MY TOP TWO STYLING AIDS

While I’ve been an open book with regard to my hair’s wash routine (which you can see here), it’s only fair that I disclose the products I use to style my hair between washes…

But the truth is, on an average, run-of-the-mill day, I use absolutely nothing on my hair, and it is not unusual for me not to put anything on my hair between washes.

I totally subscribe to the aphorism that less is more.

To be brutally honest, I learned this the hard way because, generally speaking, I haven’t had very good success with a lot of styling aids.

I avoid anything with alcohol like the plague because it dries my hair out like the dickens.

Similarly, I eschew any product that contains water as the first ingredient because, as anyone with curly hair knows, water is kryptonite to a sleek and smooth blow-out.

After much trial and error, I’ve learned that I do best with products that contain some variance of an ingredient called dimethicone, as well as products that contain a top-grade hair oil, such as oil of almond, sesame, or sunflower, but not too much oil because then my hair becomes weighed down. Bonus points are given for anything made with rosemary – I not only love the smell, but the herb contains properties that tend to soothe a flaky scalp.

So when I do need help in the styling department, here are the only two products I ever use:

Kiehl'sSilk Groom Serum

I’ve used this since my college days, a time when I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on anything, much less a styling aid that costs 18 bucks a pop. I’m not going to lie: I used to eat Ramen noodles for nights on end so that I could afford this. (Do you know how much $18 is to a broke college student? Hell, even now, $18 is nothing to sneeze at: It can buy a case of diapers and a few containers of wipes.) Anyhow, I’ve used Kiehl's Silk Groom Serum ever since. Here’s this product’s low-down, taken from the Kiehl’s web site:

“A unique, ultra-light, and non-greasy hair serum, smooths frizz, conditions dry ends, and controls hair without weighing it down. Protects hair from humidity and boosts shine, leaving hair clean, soft, and silky.

Infused with a blend of natural oils derived from Sunflower Seeds [which contains phospholipids, ceramides, and also nurtures sun-exposed and aging skin as a result of environmental aggression], Sesame Seeds [which absorbs easily and softens the skin], and Soy Beans, and enriched with Vitamin E. For styles ranging from smooth and straight to curly and wavy.”

And here’s what’s inside: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Fragrance, Sesame Oil, Sunflower Oil, Soybean Oil, Vitamin E, Linalool, Limonene.

I don’t have to use much – one or two pumps, max – and I generally only use Kiehl's Silk Groom Serum when I’m in hotter-than-hot temperatures and in the presence of oppressive humidity.

Giovanni Shine of the Times

Next up is this Silicone Finishing Mist by Giovanni. I bought this product on a whim nearly eight years ago while shopping at a local store called Zerbo’s Health, which is a like a Mom and Pop version of Whole Foods. This spray is, in a word, amazing. I spray a few pumps into the palm of my hand and smooth over my hair. This spray delivers shine like no other, and it’s environmentally friendly, to boot: It’s enriched with certified organic botanicals, contains no animal by-products, and is cruelty free. The ingredients are as follows: Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phentrimethicone, Dimethicone, Soybean (Glycine Soja) Protein, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary). I tend to use this product more during the winter months. A four-ounce bottle is under $10 and will last a very long time.

So there you have it. The two styling aids I cannot – and will not – live without.

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