Styling Oils/Serums

     Gone are the days of plastering down flyaways with pomades, putties, or spray. Thanks to brands like MOROCCANOIL  styling oils and serums have been in the spotlight lately, and honestly they are a great addition to your beauty regimen if you know how to use them properly. Since it is easy to go overboard and look like you haven’t washed your hair in weeks (which doesn’t look good on anyone, I promise) let’s take a look at these products.

    There are two main categories: the clear formulas and the amber-colored ones.

 Clear formulas: Enjoy Shine and Smooth, Silk Sexy Hair Frizz Eliminator, Biosilk Silk Therapy, Biolage Smooth Therapie Smoothing Serum, Matrix Essentials Sleek.Look Sealing Serum, and Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum.

Amber-Colored Formulas: Enjoy Hair and Skin Treatment Oil, Enjoy Intensive Hair and Skin Treatment Oil, Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal, Orofluido Beauty Elixer for Your Hair, Joico K-PAK Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil, and CHI Silk Infusion.

    Besides the obvious color difference the biggest difference between the two types is that the clear serums contain silicone, while the amber ones contain ingredients such as Argan oil and safflower oil so they’re more natural (not to be confused with “all-natural”). Personally, I have found it easier to overdo it with the clear formulas since they seem to sit on your hair more, while the amber formulas absorb into the hair itself. Both groups give you the same frizz fighting power, amazing shine, heat protection, and can reduce drying time when used on wet hair.

     So now that you’ve been introduced it’s time for the application. Start off with a small amount, such as a dime size or less; you can always add more but the only way to take it away is to completely wash and start from scratch. Rub it around to coat your hands evenly and then begin finger-combing it through, always starting at the ends and working upwards. The idea is that by the time you get to the top of your head you have much less product on your hands so you’re less likely to overdo it. Continue working until you’ve made it through your whole head, and there you have it. You use the same application for wet and dry, and most certainly can do both; for instance, I wash my hair every few days so when I wash I apply it to wet hair, and then do a dry application every day until I wash again.

Before:

 After:

 

*End note: some brands have shine sprays. I avoid those at all costs because whether in an aerosol or pump bottle it is much too easy to go overboard. If you’re still afraid of using something with oil right in the name on your hair, Bed Head makes a cream version called After Party that does the same job.