All Lathered Up

Do you remember that Friends when they were in the steamy Caribbean at Ross' dinosaur conference and Monica's hair got bigger in every scene?

That's me.

Now, don't get me wrong.  This Jersey Girl loves big hair.  What I don't love is the fuzzy halo that surrounds it.

I have combination hair.  Is that a thing?  You can see its true identity when I let it air dry.  Somehow I have ringlets underneath, with wavy strands on top, and a few straight chunks in the front.

The frizz is just a bonus.

I guess I could have just gotten a keratin treatment and called it a day, but I feel like that makes your hair sooo flat.  I need volume.

And since I can't do anything a little bit, over the past few months I tried 17 different brands to tame my mane.  Each time, all I did was use these products and blow dry or air dry my hair -- no flat irons or magic hair wands involved.

Here are my findings in the People vs. Frizz...from best to worst.

Or just skip down to the bottom for the top 8 products I can't live without.

(And since it's weird to see my giant head over and over and over again, I'm using Snapchat pics because... filters.)


ALL TIME BEST:

FEKKAI: Brilliant Glossing

Cost: $20.99/ea
Good Smell: YES!
Rich Lather: YES!
Key Ingredient: Olive Oil

Did it Work? Yes -- this is my all-time fave and I've been using it for many years. I buy it for myself every year for my bday.  I always get compliments on my hair when I use it, and people tell me I smell good.  Honestly, what more could a girl (or mouse) want?





BEST BEAUTY STORE BRAND:

LIVING PROOF FRIZZ

Cost: $28-$59/ea depending on the size you buy
Good Smell: Yes
Rich Lather: Yes
Key Ingredient: A bunch of chemicals I can't pronounce

Did it Work? Shockingly, yes!  I like it so much I bought the jumbo size.  I think the key is that it makes the texture of my hair better. It's quite a process with the cream & spray, but it helps.  Take THAT humidity!

BEST DRUG STORE BRAND:

AUSSIE: Total Miracle

Cost: $3.99/ea
Good Smell: Yes
Rich Lather: Yes
Key Ingredient: Australian Aloe, Jojoba Oil & Sea Kelp

Did it Work? I actually think it does! I let it air dry and my hair was wavy not frizzy. It claims to have 7 miraculous benefits in every bottle.  Cool.  I'll let you know if a genie pops out and grants me 3 hair wishes.






THESE 3 ARE WORTH A TRY:

PANTENE PRO-V: Smooth & Sleek

Cost: $4.99/ea
Good Smell: Yes
Rich Lather: Yes
Key Ingredient: Argan Oil

Did it Work? Sure. I've used Pantene forever and it always has a place in my shower.  I just think my hair needs a fling with some other shampoos from time to time.  But I always find my way back home.

TRESEMEE EXPERT SELECTION: Keratin Smooth

Cost: $5.99/ea
Good Smell: Sorta
Rich Lather: Yes
Key Ingredient: Keratin

Did it Work? Actually this one is pretty good, super affordable -- and smooth!  The only weird thing is they say you'll have 7 days of straight hair, but I'm not sure who could put it to the test and go 7 days without washing it.  Certainly not this little piggie!

MOROCCANOIL: Hydration

Cost: $48/kit
Good Smell: No, smells musky like bad cologne
Rich Lather: Sorta
Key Ingredient: Moroccan Oil

Did it Work? Ok the smell is funky to me but I definitely have smoother hair when I use it. So hold your little pink nose and jump in.








THESE 7 ARE SO-SO:

WHOLE BLENDS: Smoothing

Cost: $3.49/ea
Good Smell: Maybe
Rich Lather: Yes
Key Ingredients: Coconut Oil & Cocoa Butter

Did it Work? The fox says no. It does have a super strong smell that really sticks with you.  This is great if you don't mind stinking like suntan lotion while you're sitting in a meeting.

