As a beauty professional I feel it is my duty to supply my clients on a day to day basis with the very best products for their hair and lifestyles.
I have clients, friends and follows message and ask me about drug store products all the time, yes even what is sold at Sally's (though its better quality and some professional lines are sold there) I still consider it a drug store in my hair world.
I can never offer up any advice when it comes to the usual pantiene, suave, and other generic product lines (especially box colors) and it's not because I don't want it. Its because I am only educated on professional grade products. That's what I went to school, spent 18,000 & 1500 hours on; is to become a professional.
I have complied a top 10 list of my favorite current products from this summer going into fall.
It was hard, since I love so many. These are my go to, and I felt they needed some sharing.
That's what the majority of them are, and if you haven't heard of the brand you are missing out and I am about to change your life.
I had heard of it and used some random products of them myself while in school, however my salon recently started carrying the entire product line this summer and I instantly fell in love. I replaced 90% of my daily products with ones from their line.
1. SUNDAY SHAMPOO
I am in loveeeeeeee with this clarifying shampoo. For about a million reasons. First being the name. As a weekly clarifying shampoo I don't think it gets much cuter than calling it after a day of the week. It really gets ALL the build up from products, natural oils, and if you are anything like me.. days without washing out in the first wash.
Most clarifying shampoos have to be used a couple times to get this effect. This shampoo is powerful in the sense that it lathers and cleanses immediately. However, it is so gentle on your hair. It doesn't leave it dry and straw like.
And no, you don't have to only use it on Sunday's!
2. THICKENING MOUSE
This product changes the game when it comes to thin hair. All my life I have had super fine hair that has been pretty lifeless. Of course being a stylist I can counter act this with multiple products. However since I have been introduced to this gem, I only need one thickening product to get the job done.
It gives you so much volume an literally expands each individual hair follicle to appear and feel thicker. Every client I've used it on, couldn't leave my salon without it.
3. CITY SCAPE
Personally, for someone with super thin "BLAH" hair I like how this product adds a piecey texture to my style. I usually only use it when I've curled it but I like it on my clients who have shorter styles, or are stacked in the back.
I just spray it on, mess it up & it's another way to get that lived in, "I just woke up like this" look.
4. DRY SHAMPOO'S:
BUMBLE & BUMBLE vs MOROCCAN OIL
My true love. Dry shampoo's are my life savor and are what get me from one week to the next. If we are being honest here I really only shampoo my hair once a week.
Dry shampoo in general helps to absorb those natural oils that feel you leaving greasy in between shampooing, however these two go above and beyond.
As you can see I couldn't pick just one. I have an obsession, seriously.
The Moroccan oil ones are an aresole spray that you spray at the root and then massage in. They come in a light version and a dark version depending on the color of your hair. They add a decent amount of volume, and as a blonde I'm in LOVE with the light option. It makes my blonde look even blonder, if that's possible!!!
Bumble & Bumble has a couple options. The ones pictured above are actually pigmented. There is even a red color that isn't in the photo. These are great for my gray haired clients. It's a nice fix in between color services to conceal those sparkling hairs. There is a blonde, brunette & red to accommodate all needs.
This Bumble & Bumble dry shampoo is a powder that you shake onto the hair. It's a 2 for 1 deal however. It functions like a dry shampoo absorbing any oils and leaving the hair looking fresh, as well as a volumizing powder that many other lines carry.
I have used, and talked about Dust It by Swarzkophf on my blog before, and it is a fantastic product. Dust it does have a texture to it that leaves the hair feeling very product (if that's a word) and the Bumble & Bumble brand does not!
You can't go wrong with any of these!
Not shampooing your hair gives it a break and allows those natural oils (that are good for your hair and scalp) to have time to work! Washing them away every day just makes them work hard producing more and more oils. This is why most people shampoo everyday, they feel like their hair is "too greasy" not to. News flash, you are making your hair greasy!
Not to mention the break from heat applications are key when achieving healthy colored hair.
5. DON'T BLOW IT
This is the lazy girl product.
The mom on the go.
The natural curly client who just can't tame that mane!
I suggest this to many of my clients who prefer low maintenance styles, but still like a soft touchable look. This is a NEW product to the B&B line. You literally do what it says & DON'T BLOW DRY YOUR HAIR!
You apply it to damp towel dried hair & let it air dry! It's fantastic. I have actually talked about it before in
this blog post over the summer when I first discovered it.
