The 19 Best Hair Styling Products for Salon-Level Results
You can make any day a great hair day…with the right hair styling products in your arsenal! And by arsenal, I mean beauty shelf or bathroom cabinet. In celebration of National Hair Day on Oct 1st (which should be a federal holiday, in my opinion) I’m excited to share with you my Top Nineteen for Terrific Tresses that stand the test of time for top tier results!
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Best Blowout Brush Tool: T3 AireBrush One-Step Smoothing and Volumizing Hair Dryer Brush
The T3 AireBrush One-Step Smoothing and Volumizing Hair Dryer Brush will leave you saying “Sorry- I can’t hear you over the volume of my hair!” This is a game changing tool that dries damp hair while you brush it through, resulting in a bouncy blowout that looks like you just left the salon. Best of all, it only takes me 10 minutes to achieve, compared to the 30-45 minutes it traditionally takes me to dry and then heat style my hair.
Key Features: T3 EvenFlow Technology, Custom-engineered fan
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: This Hair Dryer Brush features 3 heat levels and 2 speed settings to customize your blow out results based on your hair type and desired look- whether you’d prefer voluminous waves or smooth and sleek strands.
Best Curling Wand: Harry Josh Cordless Ceramic Curling Wand
Harry Josh strikes again when the iron is hot with the Cordless Ceramic Curling Wand. Aside from being a professional-grade curling device-this is a revolutionary technology that it’s cordless! This curling wand is powered by lithium batteries that can charged up. Less cords getting tangled means more time for curls getting coiled!
Key Features: Nano Silver Tourmaline 1" barrel
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: The batteries take about 90 minutes for a full charge, so I recommended to charge them overnight while you sleep, so your wand is at the ready in the morning.
Best Multi-Use Heat Tool: T3 Aire 360 Ceramic Air Styler Blowout Kit
T3’s Aire 360 Ceramic Air Styler Blowout Kit is the most versatile hair tool I’ve ever tried! It comes with 3 different attachments – one is a drying concentrator, one is a blowout brush, and one is a curling wand- to achieve multiple different looks with ease. This is the perfect hair tool for traveling, as it comes with the storage tote to have all your heat styling accoutrements ready to go, in any city! Plus, the high-speed AireX motor creates the fastest drying time so you can spend more time exploring.
Key Features: T3 Aire 360 Technology, T3 AireX motor, CeraGlossTM ceramic curling attachments
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: The Aire 360 base has been created with a smart microchip that monitors temperature to ensure even, consistent heat. To quote Paris Hilton, “That’s Hot”.
Best LED Hair Brush: Skin Gym LED Stimulating Hair Brush
As Skin Gym has created some of my favorite facial tools, I was so excited to see their launch of the LED Stimulating Hair Brush. The LED red and blue light therapy stimulates hair follicles and microcirculation to improve the appearance of hair density for fuller, thicker looking hair.
Key Features: Red and blue light therapy device
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: The best part is relaxing while brushing the tool across the scalp, as the gentle vibrations feel like a soothing head massage.
Best Round Hair Brush: Philip B Medium Round Brush
To help me, or my wrist rather, achieve the perfect blow out or flips on the ends of my hair (think Farrah Fawcett 70’s aesthetic) I recommend using the Philip B Medium Round Brush. This is a beautifully luxe brush with an ergonomic design on the handle to make super comfortable when holding.
Key Features: Boar Bristles, Polished Mahogany Handle
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: The boar bristles are the best material for hairbrushes to not only detangle and smooth your hair, but also to redistribute your oils from the roots down through the lengths and ends of your hair to extend blow outs and keep hair looking shiny!
Best Hair Sleep Accessory: Slip Silk Pillowcase
To keep my frizz-free finish lasting overnight, I use the beautiful Slip Silk Pillowcase to sleep on. For those of you wondering why a pillowcase is in my hair styling round up, the silk fabric against my hair reduces frizz, preserves hair styling, and prevents “bed head” that happens with cotton or satin pillowcases. I’m usually dreaming about this pillowcase while I get my beauty sleep.
Key Features: 100% Pure Mulberry Silk
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: The silk pillowcases are also great for your skin to help prevent the appearance of sleep creases or sleep wrinkles while also absorbing significantly less of my face creams and moisturizers than other traditional pillowcases. We love a win / win for haircare and skincare benefits!
