Maintaining healthy, vibrant locks requires keeping it hydrated with products to hydrate it effectively. We consulted three experts – Rogerio Cavalcante of The Second Floor Salon; Kevin Kelly of Kevin Kelly Luxe Extensions and Jennifer Korab of Alterna to identify what products work best.
Curly Hair
Curly hair requires the perfect mix of ingredients in order to remain hydrated, frizz-free and defined. Moroccanoil mousse helps achieve this aim while offering essential vitamins and antioxidants thanks to an argan oil infusion that features in its formula.
Curly hair typically absorbs more water than straight. To test their porosity, place one or more loose strands into a glass of water; higher porosity hair will sink while lower porosity hair will float to see what happens.
To prevent dryness and breakage, curls should use a shampoo or co-wash that’s free from sulfates, which are drying ingredients that strip natural oils and contribute to hair breakage. Leave-in conditioner, curl enhancers and refresher spray are essential products for maintaining definition and bounce; apply these formulas while wet to avoid buildup and ensure even distribution – scrunching or raking through hair after applying them can help ensure even distribution while also encouraging curl formation.
Dry Hair
Hydrating hair products like those featured here are an excellent way to help keep your strands healthy, especially if they’re dry and brittle. Dryness can be caused by various factors like climate, overprocessing, or products with less-than-ideal ingredients.
Shirley Hagel of New York’s Spoke & Weal salon recommends Aveda Sap Moss shampoo and conditioner as weightless hydratation solutions, made with Iceland moss and Larch Tree Sap extract that adds moisture without weighing down hair.
Men with thin, medium-length hair may benefit from using a hydrating styling product to help hold their style in place, such as Redken for Men Texture Clay Paste or Paul Mitchell Elastic Shaping Paste. Both products provide a matte to natural finish and work great when creating styles requiring structure or definition.
Pureology‘s dry shampoo offers an alternative for those who don’t like the feel of gel products; its formula includes UV ray protectors to safeguard color-treated strands against sun damage.
Color-Treated Hair
Color-treated hair (which includes all-over color, balayage, highlights, lowlights and gray coverage) requires special attention to maintain its vibrant hues. Therefore, investing in products which are color-safe while meeting the unique needs of your strands is of vital importance for its ongoing vibrancy.
“For color-treated hair, the ideal heat protector should be a leave-in multitasker that provides conditioning, detangles and frizz control,” according to New York City colorist Natalie Rotger. Davines Oi Milk–a rich milky treatment–is highly recommended by Rotger. R+Co also makes Good Behavior heat protectant which combines conditioning with frizz control capabilities.
Pureology’s Top Coat + Tone Hair Gloss can also do wonders by revitalizing warm strands and correcting brassy tones, while when humidity levels increase use Pureology’s anti-frizz spray which many reviewers consider the holy grail of its category.
Styling
Hydrating hair products, whether natural or relaxed, are crucial in helping prevent dryness. Your scalp produces natural oils which travel down your strands, but these may not always be enough to keep the locks hydrated – this is where treatments like shampoos, conditioners and styling products come into play – they provide essential hydration treatments which keep hair nourished.
Hydration for hair involves water absorbing into each individual strand and keeping moisture from escaping through its outermost layer, known as the cuticle. Moisture protection involves locking in this moisture with oils to stop its loss from evaporation and provide soft and silky feel to strands.
Start off your shower right with the Detox Pre-Wash Rinse to effectively remove product build-up & impurities while prepping the scalp & hair for deep conditioning treatment. Next, rinse with Hydration Shampoo’s non-harsh surfactants designed to gently lather & nourish thirsty tresses before finishing up with Hydrating Leave-In Conditioning Spray which locks in extra moisture & protects against heat damage while styling.
