One of my resolutions for this year is the cloyingly diffuse directive “be an adult.” This includes doing my hair every day. For years I have coasted by with ponytails, top knots, and texturing spray that makes air-dried hair feel kind of intentional (…?) but I am turning 36 in June, and 36 year olds do their hair. My current regimen is to wash my hair at night, apply a detangler, brush it straight, and then curl it first thing in the morning, which feels manageable. When I am feeling extra, I blow dry it straight — and I hate blow-drying my hair because it takes forever. I may be the only woman on earth who did not mind the postpartum hair shedding because — dismaying as it is to watch clumps of your hair fall out in the shower — it actually made my hair a little easier to work with. (Ha!) I would love to invest in one of these Dyson dryers but I cannot justify the price tag knowing how unlikely it is I will ever get into a serious relationship with blow-drying my own hair.
At any rate, thought I’d share my absolute favorite products for hair at the moment:
PANTENE PRO-V CONDITIONER (I ALSO LOVE THE OUAI CONDITIONER BUT MY HAIR IS SO DRY AND TANGLY — THIS STUFF REALLY REALLY WORKS AND, BONUS!, IS $7)
I FOLLOW IT UP WITH THE OUAI TREATMENT MASQUE, WHICH HAS BEEN SO WONDERFUL FOR MY DRY HAIR
JUST ORDERED A PACK OF THESE AFTER READING A RAVE REVIEW — WILL REPORT BACK
PREP RALLY DETANGLER — THOUGH I ALSO LOVE THIS ALL-IN-ONE MILK FROM DAVINES, WHICH SMELLS LIKE HEAVEN
THE BODY SHOP PADDLE BRUSH (HAVE OWNED THIS SINCE MY TEENS — WORKS REALLY WELL IF YOU ARE BLOW-DRYING STRAIGHT, AND IF SO, I LIKE TO USE BIOSILK ON MY HAIR BEFORE DRYING, SOMETHING MY SISTER TURNED ME ON TO IN COLLEGE!)
DRYBAR HAIR CLIPS FOR SECTIONING HAIR AND THESE LITTLE CLIPS WHILE APPLYING MAKEUP (NO CREASE!)
HOT TOOLS 3/4″ CURLING IRON — THE ABSOLUTE BEST CURLING IRON ON THE MARKET AND I LIKE THIS BARREL SIZE FOR BEACHY WAVES, WHICH IS HOW I WEAR MY HAIR MOST OF THE TIME
WEEZIE SHORT BATHROBE — THE PERFECT ACCOMPANIMENT TO BLOW-DRYING HAIR! THE SHORT SLEEVES ARE A REVELATION!
DRYBAR MONEY MAKER HAIR SPRAY (WHEN I’M NOT LOOKING TO ADD TEXTURE TO MY HAIR AND JUST WANT TO SET IT)
FINALLY ORDERED ONE OF THESE WHEN THE PRICE DROPPED TO $36 (ITS EN ROUTE AS WE SPEAK) — CANNOT WAIT TO TRY IT! MAYBE THIS WILL HELP WITH MY BLOW-DRYING AVERSION?!
A CLASSIC TORTOISE HEADBAND (TIMELESS — SO GRACE KELLY!) OR HAIR TIE
For your little one’s head: If you’re vacation-bound, H&M has the cutest sun hats right now! Love this (very Minnow Swim) and this. And FlapHappy’s UPF 50 sunhats are fantastic, too — I bought mini one in white last summer and it went with everything (when she’d actually wear it…grr!). Beyond that, my favorite hair care products for little ones:
CALIFORNIA BABY DETANGLING SPRAY
MASON PEARSON BOAR BRISTLE BRUSH
NATEMIA BABY BRUSH (FOR HILL — LOVE GIVING HIM A SIDE PART AFTER BATH)
NOODLE & BOO MOISTURIZING HAIR POLISH (I USE THIS WHEN REFRESHING MINI’S HAIR LATER IN THE DAY)
OUAI FINISHING CREME (I USE THIS FOR FLYAWAYS AND ALL OF THE LITTLE BABY HAIRS AROUND MINI’S FACE FOR DRESSIER OCCASIONS)
P.S. Some other new beauty finds (most of them well-priced). Update: very impressed with this $15 moisturizer, though it’s not quite as hydrating as my ride-or-die Belif gel cream. Still, very very impressed. Will keep it in the rotation.