Best Hair Serum: Christophe Robin's Regenerating Serum with Prickly Pear Oil
The same way that I always put on a serum before using a moisturizer for my skincare routine, I love to do the same for my haircare routine. My favorite is Christophe Robin’s Regenerating Serum with Prickly Pear Oil to layer on as a multi-purpose elixir to strengthen my hair strands, prevent split ends or breakage, and create a smooth, frizz-free finish.
Key Features: Prickly Pear Seed Oil, Tucuma Butter
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: This formula also has heat protectant properties up to 450°, so you can use this serum prior to applying heat styling to protect hair against further damage or breakage.
Best Anti-Frizz Cream: Olaplex's No 6 Bond Smoother
As I have very frizzy hair naturally (think Monica from Friends on the episode she travels to Aruba)– I love to use Olaplex’s No 6 Bond Smoother as an anti- frizz cream in my routine. This humidity-resistant formula smooths and conditions hair without adding any excess weight.
Key Features: Olaplex’s patented Bond Building technology, Coconut Oil
Hair Type: All hair types, dry hair, damaged hair, curly hair
Beauty Insider Tip: As this treatment is infused with the patented Olaplex Bond Building technology, this is a dream to use not just for my curly girlies, but also for dry, damaged, colored and chemically treated hair too!
Best Texture Cream: Briogeo Style + Treat™ Yuzu + Plum Oil Light Work Sculpting Crème
Briogeo launched their Style + Treat collection earlier this year, with the Light Work Sculpting Creme being one of my favorite formulas. This is a great product to tame my frizz, flyaways and baby hairs without adding any crunch or flaking. The hold really “holds-on” with long-lasting results for 24-hours.
Key Features: Super B-Complex, Plum Oil, Yuzu Extract
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: Don’t be surprised if your boyfriends/husbands start borrowing this one- this is perfect for the guys who want to step outside of hair gels but still use a leave-in product that gives flexible, buildable hold.
Best Air-Dry Cream: Oribe's Hair Alchemy Heatless Styling Balm
For the days that you say no to heat styling- Oribe’s Hair Alchemy Heatless Styling Balm is there to save the day for a polished, frizz-free finish. This formula is a lightweight balm that enhances your natural, air-dried texture. As part of the Hair Alchemy collection, this is a great leave-in for fragile or damaged hair due to its strand-strengthening properties to prevent further breakage.
Key Features: Chia Seed, Bio-Fermented Bamboo Leaf, Plant Based Protein
Hair Type: Fine Hair, Normal Hair, Dry or Damaged Hair
Beauty Insider Tip: This is a perfect product to pair with any heatless curling rods to give your hair light hold and definition.
Best Curl Cream: Grow Gorgeous Curl Defining Leave-In Butter
Hello, Gorgeous! This Grow Gorgeous Curl Defining Leave-In Butter is my desert island product pick for curly girls. The formula can be scrunched into hair when wet or damp to reveal the most beautiful, bouncy, curly locks with long-lasting definition when it dries.
Key Features: Hyaluronic acid, caffeine, camellia oil and cocoa butter
Hair Type: Curly hair, wavy hair, coily hair, afro hair
Beauty Insider Tip: This formula revitalizes your natural curl pattern- so can be used for all different types of curly cuties out there from 2A to 4C!
Best Hair Oil: Augustinus Bader's The Hair Oil
A finishing touch to my haircare routine is Augustinus Bader’s The Hair Oil. Infused with their proprietary technology TFC8, they use the same powerful ingredients in their haircare products as their skincare. This oil will deeply nourish hair to mend split ends, smooths frizz, and strengthen strands for the appearance for silkier, softer, fuller looking hair!
Key Features: TCF8, Baobab, Argan, and Pomegranate oils, and Vitamin E
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: A little goes a long way- all you need is 1-3 drops of this oil to evenly distribute through your hair from mid-lengths to ends.
Best Sleek Stick: Briogeo's Style + Treat Sleek Stick
Briogeo’s Style + Treat Sleek Stick is an easy-to-apply wax that smooths over frizz and baby hair! The sleek stick can help to create a slick back bun aesthetic (ala the Sofia Richie look) or a fancy ponytail for an effortlessly pulled together style. Plus, the product is small enough to throw into your bag to make it a travel friendly haircare essential!
Key Features: Super B-Complex, Plum Oil, Yuzu Extract
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: The sleek stick has long lasting hold for 24 hours, so this is a perfect choice for any upcoming formal events or occasions to make sure your updo stays intact all night long.
