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Advice for Buying the Right Product for your Hair

The scenario: You’re in the beauty section looking for a particular hair care product but there at least 20+ types and brands of the same gel, hairspray, shampoo, etc. How do you choose the right product and stop wasting money? Read on and find out how you can make some sense of that overwhelming sea of products in the beauty section.

One of the first things you want to do is:





Examine Labels. It’s hard not to be easily confused by packaging and labels. Products labels are like commercials. They’re designed to get your attention, usually by making sometimes misleading or outright impossible claims. If the label can grab your attention by using popular catch phrases such as “Repairs Damaged Hair” or “Makes Your Hair Grow” it’s very likely that you’ll pick it up and head straight to the cashier.

First of all, hair that is broken or damaged can only be remedied by removing it. That’s right, you guessed it, that means a haircut. So a product can at best only help the damaged hair to look and feel slightly better. Think of damaged hair as gangrene. You have to cut it off or else it continues to spread. The sooner the better.

Second, is the claim that a product will make your hair grow. This one is my all-time favorite because who wouldn’t think “What the heck - I might as well try it.” Regardless of what you do or use, your hair naturally grows at an average rate of half an inch per month. Think about it, if you buy a product that makes this claim but also says use for 4 to 6 weeks for best results BEWARE. Coincidentally, that’s the same amount of time it takes for your hair to grow all on its own.

What to Avoid: Try to ignore outrageous or too-good-to-be-true product claims. Examine the label very carefully.

What to Look For: Simple, clear labels. Less is more.

Read the List of Ingredients. Ingredients are always listed in order of importance. The first ingredient is the base of the product. Just like chocolate cake has many ingredients but the base ingredient of any type of cake is always going to be flour. Actually, the first few ingredients of a product are what you’re usually paying for. For example, several conditioners may claim to contain shea butter, but if it’s the 10th ingredient you can forget the fact that the front label on the “No Frills” conditioner says Shea butter. It contains just enough shea butter in order to claim it’s in there but not enough to make a difference. The product where shea butter is the first or second ingredient will most likely be your higher quality product.

This unusually hot and steamy summer couldn’t be a better example for this hot tip. Your desire is to wear a smooth and sleek hair style for that all important meeting/interview/go-see. Whether it’s getting caught in an unexpected thunderstorm or having to schlep through the subway system you end up having a really bad hair day. Especially is this true if you have wavy, or very curly hair. You may try to solve this problem by running to the beauty supply store. Low and behold the first jar you notice is “Frizz-B-Gone”. You grab it but then get home, use it and come to realize that this product makes your hair even more frizzy!

What to Avoid: If the first ingredient in the product is water- STEP away from the shelf. This will create the frizz you’re trying desperately to eliminate.

What to Look For: In order to tame or control frizz you must look for products that contain the term “anti-humectant” which means against moisture. Anti-humectants block the hair’s ability to absorb moisture from the air. Think of a how a raincoat protects your clothing from getting wet.

And finally …

Read the Directions. I know it sounds obvious but many people skip this all important step before they buy or use a product. The manufacturer prefers not to refund your money so they instruct you on exactly how to get the desired results from their product. If it says apply to wet hair you’ll get a completely different effect on dry hair.

For instance, many products will often say squeeze a “dime sized” amount into hands. I think some of us forget that a dime is the smallest coin size there is. Or if the product says spray holding 12 inches away from hair you shouldn’t wonder why your hair looks gray because you sprayed at close range. So go ahead and turn the package around and see how the manufacturer instructs you to use the product.

The above information is only meant as a general guide. You will still have to experiment a bit with different products but at least now you are armed with some knowledge that gives you, the now enlightened consumer, a definite advantage.

Daria was born and raised in New Jersey. From childhood it was clearly evident that she was determined to live life by her own terms. Maybe it’s because she’s a lefty. Perhaps that’s why she’s a lefty. After becoming a licensed cosmetologist, Daria became a beauty salon owner by age 21. Now with over 15 years of beauty industry experience she is currently a New York City based freelance hairstylist. Daria regularly finds herself advising women on hair care, skincare, makeup, fashion, or even health and well being.