The Definitive Compilation of Must-Have Hair Products

Last month, our team shared our skincare practices. (It was SUCH a delight to hear readers’ recommendations in the comments, too; I took screenshots of all the lip balm hints!) Today, we decided to do likewise for hair: our daily habits, our beloved products, and the small tricks we’ve picked up over time. Here goes…

Alison Piepmeyer, Partnerships Director

How would you describe your hair?
My hair is one of the aspects I genuinely cherish about myself. It’s wavy/curly and full of texture. It generally goes along with whichever style I aim for, which is a relief!

Tell us about a typical morning.
It depends on my mood and energy. Sometimes I’ll follow a full curly-girl regimen (with a microfiber towel, mousse, defining cream, and hair wrap). But that’s time-consuming. Typically, I let it air dry into relaxed waves — this way, I can extend the intervals between washes, using dry shampoo. I used to part it centrally, but recently I’ve been mimicking Natasha Pickowicz’s half-up style.

What kind of detangler do you use?
I adore the T3 paddle brush because the bristles are spaced widely enough to detangle my hair without disrupting the curl formation. (Curly hair can become very poofy very swiftly.)

What’s your wash routine?
I clean my hair just once or twice a week because curly hair dries out quite easily. I also color my hair, so washing less often helps the color stay longer. I rotate among a few shampoos: Nizoral (for dandruff and hair-loss prevention), a purple shampoo and conditioner (when my blonde shade starts turning brassy), and Odele shampoo and conditioner for standard washes, because it’s acne-safe (I have acne-prone skin, and I’m very particular about this!).

Air-dry or blow-dry?
Mostly air-dry. If I’m using the curly-girl method, I’ll diffuse it, but otherwise it dries into slightly unruly waves that I’ll refine with this straightener.

Do you have a favorite hair-styling trick?
Following hairstylists on Instagram has taught me everything. Ashley Streicher transformed my use of a flat iron. Amber Yackzan offers excellent styling advice for bobs. Sophie Marie taught me “The Bowl Method” for curly hair.

Do you have a nighttime hair routine?
If my hair is curly, I’ll sleep in a silk bonnet to help keep the curls intact and avoid frizz. Otherwise, I put it up in a silk scrunchy and adjust the waves in the morning.

Do you have a hero hair product?
Living Proof dry shampoo forever! I use it constantly since I space out my washes.

Any other treatments?
I have many grays, and my hairstylist mentioned that blonde highlights are the most natural way to blend them. The growth pattern is softer, letting me extend the time between salon visits.

What’s the biggest haircare lesson you’ve learned?
Do. Not. Cut. Bangs. I’ve found it amusing that all the online hair enthusiasts are obsessed with Mika Abdalla’s haircut in the new show Off Campus. But thank goodness for PSAs like this, you’re truly doing amazing work.

Christine Pride, Columnist

How would you describe your hair?
Long and thick. Also: reliable. I’ve kept the same straightforward hair “style” (if it even qualifies as one) for years, and although I sometimes consider chopping it all off, I prefer my steady, familiar haircut to novelty.

Do you have a go-to style?
I have exactly two hair looks: a top knot/bun (80% of the time), or styled waves (20% of the time). Maybe — MAYBE — you’ll find me sporting a side braid, if I’m feeling adventurous.

What kind of brush do you use?
Since my hair tends to tangle, I use this Tangle Teezer brush, which is great for gently smoothing out snarls and smoothing my hair.

What does your wash routine look like?
Simple and low-maintenance: I use TRESemmé Curl Shampoo and Conditioner, followed by Nourish & Shine and Ouidad Leave-In Conditioner for an added moisture boost.

Air-dry or blow-dry?
Blow-drying it myself takes an eternity. So, for a perfect blowout, I visit Blo Bar. Their blowouts last me five precious days.

Do you have a before-bed hair routine?
If my hair has been blown out, I sleep with it in a bun in this blue bonnet — it’s quite flattering.

Do you have a hero hair tool?
I briefly tried the Rev Air. It’s like a combination of a vacuum and blow dryer. But it didn’t deliver dramatic results, despite the impressive before-and-after pictures online. Perhaps not a hero product, but it’s worth noting due to the buzz around it!