P.P.S. Everyday makeup. To which I would add this mascara, which has recently become my absolute favorite mascara of all time. It really separates the lashes!
P.P.P.S. Mudroom goals and corrections.
I cannot wait to hear how you’ve found your Revlon hot air brush! I have seen it all.over.the.place lately and really want to try. I’m in a similar boat to you when it comes to my hair, but much lazier — I really just air-dry most days and live with the slightly-wavy texture (I use Ouai Wave Spray to amp up the waves). That said, I feel you on the turning-36-feelings of wanting to have a more polished look, hence my interest in the Revlon brush!! (I’m a couple weeks behind in reading your posts, though, so I’ll read up in the meantime 🙂 )
Thanks, too, for reminding me about Davines Oi All-in-One Milk! One of my faves and I know I have a 3/4-full bottle in an oft-forgotten stash of hair products. Off to find it! xx
Hi! I just published a post yesterday sharing my review and — I LOVE IT. It’s fantastic at achieving a salon-quality, smooth blowout — but I can’t seem to get much volume out of my hair using it. Still, 100% thrilled with the results I’m getting. xx
Follow up comment on the Weleda skin food- agree that it’s totally greasy for day, but AMAZING for night (and for dry hands this time of year!) I am alternating between that and Vintners Daughter at bedtime! Xoxo
Oo good thought! Thank you!
The revlon dryer brush is amazing, absolutely amazing. I have thick hair and I divide it into four sections to dry usually at night so my kids are not bothering me, ha! Taking the time to use it gives me bouncy pretty hair for two days (I wash my hair every other day) it is so worth it, I barely need my flat iron!!! Also loving investing in “adult” shampoo and especially feel adult in my new lake pajamas. Similar resolutions over here!
Yay!! I love how many of you endorse this product! Will be trying mine tonight. xx
Definitely report back on the Revlon dryer brush! I’ve been seeing this rec pop up lately and would love a first hand review.
I’m in the market for a baby detangling spray (file that under things I thought I’d never say pre-child)- ordering immediately!!
Woohoo! Will definitely report back! xx
The Revlon hair dryer is awesome, but I agree with the commenter above that it works better on partially dried hair vs. soaking wet (also, it’s a little heavy and my arm gets tired 😉
Speaking of inexpensive facial moisturizers, if you have dry skin and want something super rich for winter, you MUST try Weleda Skin Food. It is EVERYTHING and like $11/tube!
Thanks for the tip! Not looking forward to the heaviness — I think I’d read that somewhere, too. Maybe another commenter made that point. BUT. If I have it fairly well air-dried, maybe it’ll be manageable…that and maybe I’ve developed some new arm strength from carrying my 21-pound butterball baby around everywhere…?
I have tried Weleda and I found it so greasy!! I don’t know – maybe it just doesn’t work with my skin. But I am encouraged to try other products in that vein — mainly ones from French pharmacies. Thanks for the reminder! xx
Love the Pantene Rescue shots – they’re amazing. I also love the Revlon one step, but I had to explain to a friend so I’ll mention here – it works best on partially dried hair, not straight-from-the-towel hair. I hit mine with my regular dryer without styling, but my friend lets hers air dry first. Both seem to work, but it doesn’t seem to play as nicely with totally wet hair.
Thank you so much for this caveat! (And the commenter below who made the same point!) Great to have that heads up so I’m not defeated on day 1.
Yay!
I’m going to revel in these next four non-hair done years, then!!i did pay to get mine flat-ironed for Halloween (went as Margot Tennenbaum), and LOVED it—so high school! But can’t see myself devoting more than a few minutes (or seconds) to it on the reg.
I know, I really hate that it eats into my day BUT it is just something I have resigned myself to do. Enjoy these non-hair-dried years while you can…I’m guessing that /wondering whether every woman hits some watershed year where she just buckles down and bites the bullet. Ha! Hoping yours is a decade away…
I should clarify — my hair is atrocious! Especially in this current post-partum hair loss period. I’ve just gotten accustomed to setting the bar v low 363 days of the year. I do want to check out that Ouai shampoo, because the Kevin Murphy one my last stylist recommended is pretty hard to track down.
My hair is also atrocious for aforesaid reasons…shaggy with a weird hairline. (All that awkward regrowth! Yikes.) I need all the help I can get. #solidarityinbadhair
So glad to see the Revlon dryer brush on this list! I like it more than my Dyson hair dryer, if I’m being honest.
Ooo now THIS is encouraging. Thanks! It’s arriving today!!