When I was little my parents often referred to me as "Lion King." I had extremely unruly hair. I still have unruly hair, but some products that I will discuss below help tame my mane. I have thick, coarse, and dry hair. Did I mention that my hair is curly too? I will say that my hair takes a lot of work, but I am fortunate enough to be able to wear it straight, curly, and wavy. I do not wash my hair every day, but I know that people with oily scalps tend to wash daily. If you feel the need to wash your hair daily, try washing your scalp, but stay away from washing your ends. Too much washing can strip away necessary oil and be abrasive to your hair.
The L'Oreal Triple Resist Reinforcing Shampoo is supposed to strengthen your hair. It does get incredibly sudsy, which is nice for washing purposes, but that also means that it contains sulfates. Sulfates tend to dry your hair out. I use this shampoo right before I deep condition it. It doesn't strip the color from my hair and leaves my strands feeling squeaky clean. I think that this shampoo would work for any hair type. L'Oreal has many other types of shampoos that work well. I purchased this shampoo from Target, but any drugstore will have it.
The next shampoo is Garnier Fructis Pure Clean. I reach for this once a week as a clarifying shampoo. It is important to use a shampoo that is clarifying to remove the buildup from both products and water. This does tend to strip my color a little bit, but my hair has much more body and shine following the use of this shampoo. It is a natural shampoo. If you like natural products, this is a great shampoo for you. I would not recommend using this too often as it does strip your hair. If you have oily hair/scalp, you may reach for this shampoo more than I would. I purchased this shampoo at Rite Aid, but once again any drugstore will sell it.
The next product is a conditioner. This conditioner is the Smooth Infusion Conditioner from Aveda. Aveda products are natural and always smell great! This helps me rid my hair of frizz. My hair is smooth and moisturized following the use of this conditioner. This conditioner will weigh down your hair if you have thin hair, but it is great for dry,coarse hair. I use this when I plan to apply heat to my hair. If I plan on using a flat iron or a curling iron, I will use this conditioner before I blow dry to help keep my hair smooth and protected. $21 for 6.7 fl. oz.
The last product that I reach for in the shower is the Moroccan Oil Restorative Hair Mask. I use this once per week and it has changed my hair completely. It is a heavy duty deep conditioner. I let it sit on my hair for 5-10 minutes and then wash it out with cool water. This transforms my hair into smooth, shiny, and healthy hair. I reach for this more than once a week if I straighten or curl my hair a lot that week. This helps maintain my hair color and will stop hair breakage.
The next product is a product that I could not live without. It's a 10 miracle leave-in product is much more than a leave-in conditioner. I spray it on my hair right out of the shower before I comb through it. It detangles my hair instantly. It adds shine, volume, protection, and much more to my hair. I also spray this on my dry ends from time-to-time if they need a pick-me-up. If you are looking for a deep conditioner, but others weigh your hair down, this is the product for you. It smells great and will keep your hair healthy and strong.
The next product that I use after It's a 10 is the Carol's Daughter Monoi Anti-Breakage Spray. This is an oil spray. I spray it solely on my ends before blowdrying or letting it air dry. My hair seems to grow faster and longer now than it did before I added this to my hair care regimen. It smells tropical, but is heavy for a spray. If you have thin or oily hair, you may want to stay away from this product. My hair is extremely dry and thick so it takes a lot to weigh this mane down. A little of this goes a long way so use a light hand when you spray.
Dove Invigorating Dry Shampoo is great for people that don't wash their hair every day. I have dry hair and try to wash it no more than three times per week. If I do, my hair tends to fall out, break off, and look parched. This product has allowed my hair color to stay vivid and to let my locks grow nice and long. I spray this at my roots and at the nape of my neck before bed. When I wake up, I rub my scalp with my fingers or brush through it if it is straight or wavy. I never brush my curly hair because my Simba days are behind me. This dry shampoo does leave a white cast on my dark hair, but once I style it, it blends right in and goes undetectable. This product can mask oil or odor. If you have fine/flat hair or would like more body, dry shampoo sprayed at your roots will allow you to achieve a more voluminous look.
Aveda Light Elements Smoothing Liquid is great for all hair types. I take one pump of this product and spread it evenly throughout my dry hair. If you have oily hair, use this product from mid-shaft down only. This product smoothes and conditions. This is great for straight, curly and wavy hair. It adds shine and moisturizes without weighing hair down. A little of this product goes a long way so make sure to use a little at a time or you will end up looking like a grease ball. $28 for 3.4 oz.
TIGI Bed Head Masterpiece Massive Shine Hairspray is one of the few hairsprays that I actually like. This can hold any curl that I put into my hair or that comes naturally. It is strong in the sense that it holds my style all day, but I don't get crunchy curls. It does give my hair massive shine as the bottle promises. It is humidity resistant and smells great! If you need a heavy duty hairspray- you may want to look elsewhere. This hairspray holds a bun in my hair and curls when I wear my hair down. Love this stuff! I purchased mine at Ulta when it was on sale. 9.5 oz.