Walking into a salon or taking a stroll down the hair product aisle at your favorite store can be quite intimidating. First, there are so many products out there, how do you go about choosing one, right? Then, you have to figure out which ones work best with your hair type. You can get a headache from just trying to figure out the difference between a gel and a mousse.

Yup…it’s a hair product jungle out there, and if you’re not equipped with the right knowledge, it can get ugly (literally). What’s the best way to survive it, you ask? Simple. All you need to do is follow some simple rules of styling product selection that will help you keep your cool when trying to figure out your next hair gel.

First, you need to understand your hair’s primary styling goals. Do you want sex kitten volume or do you want super straight locks? Then, you need to figure out if you want to “layer” styling products or do you prefer the biggest bang for you buck?

Although marketing gurus for product manufacturers try to dazzle us with their super clever labels and package designs, most hairstyling products are designed with one of the following goals in mind:

•    Add volume and body: mousse and/or volumizing gel or spray.
•    Define existing texture and/ore add new texture: balm, cream wax, paste or pomade.
•    Soften, loosen and straighten natural curls, and waves: straightening balm.
•    Block humidity: pomades and balms.
•    Add gloss and shine: balm, glossers, shine serum, grease.
•    Provide varying levels of hold from soft to super hard: hair spray, finishing spray, freezing spray, spiking glues.
•    Control fly-a-ways and static: wax, pomades, finishing sprays.

A big thing to remember when considering hair products is that not all products will work miracles on all hair types. While thin, fine hair will often benefit from volumizing gels, sprays and mousses, thick or heavy textured hair may not. So, remember to keep your hair texture and type in mind when shopping for new hair products. Oh, and try to go for those with no alcohol, which can dry out any type of hair.

On to the Products & What They Are

Since products come in an array of assortments, it’s often useful to know exactly what a certain category of products actually does and is used for. Before you buy a certain product, consider your goals and select products that meet your specific needs.

Balm
Used to create, manage and style uncontrollable textures, hair balm often comes packaged as a thick form of gel. It can be applied to wet or dry hair depending on the ultimate styling goal. Some balms are specifically created to smooth frizzy hair, while others are designed to enhance curls or straighten waves.

Gel
Run a little moisturizing lightweight gel through the length of your wet hair to relax natural curls and create an instant beach babe look. For a wet look with lift, coat dry hair with gel and wear au natural.  If you prefer, crank it up with hot styling tools. Most gels are multi-dimensional, working well to relax, sculpt, mold, freeze and scrunch all types of textures from fine to medium, straight to wavy. Whether you select gel in a tube, jar or spray form, beware of overuse. Some gels are specifically designed to be anti-sticky or firm.

Molding Muds are often a form of gel that is thick and heavy and used to define small areas like curls or spikes. Gels may be designed for specific styling needs, such as volume gels.

Grease
Just a little dab goes a long way. Used to prevent hair from drying out, too much can result in oil slicks. Grease can be applied to either wet or dry hair for a wet look.

Hair Sprays:  Finishing, Freezing Or Traditional
Although hair spray has been around for many years, it has evolved dramatically. The days of the garish colored hairspray cans have vanished forever. Current hairspray products range from light holding formulas for natural movement to strong and super helmet head molding spray formulas for rigid hold. Non-aerosol, non-alcoholic and aromatherapy infused formulas are always hot options.

Hairspray with medium hold strength that is used on styles to maintain shape and hold is often defined as finishing spray.

Freezing sprays provide the firmest possible hold as if the style was frozen in time. These products work best on extreme or gravity-defying styles and provide perfect hold within seconds.

Use any of the spray products to set and hold your style in place.  Most products include shine enhancement and keep an eye out for ones with SPF protection.

Mousse
Mousse can be used on wet or dry hair to enhance volume texture, movement and shine.
In general, mousse products are a great option for most hair types including naturally curly or wavy hair and thinning hair.  Mousse is available in a wide range of formulas from very light to extra firm hold and easily crafts a natural and soft style. Non-sticky, mousse allows for easy re-styling from day to evening looks.

A popular evolution of mousse is the gel-mousse products, which combine the benefits of both gel and mousse into one formula. 

Paste
A softer version of wax, paste provides texture, flexibility and long lasting shine.  Paste can be reworked throughout the day for convertible styles.

Pomades, Glossers, Shine Serums
Shine enhancers, glossers and pomades block frizziness, promote smoothness and add shine.  Glossers and shine serums, unlike pomades, are available in both liquid and spray-on versions.

Shine enhancers are often based on silicone oils that act as emollients sealing the hair cuticle, blocking static electricity and protecting the shaft from damage. Shine products are beneficial for coarse or chemically treated hair.

Pomades are thicker and more natural than wax and tend to be greasier than many styling formulas.  Usually available in either humectant or anti-humectant options, they are perfect for creating soft slicked back looks. Most beneficial for thick and curly hair that needs extra hold and protection against frizziness. .

Spiking Glue
These products are actually glue for your strands.  It will help to create deadly spikes when the cut is short enough and designed around a spiking style. 

Products in this family are designed to add body and volume. They are usually applied to the root area and work in conjunction with hot styling appliances. Excellent for thin, fine and straight hair, these products are also known as thickening formulas and may be gels, creams or sprays.

Wax
Twist, scrunch and shape hair with waxes designed for "spot styling".  Wax is often applied to the ends of razored, choppy styles for separation, texture and shine. Waxes may also be used at the roots to add texture and volume and offer an overall harder, stiffer finish.
 

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