6. SURF SPRAY
I have no natural wave or curl to my hair but I know many who do and live for this product. There is actually an entire SURF line with shampoo and conditioner that is amazing for the beachy wave look. I love it and use them on my clients who I am planning to curl out at the end of their service. Which is 90% of my clients, because unless they state otherwise they are leaving with beachy curls! Its my trademark.
There are two Surf Spray's. One is more oil based than the other. Both add great texture and give you that lived in, next day, messy curl look when applied to natural or heat induced waves.
7. COLOR CONDITIONER
AH-MA-ZINGGGGG conditioner. I love the shampoo too and majority of my color clients are washed with this first after their color service, but this conditioner ....
I can't even come up with the words to describe how much I LOVE it! It leaves EVERY single person's hair feeling silky, smooth and add a little shine to it. It is so rich and moisturizing while protecting your color at the same time. What more could a girl ask for?
8. PRIMER
This makes so much sense, and I can't believe more lines haven't come up with this. Primer for your hair! B&B has multiple versions depending on your hair needs. Just like make-up every ones face is different. Using a primer before you apply your foundation is key! Same goes for your hair. You want to use some type of leave in on your hair FIRST before any other styling products so that it evens out the surface, and is penetrated into the hair follicle first so that it is able to add moisture and repair any damage.
A lot of you probably do this step without realizing it if you use these next product...
9. IT'S A 10
It's not Bumble & Bumble, but it will always be on my product recommendation list no matter what!
It's a 10 does 10 different things for your hair. Such as:
*Enhances Brilliance
*Reduces fading/extends vibrancy
*Adds Shine
*Retores moisture
*Detangles and defrizzes
*Seals the cuticle
*Thermal protector
*UV protectant
*Designed for all hair types
The one with a pink cap is the original, the yellow one is for blondes and actually tones out un wanted brassy tones, the orange one is a heavier one with extra keratin in it to help restore damage, and there is even another not pictured that is white & blue and is the "lite" version, I like to use it for the client who doesn't like to feel product in their hair or those with fine hair textures.
I can't imagine not having this product. It has helped my hair so much in those summer months when it is so dried out. Going into the cooler times it helps with static. I don't know about you but my hair gets soooooo static during fall. I look like I stuck my hand in a socket.
10. HAIRDRESSER'S INVISIBLE OIL
This is my holy grail. I use it on almost every client and I haven't met a person who shouldn't own it. This entire line is infused with 6 featherlight oils to help soften, detangle, de-frizz and protect. Sounds similar to It's a 10, I know. Let me put it this way, it would be the child of It's a 10 & Moroccan oil's treatment. I know everyone has heard of Moroccan or argon oil. Its wonderful. But unlike this line, its extremely heavy and it is also colored so you have to be careful applying too much to blonde or lighter colored hair. This line is colorless and so lightweight that you literally can't use "too much"
I love this shampoo and conditioner on clients with lots of frizz or whom have recently gotten highlights. The primer in this line has a great Uv protectant and should accompany any of you to the beach or vaca where your hair is going to be over exposed to the sun, chlorine or salt water.
While I am on the topic, if you don't do this already .. you should be applying a leave in conditioner or something like this to your hair (especially the ends) before diving into the pool or swimming in the ocean. It will act as a barrier and fight off those chemicals and substances to keep your hair feeling silky and smooth and not dry and like straw.
Now that you want to go run out and buy all these fantastic products I should probably tell you there are only two place you are going to find them (aside from the It's A 10, you can find it in most stores).
The Bumble & Bumble is only sold in specific salons, and at sephora. It's so exclusive that I can not even purchase it at my professional supply places. Normally this would upset me, however I respect any brand that is strictly made for professionals by professionals. Maybe because I was brought up in this industry using Paul Mitchell, and that's what they taught us. But I love being able to supply my clients with THE best quality of products that is perfect for them and their needs.
The Moroccan oil can also only be found in salons.
All of these products range from $19.00- $40.
With each that I listed they are very concentrated and last a long time.
Less is more with most products. A little goes a long way.
Let me know if you have any questions, I hope you enjoy this post & are able to try some out yourself. If you live local and would like to try some before purchasing come into my salon Ireland's II and schedule a blowout. I would love to show you which ones work best for you while giving you a great style for a night out, or just to pamper your self!
Lastly, sorry some of the products were used in the photos but they are literally what us girls at the salon use EVERY DAY on every client!
xoxo,
Molly.
