Un-doing my hair
Products I love for hair I don’t “do” because styling never worked anyway
I’ve always admired (envied) any girl whose hair looks better air-dried than styled. That will never be me, and it’s not for lack of trying.
My hair has always been a challenge to successfully manage. It’s fine but somehow coarse, dry at the ends, porous, frizzy, and not exactly thick. We all have our strengths, lol. But recently, after years of fighting it and two very humid trips that pushed my patience, I finally gave up trying to "fix" it and started working with it.
Not that I was ever a hair girl to begin with, but embracing the uneven wave/curl pattern, the flyaways, and the general unpredictability has felt freeing and oddly aligned with my personal style. Effortless, a little undone, and very low maintenance, which is how I approach most beauty things… so don’t ask me why it took so long to apply this logic to my hair.
If humidity (and me giving up a bit) aren’t entirely to blame for this shift, the rise of more “undone” hairstyles brands are spotlighting definitely is. And I don’t mean a cheugy messy bun or the slick-back look (I’ll never be that girl). I’m talking about something softer: hair left in its natural texture, casually tucked behind the ear or loosely gathered into a bun that’s not meant to stay in place.
Below are the products I’ve found that don’t transform my hair into something it’s not—but either a) help me make the most of what I do have b) helped to make some small improvements.
In The Shower
I’ve never been loyal to a shampoo in my life until this one entered it, along with the matching conditioner. Hair is left feeling softer and healthier with a gorgeous lingering (but not over powering) smell. Duo here.
If I’m not being lazy, using this before shampoo helps give my hair and scalp a noticeable boost. I should note that I only wash about ~1 a week, so using this before shampoo also helps to deeply clean any/all build up (sorry, gross, I know).
Technically for after the shower, but I apply this on damp hair to tame down the frizz and/or protect against heat. It’s much better than other leave-ins that I’ve tested and is weightless.
Dry Shampoo(s)
To enhance my texture and add a bit of grip all over (re: fine hair) this product doesn’t get enough credit. Results are instant but I also love to use it at night before bed to really let it work its magic.
For a more concentrated “wash”, I like to target specific sections of my hair (I.e. at the crown, part, temples) with this.
Everything Else
I’m not going to pretend I know the science behind why one hair brush works better than the next, but this one has officially put my Mason Pearson into retirement. Shiner, bouncier, and generally addicting to use—it’s actually incredible.
Since slick-backs are not my preference, I prefer using this when I do need a bit of flexible hold.
I’m not a master at the at-home blow out, but there is a stark difference when I do/don’t use this first. Apparently the round brush I use is no longer available, so it might be a reasonable time to replace it with this one.
I’m not sure what life was before this existed. Stays put, cuts dry time in half and is generally a multitaskers dream.
Here’s some recent evidence of my very undone (but chic?) hair:
When it comes to clips and elastics, there is an overwhelming amount of chic options to choose from spanning from Etsy to Moda, but my tried and true are as follows: these are the only claw clips that matter to me (though I’ve heard countless rave reviews about these), and the specific hair ties I won’t sleep without.
Otherwise, I think a clear elastic is the most chic option!