Hair needs more than a good shampoo and conditioner. For it to look perfect (and never have a bad hair day again!) you need a hair care kit that can help you fight split-ends and frizz, add instant volume, and keep it shiny. Build the ultimate haircare kit and never have a bad hair day again!
High Quality Scissors
Don’t neglect your split ends! Just like broken yarn, any split ends will “travel” up the hair shaft and make your hair weak and more prone to frizziness. You don’t have to wait until your next hair salon visit to fix them, either. Just buy hairdressing scissors! Unlike regular scissors – which tend to have a blunter edge – they give you a clean, precise cut even when you’re working with very thin hair strands. Plus, a good pair will last you a lifetime! (Here’s where you can find a wide range of hairdressers scissors used by some of the best salons and professional hairstylists.)
A Set of Brushes
Just like makeup brushes, hair brushes come in different materials and shapes to serve different purposes.
You need a paddle brush to help detangle your hair after your shower – the best ones have microfibers that will soak up excess moisture and cut back on drying time! If you have very rough, curly hair use a wide-toothed comb while you’re conditioning your hair. Not only does this gently remove tangles, it helps distribute the conditioner from roots to tips.
You also need a bristle boar brush. This is useful for smoothening out the hair after it’s dry. Use it any time of the day, but at night treat yourself to a longer brushing session. The bristles will stimulate the scalp and distribute your natural hair oils, which will keep your hair healthy and shiny.
For styling, you need a rounded brush. The size depends on the kind of hair you want – a smaller rounded brush helps create tighter curls, while a bigger barrel just lifts the hair and creates volume.
Depending on your hair type and routine, you may need specialty brushes like a teaser comb or anti-frizz brush. But don’t forget you already own the best kind of styling tool – your fingers! Many stylists prefer using their fingers to detangle, scrunch up curls after applying mousse, or working in hair wax. Your body heat actually helps “melt” the hair product so it works better.
Sectioning clamps
These long clips are very useful for sectioning hair while you blow dry your hair, or when you’re trimming or colouring your hair at home. They can also make it super easy to recreate popular ponytails, braids or updos since you can work with one part of your hair at a time.
Bobby pins
Bobby pins can discreetly tuck stray hairs into place – or be artistically used to create eye-catching looks. Try arranging colored bobby pins into geometric patterns like triangles or asterisks. Or, get decorative bobby pins with tiny jewels or accents to pull back your bangs. It’s such a simple way to keep your hair sleek and stylish!
Plastic Shower Cap
You shouldn’t shampoo your hair every day, because you lose natural hair oils that keep your hair strong and shiny. A shower cap protects your hair when you don’t plan to wash it – aside from keeping it dry, it shields it from the heat of a hot shower and air-borne moisture that can make it frizzy.
You should also use shower caps when you’re applying hair masks. Aside from preventing messy spills and drips, the heat also helps the ingredients penetrate deeper into your scalp and hair shaft. You may want to have two shower caps – for daily baths and special masks – or an extra one when you want to color your hair at home.
A good blowdryer
The best blowdryers minimize the damage to your hair. If you can afford it, look for ionic blowdryers, which dry your hair faster – minimizing your hair’s exposure to heat and lowering the chances of frizz. Also look for a nozzle attachment (which concentrate the air so it’s easier to style and shape in the morning) and a cool shot setting. Professional stylists like to use the cool shot to quickly blast the hair with cold air after styling. This helps set the style and make it last longer, and also makes hair look more shiny.
Comfortable hair curlers
Instead of blowdrying your hair, try setting your hair in curlers the night before. The new curlers are more comfortable than the unwieldy plastic curlers our grandmothers used! Some are silicone rods, others are soft sponges with a soft wire inside. A few high-tech ones even use memory foam! These are great for creating lots of volume and soft, subtle waves. If you want tighter ringlets, there are also corkscrew curlers that will let you wake up with the prettiest curls.
An old cotton t-shirt
Got a big, oversized cotton t-shirt? Use this to dry your hair instead of a towel! It will absorb the excess moisture from your hair, and since the fibers are softer and smoother than your towel, your hair won’t get damaged or frizzy while you rub it dry. It’s also very handy for wrapping up your hair – you can use the sleeves to tie up your turban so it doesn’t fall off as you walk around and get dressed.
An old toothbrush or mascara wand
Use this to tame your baby hairs and fly-away hair! Spray hairspray on it, then brush even the smallest and unruliest strands into place. You can also use it to apply temporary, wash-off hair color and create fun highlights for a night out or special occasions.
This haircare kit is like the Swiss Army Knife of haircare: you have all the tools you need to keep your hair healthy, beautiful and stylish. So hairdressing scissors, raid your closet for an old shirt, and stock up your vanity with the right brushes, and you can be confident that you’ll never have a bad hair day again.
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