GARNIER FRUCTIS: Sleek & Shine

Cost: $4.49/ea
Good Smell: Yes
Rich Lather:  Yes
Key Ingredient: Argan Oil & Apricot

Did it Work? In a word, no.  No sleek.  No shine.  No bueno.  It does smell really good though.  And I'm a sucker for good lather.

OGX: Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco

Cost: $7.99/ea
Good Smell: Yes
Rich Lather: Sorta
Key Ingredient: Argan Oil

Did it Work?  Ish. This wants so badly to be Moroccan Oil.  But it isn't. So my hair was as fuzzy as this photo.

NOT YOUR MOTHER'S: Curl Defining Shampoo

Cost: $8.99/ea
Good Smell: Yes
Rich Lather: Sorta
Key Ingredient: Mango butter

Did it Work? Not really. But to be fair, I wasn't going for curly, just for not frizzy. That might be why my hair looks so stringy. At least it smelled good!

BED HEAD TIGI: Small Talk

Cost: $20.99
Good Smell: No -- smells like a fruity stripper
Rich Lather: No, but it's not supposed to
Key Ingredient: Chemicals

Did it Work? It might but I hate the smell. It's like a blueberry died on my head.  I do love the one with the giant S on it though.  That one smells like papaya heaven and is a good leave in conditioner.

IT'S A 10: Miracle Leave-In

Cost: $33.29
Good Smell: Yes
Rich Lather: No, but it's not supposed to
Key Ingredient: Keratin

Did it Work? Unclear. I used to think this worked to make my hair smooth.  Then I tried all this other stuff.  And I realized, it kinda doesn't. Woof.

DRYBAR: 100 Proof

Cost: $36
Good Smell: Yes
Rich Lather: Yes
Key Ingredient: Some Kind of Oil

Did it Work? Not really. It smells a bit incense-y and I think I just don't like hair oils.  They make my hair floppy. The shampoo & conditioner are ok, but for $36 apiece, this bunny needs more.







THESE 4 LEGIT GAVE ME A BAD HAIR DAY:

JOHN FRIEDA FRIZZ EASE: Beyond Smooth Frizz-Immunity

Cost: $6.99/ea
Good Smell: Yes
Rich Lather: Sorta
Key Ingredient: Coconut Oil

Did it Work? No. But they say it works gradually. If they mean decades, then maybe I'm on the right track.  But so far, this brand never works on my hair. Frizzy.  Fuzzy.  Fooey.

BUMBLE AND BUMBLE: BB Straight & Hairdresser's Invisible Oil

Cost: $31/ea
Good Smell: NO
Rich Lather: Sorta
Key Ingredient: A bunch of chemicals I can't pronounce

Did it Work? No. I'm pretty sure the shampoo/conditioner made my hair MORE frizzy and that invisible oil should be called Highly Visible Oil That Gives You Weird Shiny Patches And Does Not Come Off Your Hands.

NEXXUS: City Shield Sheer Frizz Resistance

Cost: $13.99 - $19.99/ea
Good Smell: No
Rich Lather: No
Key Ingredients: Lotus Extract & Wheat Protein

Did it Work? NO! In a catfight between my frizzy hair and the so-called frizz resistant city shield, my hair won.  Grrr.

KERASTASE: Nutritive Masquintense

Cost: $31.99-$51.99 depending on where you get it
Good Smell: NO-- smells like a guest soap at your grandma's house
Rich Lather: No, but it's not supposed to
Key Ingredient: Natural Lipid Conditioning Agent and Emollients with Irisome Complexe

Did it Work? Nope. I think Irisome Complexe is code for super greasy hair.  This dumb jar costs a fortune and it stinks in every sense of the word.





Ok.  Let's end on a high hair note!

Here are 8 hair products I can't live without -- fancy shampoo, daily shampoo, 2-1 for lazy days, dry shampoo for lazier days, hairspray, styling cream, leave in conditioner & sea salt spray.

What can I say?  The hair wants what it wants.

List YOUR go-to hair tips & tricks below...


tags: beauty, shopping, taste tests