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Know which hair care products work with your hair type and hairstyle

Are you on information-overload when it comes to knowing which products are right for you? It’s no wonder picking the right hair care products can be tricky. It requires some basic know-how, and when needed, a recomendation from your hair stylist. As any well-tressed woman will tell you, a good hair day usually is the result of using the right products, so it’s well worth the research. Here is a guide to must-have products that will help you get today’s most popular styles.

• Mousses are soft stylers that work great for most hair types. What makes them so versatile? They contain lightweight ingredients called humectants mixed with lightweight resins. Humectants bring moisture to your hair, while resins help hold the hair’s body or hair style until your next shampoo. Mousses are best for enhancing natural waves and thickness if your hair is straight. They also can be used to add more body to curly hair.

  • To use: Apply in your palms and distribute evenly throughout the hair, roots to ends. Be to sure to style with a blow dryer when using this product. If you usually air-dry your hair, mousse will leave it stiff and unnatural looking. If you have curly hair attach a diffuser to the drier for maximum results.

• Waxes & Pomades are great for taming medium hair or thick hair. They also give bangs or chunks a sectioned look. These hair care products contain petrol to coat the hair shaft, making strands stick together for a sleek surface. On fine or limp hair, waxes compress the hair and make it look thinner.

  • To use: First, thin out a dime-size amount by rubbing it between your palms. Next, pat throughout your entire mane. Be sure to use it sparingly because a little goes a long way. If you love these products, you’ll need to shampoo at least three times a week. Waxes or pomades do not wash out after one shampoo and tend to build up.

• Straightening Balms soften and remove excess body and curl and help tame unruly waves or so they’re great for taming naturally-wavy hair or permed hair. Because straightening balms contain no hardening ingredients, they come in the form of gels, creamy lotions and pomades. They coat the surface of the hair and make it straighter and f1atter.

  • To use: Before you begin styling, apply a quarter-sized amount between your palms and rub through the length of your wet hair. When blow-drying, use a large round brush to reduce volume even more using straightening balms if you have fine hair or hair that lacks body.

• Glossifiers & Shine Enhancers add shine and smooth flyaways and split ends. They’re best for straight hair that needs a super-sleek surface and lots of shine, or frizzy, curly hair that looks dull and is prone to flyaways. They contain silicone, a clear, water-soluble liquid that coats each hair strand, adding shine without weighing hair down. They can be found in three liquid forms: a clear serum (best for thick hair), lighter creams, or spritz-on formulas (best for fine hair). Unlike waxes and pomades, glossifiers and shine enhancers wash out easily won’t cause build-up.

  • To use: rub between palms and smooth over your entire mane spritzing some on a blush brush and sweeping over hair. Use a very small amount—an overdose of silicone can make your hair look oil-slicked and greasy—and smooth or spritz lightly over the top of your style.

• Root Lifters add volume and amplify the crown of an otherwise sleek hairdo. They’re great if you want fullness without a “big hair” look. Root lifters are loaded with super-strong resins—the ingredients that help lock in your style—without a stiff or sticky look. They’re best used on medium or fine hair. Avoid them If your hair is thick curly.

  • To use: Spritz on the root area of damp hair then style. The bottles of root lifters usually have unique application systems to ensure accurate and precise application only at the root area. That way, you add volume at your roots only, without pumping up the rest of you mane. Use root lifters on wet hair before styling.

• Volumizer give all-over lift and volume to fine, medium, limp, or curly hair that lacks body. They contain liquid resins that fatten up your tresses by coating each individual strand and doubling its width. If you use a volumizer on your entire head, your hair style will be thicker and with more bounce and body.

  • To use: Spray on and style. Most volumizers come in a liquid form so that you can spray over your wet hair before you begin styling. Others come in gels or creams, which you can apply by rubbing a dime size amount between your hands, then smoothing evenly over wet hair before drying.

• Texturizers define and dramatize the details of a hairstyle without making it sticky or stiff. Available as gels or liquids, the newest texturizers cling to the hair shaft and make strands stick together in clumps. They also make hair easy to shape into a style so that it will have little movement when you move or shake your head. Texturizers are great if you have thick or coarse hair because they can add “softness” to your look. Skip them if your hair is fine—they’ll only weigh it down.

  • To use: Work through wet hair with your hands, then style.

• Gels make your hair moldable, so it’s easy to shape into the desired style. As gels dry, they stiffen up to hold the style you’ve created. They contain a high concentration of polymer resins that help them act like a liquid hair spray, giving your hairdo a firm hold. Use one to slick back hair flat against your scalp. Gels are also great for styling an updo, to smooth flyaways or to hold short layers in place. Lighter, spray-on gels can give straight hair more body and hold, The drawback is that if you use too much, your hair will tend to feel stiff or crusty so be sure to use a good product and follow the directions prescribed by your stylist.

  • To use: Rub a small amount between your palms and comb through to distribute evenly. Most hair stylists recommend using gels before blow-drying for best results.

The next time you stop by your salon, ask your hair stylist which product best suits your hair type. Ask him or her for a styling lesson, so you learn new hair styling tips or techniques and practice applying hair products that are just right for you. The result? A perfect hairstyle every time!

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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