Any other treatments you regularly do?
I get my hair chemically straightened four times a year, on schedule. I’ve also added a color rinse to cover grays. These treatments can’t overlap, resulting in eight annual salon trips! (Special thanks to Beauty Bar in Harlem.) At home, I try to use this deep conditioner once a week for 10 minutes, to avoid excessive damage from the treatments.

What’s the biggest haircare lesson you’ve learned?
It’s only hair.

Jannelle Sanchez, Senior Editor

How would you describe your hair?
Extremely full and very long. My hair also possesses a gentle natural wave (for those who reference hair charts, mine is 2b).

How do you do your hair in the morning?
I wash my hair every three days. On the initial two days, I wear my hair loose and textured. I’ll detangle it, smooth frizzy sections with my straightener, and leave the rest untouched, maintaining the waves. By the third day, my hair is oilier, so I comb it and style it into a sleek, middle-part ponytail. I finish with a hairspray layer. The scent always reminds me of my grandma prepping for work.

What kind of brush do you use?
I’ve had the same wide paddle brush for eight years!

Tell us about your wash routine.
For the last two years, I’ve bought the jumbo Nexxus Advanced Hydration Therappe Humectress Shampoo and Conditioner pack from Costco, and it worked well. But just this week, I tried out Hairstory’s Air Dry Kit, and the outcomes astounded me. I used the pre-wash and cleansing cream, and as soon as I glanced in the mirror — with my hair still dripping wet — my waves were more pronounced. The following morning, my hair was super soft and looked extra voluminous.

Air-dry or blow-dry?
Air dry. I enjoy curling my hair with a large curling iron for date nights or special events. I adore the glamorous effect of barrel curls!

Do you have a favorite styling trick?
When I was six, during a visit to a friend’s, her mom suggested we brush our hair before showering. And omg, that was life-changing! You know the struggle of lathering shampoo into matted wet hair?! Since that playdate, I’ve always brushed beforehand.

What’s your nighttime hair routine?
Honestly? Nothing. With three young kids, I’m fortunate if I can even get my washes in!

Do you have a hero hair tool?
A toothbrush! I have many postpartum baby-hair bangs, so for sleek hair, I spray my roots with hairspray and then run a toothbrush over my hair, flattening the fly-aways and baby hairs. It works magically.

What’s the biggest haircare lesson you’ve learned?
It took me two decades to determine which hairstyles suit my face shape — and which do not. I can pull off a bob. I can handle bangs. I cannot rock a sleek back ponytail, nor straight hair with a center part. Realizing this has saved me from numerous crabby days and salon heartbreaks.

Joanna Goddard, Founder and Editor

How would you describe your hair?
Straight and fine. And my grays are definitely showing!

How do you do your hair on a typical morning?
Wash, air-dry, and that’s it. I used to blow it dry every single morning, and my hair was so damaged. Now that I do less with it, it feels soft and smooth.

What kind of brush/comb do you use?
I use this comb when my hair is wet. (I don’t want a brush to break my hair.) But when it’s dry, I use the Mason Pearson brush my aunt gifted me — it belonged to my English grandmother, and I remember it on her bedside table throughout my childhood. Hair stylists always emphasize the benefits of boar bristles for your hair — and I listen.

What does your wash routine look like?
I wash my hair daily (I know!). I use RÔZ shampoo and conditioner, and after that, I comb RÔZ milk hair serum through my damp hair (I’m very dedicated to their hair products). I’ll scrunch it in my hand, while it’s drying, which provides a hint of bed-head wave.

Do you have a favorite styling trick?
No, I’m quite hopeless! But for an overnight flight, I’ll carry a baseball cap for the next morning — it makes me feel like an actress at the airport, covering greasy hair with a cap.

Do you have a nighttime/before-bed hair routine?
Honestly, I just read my book and fall asleep. Currently, I’m reading It’s a Lot by Alison Leiby, which is wonderful — a major chapter on being an only child.

Any other treatments you regularly do?
I get my hair cut by my friend Reagan Baker — named after Ronald Reagan, like the ’80s kid she is. Though a splurge, her cuts fall beautifully without any styling and grow out splendidly, needing only two a year. Aliya at Fox & Jane in Brooklyn covers my grays. She’s young but exceptionally skilled.

What’s the biggest haircare lesson you’ve learned?
For me, less is more. My hair is much healthier now that I mostly leave it be.