Best Hair Thickening Treatment: Virtue Flourish Thickening Styling Treatment
The Virtue Flourish Thickening Styling Treatment is the go-to for thinning or fine hair to deliver fuller, thicker, healthier looking hair. The lightweight texture creates long-lasting volume while plumping strands, so your hair routine really flourishes.
Key Features: Alpha Keratin, Gamma Keratin
Hair Type: All hair types, Fine hair
Beauty Insider Tip: This formula has heat protectant properties up to 450° so you can safely blow dry or heat style your hair after using, without needing an additional heat protectant spray.
Best Texture Spray: Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray
The Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray is a must-have for tousled, sexy hair styles that look effortlessly undone. This spray can be used as a finishing touch to add volume and lasting hold for any hairstyle, whether you are wearing it down or an updo.
Key Features: Argan Oil, Zeolite, Hydrolyzed Wheat ProteinAlpha Keratin, Gamma Keratin
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: Moroccanoil products have an amazing signature scent that is the perfect balance of sweet yet spicy. Using this spray as a final step in your routine will double as a delicious hair perfume!
Best Hairspray: Alterna Anti-Aging Working Hairspray
Just like the musical Hairspray, the Alterna Anti-Aging Styling Working Hairspray makes me want to start dancing because I know my hair will stay perfectly in place! This is my go-to hairspray for any curly updos, as the formula has a buildable to strong hold without feeling sticky.
Key Features: Seaweed, Maracuja Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Antioxidants
Hair Type: All hair types, Fine Hair
Beauty Insider Tip: As this hairspray is part of Alterna’s Caviar Anti-Aging collection, this is a sophisticated, luxury styling product that will give you youthful looking hair without harsh chemicals.
Best Dry Heat Protection Spray: Oribe Gold Lust Dry Heat Protectant Spray
The Oribe Gold Lust Dry Heat Protectant Spray has become the gold standard (pun intended) to spray on 2nd or 3rd day after washing my hair before a heated touch up. After plugging in your hot tools, you can spritz onto hair to protect against heat damage while nourishing strands. Since the formula is a dry spray, this prevents the “hair sizzle” that you typically hear when applying wet protectant sprays right before adding heat to your hair.
Key Features: Plant Collagen, Caffeine, Biotin and Niacinamide
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: Try using the full Gold Lust collection starting with the Shampoo and Conditioner for the best-in-class haircare routine for repair and restoration!
Best Dry Shampoo: DevaCurl Dry No-Poo Moisturizing Dry Shampoo
The DevaCurl Dry No-Poo Moisturizing Dry Shampoo is a holy grail product for refreshing and reviving my curls. This two-for-one innovation allows you to twist the nozzle to spray on your roots to absorb oils and impurities, and then twist again to spray on your lengths to enhance curl shape and texture. Best lazy girl hair hack!
Key Features: Tapioca Starch, Jojoba Oil, Sunflower Seed Extract
Hair Type: All hair types, Curly hair
Beauty Insider Tip: This formula doesn’t leave any white residue behind like other dry shampoos, but it does add volume!
Best Detangling Spray: R+CO Candy Stripe Protect + Prep Detangling Spray
R+CO launched their Candy Stripe: Protect + Prep Detangling Spray which is just as sweet for your hair as it sounds. This is a multi-use, leave-in formula that can be applied on damp hair to detangle, prevent breakage, seal the hair cuticle, and protect against heat damage. Plus, R+CO packaging is always unique and adorable- this one is perfect to sit on my pretty pink vanity!
Key Features: Matcha Tea Extract, Pink Berry Extract, Mint Extract
Hair Type: All hair types
Beauty Insider Tip: The fragrance of this formula is a delightful medley of juniper berries, rhubarb, leather, violet, and dark woods.
Taylor Gross is a NYC based “buy-ologist” and founder of ReTaylor Therapy, a leading retail consultancy for beauty and wellness. She has held the position of Head Beauty Buyer and led brand curation at iconic retailers from Space NK to Barneys New York. She has also optimized sales strategies and led partnerships for international beauty brands tailored to the US market. As she is a buying and merchandising product expert, Taylor is known for her extensive knowledge of the beauty industry and the best-in-class product essentials. She is excited to share beauty’s best kept secrets with fellow beauty lovers here at Dermstore.