It's important to note that I have long, naturally wavy hair that I usually blow dry and straighten. Yeah, my hair lovesss me and all of the heat damage I inflict upon it on the daily. Anyways, it's medium to fine in thickness, and I'm obsessed with volume and heat protection. Most of the products below are centered around what I use (obviously) so if you have different hair goals/hair type these items might not be ideal for you. However, I think the products I'm showcasing appeal to a wide range of hairstyles/types.
Essential Hair Tools
This is hands down the best straightener on the planet. Trust me. Go buy one and you will never look back. It's perfect for controlling frizz and static and is just perfectly amazing. It will be the best investment of your hair's life.
2. Toni & Guy Professional Hair Dryer
The model I have is the Toni & Guy 3500 Lite, and it is the best hair dryer ever. Why? To name a few reasons: frizz control, a number of different heat settings, ceramic ion protection technology, among other helpful settings that you simply can't get from a generic, $20 hair dryer. I took my blow dryer on a cruise with 8 other girls last March, and I swear everyone used/loved it. I've had it for almost two years, and it still works like brand new!
3. Conair 1.25 inch Curling Iron
Because my hair is naturally wavy it tends to hold curls well, so I don't need an intense curling iron (whereas I'm wiling to invest in extra strong straightening tools). This curling iron was $12 and works like a charm. My roommate has extremely straight hair that is thick and long and she uses it, too! It works well for both of us and the 1.25 inch width is perfect for natural looking, tousled waves.
Essential Hair Products
1. S Factor Papaya Leave-in Moisturizer
I use this product no matter what- if I plan on air drying, blow drying, curling, straightening, whatever. It's the best leave-in moisturizer I've ever used and smells amazing! A definite must. Also, I use this product daily and am just now running out of a bottle that I've had since my freshman year of college (I'm in the middle of my senior year) so it's very economical.
2. CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection
This is the best heat protection treatment out there. It also smells amazing, and I usually apply this after the papaya moisturizer, especially on the ends of my hair. Best part about it is you can use it on wet or dry hair, so if you are touching up from blow drying the day before you can still use it before re-straightening and/or curling.
3. Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion
This is a thickening treatment that is a powder-to-liquid formula. It swells your hair shafts and the bottle claims it boosts hair volume up by 17%, but I would argue it's even more than that. This stuff is literally body for your hair in a bottle. It's a bit pricey (about $25 for only 0.7 oz) but if you are looking to give your hair oomph that will last all day/night, this is a must-have. P.S. this is an after-the-fact type of hair product that you want to use after all of your styling is done and your hair is completely dry.
4. Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser
Ojon is quickly becoming my favorite hair product brand. This is the best dry shampoo on the entire planet and every girl should own at least one bottle of this stuff. It's perfect for in-between washes and quickly absorbs dirt and grease while also livening your hair (which tends to go flat when its weighed down by icky dirt and other unwanted junk). Beware the bottle tends to go awall if it's shaken around too much, and I've actually had a bottle or two over pressurize when I swear I haven't even taken it out of the medicine cabinet except to use it. However, I think if you can find a bottle that doesn't act funny its the best investment ever.
