An update on my favorite hair products! I've been trying to grow out my hair for about a year, thus have limited my use of heat to
once a month! CRAZY! I've gone from straightening my hair almost everyday to practically never. I did a lot of research and there really is no way to get waist length hair unless you abandon heat so that's what I've been doing. My hair feels a lot healthier now that I'm not frying it everyday, but then again it could be due to the new regimen I've created for myself based on advice and suggestions gathered up from other people. Soooooo, here are all of the products that have really been helping me obtain cute hair without the heat. I'm also including a couple things I tried that I didn't really like and ended up returning.
1. TiGi Curls Rock Amplifier
The main reason why I always used to straighten my hair is because it would POOF every time it dries out of the shower. I have bushy waves that get really dry at the ends, but this product is a Godsend!! In a previous entry I wrote about the Dream Curls Curl Perfecter Spray. Let me just say that the Curls Rock Amplifier works ten times better. I get the same results everyday: Defined, frizz free curls that are soft and SHINY. The Dream Curls spray made my hair soft, but it was dull. However I still use both products, alternating each day. Curls Rock costs more and it comes in a small bottle but you only need one pump on damp hair. It's sticky on the hands and spreads easily throughout the hair. Use too much and it makes your hair dry crunchy and hard, but you can easily scrunch the stiffness out and your hair will be soft and still have defined curls.
The only thing that sucks about this product is that I heard they were discontinuing it and replacing it with a more expensive version, which I also have, and it looks like this:
2. Tigi Catwalk Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier
Honestly, I don't see the difference between this new version and the old one, except for the fancy packaging and it costs more. The ingredients are still pretty much the same, nonetheless I prefer the old one to save the extra four bucks.
3. Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum
I bought this too because I read a lot of good reviews on it and I wanted to try a new serum for the days that I use heat on my hair. Sadly, it didn't work too well. It must have been the Benzyl alcohol in this product but after I blow dried my hair the ends felt really dry
, and it proceeded to get worse when I flat ironed my hair. While I do like light products, this did nothing in terms of smoothing or moisturizing. It also left my hair very dull and still a little frizzy. I returned it after a week.
4. Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum
I've been using the Garnier Fructis serum for years, and it's still my favorite drugstore product. Very cheap, only 3 or 4 bucks and you can get it at any store. It definitely makes my hair a lot smoother and more moisturized than the $17 Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum. I use Garnier in conjunction with the Curls Rock to seal in the moisture and it never fails. Great product, that's all I have to say.
5. Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide
Another heat protectant I ordered online. I've been using this for almost a year too and I wasn't really impressed. As far as protecting my hair goes, I don't think it offered much protection at all when used by itself.
It also made my hair feel greasy and weighed down. I still use it paired with my Garnier Fructis Serum on days when I use heat, mainly because I don't want the $15 I spent to go to waste. However, once this is finished, I will not repurchase.
These are all the products I have gone through, and am currently considering changing up my shampoo and conditioner once I run out. I'm using Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo and Dove conditioner. I also use a deep conditioner about once a week from L'Oreal's new sulfate free line. The conditioner is called
L'Oreal Paris EverSleek Smoothing Deep Conditioner, which hydrates my hair and keeps it looking healthy throughout the week.