Kaitlyn Teer, Senior Editor

How would you describe your hair?
Thick and wavy.

Do you have a go-to style?
I have a razor cut shag with thick bangs (I visit a stylist specializing in such razor cuts, like Edo Salon made fashionable). The cut pairs perfectly with my wavy texture, eliminating the need for extra styling. I just wash and air-dry!

What kind of brush/comb do you use?
I brush out my waves before showering, and post-shower, I use a wide-tooth comb on damp hair.

What does your wash routine look like?
I’ve employed Hairstory’s New Wash and Hair Balm for a long while. I also employ an anti-dandruff shampoo once a month to maintain a healthy scalp.

Do you have a favorite styling hack?
I apply Hair Balm while my hair is soaking wet to lock in moisture (a tip from Samin Nosrat). This minimizes frizz and enhances wave definition.

Do you have a nighttime hair routine?
I perpetually sleep in a messy bun, with pinned-back bangs — I detest hair on my face while sleeping! Most mornings, I shake out my bun and tidy my bangs. For extreme bedhead, I dampen my bangs for a reset.

Do you have a hero tool?
My stylist motivated me to acquire a feather styling razor to trim my bangs at home on a whim! I’m often trimming slightly here and there to keep them perfect.

What’s the biggest haircare lesson you’ve learned?
I’ve learned never to trust an inspiration photo! Never! It caused much sorrow in my youth. These days, for a hairstyle change, I present about ten reference images to convey my desired vibe. But I’ve also accepted that my hair will always remain uniquely mine, not another’s.

Kelsey Miller, Senior Editor

How would you describe your hair?
Fine, but abundant. It’s silky, which is nice, but I often aim to create some texture.

How do you do your hair on a typical morning?
Most mornings, I detangle and go, often ending up in a ponytail by 11 a.m. I genuinely appreciate my hair, but its presence around my face is distracting! Even on my wedding day, our photographer gently reminded me not to tuck my hair behind my ears.

What kind of brush/comb do you use?
I adore the UNBrush detangling brush. Originally purchased for my daughter with curly hair, I found the $18 price steep for a plastic brush, but the reviews were stellar — and frankly, I’d pay any amount for a brush that alleviates bedtime brushing tantrums. That $18 piece of plastic exceeded its reputation! It works just as well on my fine hair. It handles tangles without tearing. It’s now the only brush we use.

What does your wash routine look like?
I also wash daily, like Joanna (I know!). I shower in the evening and for the past couple of years, have used Herbal Essences Grapefruit Volume Shampoo and Conditioner. It rinses clean and conditions superbly, without adding weight or residue. I’m a steadfast advocate for drugstore shampoos.

Do you have a favorite hair-styling trick or hack?
I recently discovered a hair-tuck trick on TikTok, and wish I’d been shown it years ago. It’s the only thing that truly keeps my hair down without the constant urge to tuck it back or tie it up.

Do you have a before-bed hair routine?
My glamorous routine involves sleeping on soaking wet hair. If my hair manages to dry before sleeping, the pineapple-bun method is effective. As a child, I braided my hair to prevent tangles, but this is superior. Additionally, I’m a side-sleeper; this genuinely enhances sleeping comfort.

Do you have a hero hair product or tool?
For ten years, the Iles Formula Finishing Hair Serum has been my only styling product. I rub a small amount between my hands, then finger-comb it through my hair’s lower half. It’s the sole product that smoothens without overwhelming my fine hair and creating greasy clumps. Though my most costly hair product, the bottle lasts around two years. My other favorite is toddler hair ties, magically gentle on your hair.

Any other treatments?
I get a haircut annually, and that’s it. I lack the patience for salon coloring, but I enjoy experimenting with tinted conditioners at home. The Christophe Robin copper conditioner is gorgeous and straightforward (it just adds warmth to my hair). It’s the easiest I’ve used — meaning it doesn’t stain my skin neon when I inevitably distribute it on my forehead.

What’s the biggest haircare lesson you’ve learned?
YOLO. Get the cut, try the perm, embrace that Angela Chase dye job your inner child craves. Hair is never truly permanent (nothing is, really?), so why not?

How do you like to do your hair these days? Any tricks or products you swear by?

P.S. Nine women on going gray, and an ultra-easy hair trend (ideal for summer heat as well).

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