If you’re looking for a dry shampoo formulated for blondes (C$29) or brunettes (no more white cast!), they also released one in both these lines. I got the Light Tone one, which contains ultra-fine rice starch that absorbs oil, buildup, and odour, making it perfect for those days after the gym or extending your blowout. It also contains UV-protecting argan oil which has subtle violet undertones to balance any brassiness in blonde hair.
Conair The Deep Waver
Finally, the last item is an actual hair tool. I have a few different curling irons, but I don’t have anything to give me those 1920’s finger waves. Enter The Deep Waver by Conair!
The Deep Waver (C$54.99) is a hot tool with contoured plates that helps you achieve luxurious waves that last for days (hello mermaid hair!). All you have to do is section off the hair and press down one section at a time for the most beautiful wavy hair (seriously, I got so many compliments when I showed me using this on Instagram a few weeks back). It also features titanium ceramic barrels that help to prevent frizz and leaves hair looking sleek and shiny.
I want to note that although these tools are very affordable, they do last a long time. I still have (and occasionally use – for ’80s parties obvi) my Conair hair crimper from back in the day, so there is definitely amazing value with Conair products.
I seriously can’t believe all the amazing hair products that have been coming out lately, so if you are looking for new goodies to add to your haircare arsenal, definitely let me know if you end up picking up any of my recommendations!
What’s your go-to hair product?
Please note, products provided by PR. All opinions are my own.
Like what you read? Check out these related posts.
- Mixology: Marc Anthony haircare styling cocktails
- Smooth and summery: Why you need to try out Marc Anthony haircare
- Snaps from Toronto part 1
- Snaps from Toronto part 2