The Haircare Products Your Stylist Desperately Wants You To Use

There are so many haircare products out there that in can be intimidating to even pick one up. How do you know you're spending your money on the right one? Which of these products actually works and isn't just ripping you off?

Obviously the best person to ask about premium haircare is a stylist who works with premium products. Yet, for some reason, a lot of us pop in to the salon, get our hair cut and colored, and then pop out. When we get home, we still have a lot of questions. So, to prevent you (and myself) from wasting money on the wrong product, I spoke with my stylist of ten years, Pina Morrone from New Jersey Salon BBC.

You may think I'm biased here because she's a longtime friend, but trust me, for all of the work she's done for my hair over the years she deserves to be heard. When I first met Pina, I was 14 years old with a mess on my head. I loved dyeing my hair, but I quickly learned the cons of doing it myself with over-the-counter color and bleach. My hair was fried, but Pina immediately came to the rescue and gave it life again. From then on, every crazy idea I had for coloring or cutting my hair would be taken care of in the healthiest, most beautiful way possible. In addition to being my personal savior, she has worked photo shoots, runway shows, and has done many events using her beauty skills.

Left to our own devices, we can easily get caught in our local drugstore's haircare aisle having an existential crisis. Well, those days are behind you. With Pina's expert insight, we can tell you which haircare products stylists want you to use most.

The first product Pina told me about was Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo. For those who have colored hair or who go on tour in a van for months at a time, washing hair doesn't take place very often. Enter the miracle of dry shampoo. You may ask what separates one dry shampoo from another. Pina singled this Amika product out for a reason. According to her, it works overtime. "The perks of not washing your hair every day," she said,"[are] healthier hair, shinier hair, and long-lasting color." It looks like there is a reason that Amika calls this Perk Up Dry Shampoo "your secret weapon to maintaining your style." Pina said you can use this product "for your second, third, or fourth day hair freshener." Even still, you may want to use actual shampoo at some point, though!

As for Morrocanoil Hydrating Styling Cream, Pina excitedly called it "basically the best leave in conditioner ever!" Unless you're some kind of goddess, your hair could probably use some help in the hydration department. After years of washing hair in hot water, straightening, curling, and coloring it, rejuvenation is much needed. Dry, damaged hair is a big problem, but being faced with thousands of options in products gets overwhelming. No more worries! This is the one. The professional stylist also added that this hydrating cream "leaves hair feeling soft without weighing it down, giving it great luster [and] repairing it while smelling amazing!" It is for all hair types, too, so there's really no excuse for not getting it.

Men don't typically put too much thought into haircare, but this is a product that appeals to both men and women. Wella is a brand that salons like BBC depend on and it has this great styling product called Rugged Texture. Ever have those days where your hair just looks like it has no life? Well, your limp and boring days are over. Make people do a double-take when they pass you with Rugged Texture. Pina explained, "It is a paste-like product that's great for a matte, textured look!" It is a product that both men and women can apply to their hair to give it that sexy, rugged look (think "just-rolled-out-of-bed" Hollywood). While anyone can use it, Pina added that Wella Rugged Texture works best for bobs, long bobs and of course, our male friends.

This product sounds like it is from the future. Sebastian Professional put some serious technology into developing their Dark Oil. Pina told me it is a "light weight oil that smoothes the hair cuticle [for] less fly aways and [more] body." Sounds good, but what exactly is in the oil that makes it work so well? The oil combines sandalwood, cedar wood and argan oil. But that's not the best part. The kicker is that while it nourishes hair from the inside, it also protects your hair from UV damage. Wait, there's more. You know how when you apply an oil to your hair you're left feeling, well, oily? You don't have to feel greasy with this product. Sebastian Dark Oil disappears on its own in a matter of seconds. While it works its magic in moments, the smoothing of the hair lasts for roughly 48 hours.

First of all, with a name like SNOBGIRLS, you can't go wrong. You also can't go wrong with their Bodydense Prowash Shampoo. If you want the kind of hair that makes people stop and ask you what kind of shampoo you use, this is the product you want. Again, Pina told me this is another product that is great for either male or female hair. The expert stylist also added, "It is lightweight, moisturizing, and smells invigorating." Because who doesn't want their hair to smell like refreshing peppermint? Anyone can use it, but it is especially wonderful for those who don't already have thick, voluminous hair. If you have fine, frail, dry or limp hair, SNOBGIRLS will bring life and body to your hair. It is also a wonderful product for those with dyed hair, as it is color-preserving.

Hairspray is a tricky thing. It seems like it either doesn't work or it works too well and leaves you feeling like you could crack your head of hair with a hammer. That's where Morroccanoil Medium Hold Hairspray comes in. Because it's medium hold, it won't give you those previously mentioned problems. According to stylist Pina, Morrocanoil Medium Hold Hairspray is "light enough to play [and] strong enough to hold." If you want hair that keeps its style and shape but doesn't look unnaturally still, you want this Morrocanoil product. Don't believe us? The awards speak for themselves. Morroccanoil took home an award for Total Beauty's best hair products in 2016. Why? Not only is it a hairspray that holds and allows for flexibility, but it provides shine and works to quell frizz.

So what if you have the opposite problem as some of those we've listed before? According to Pina, what you want to use is Brazilian Blowout Açai Protective Thermal Straightening Balm. "This is for our thick, course, curly-haired friends that like to blow out their hair to a smooth finish," she said. Big, curly hair can be just as beautiful as any other kind of hair, but if you want to straighten out your hair for a day, make sure to apply this product before you start adding heat. The brilliance of this product is that you don't even have to straighten your hair with an iron. Just apply the product throughout your towel-dried hair and let it dry. Then, as if it were done by witchcraft, your curls will have transformed into straight hair. Easy enough!

Now this product is a must have for those who, like me, color their hair constantly. Artègo Color Shine Mask is, Pina said, "A colored conditioner to either enhance salon-made color or remove unwanted tones!" So basically, it's a lifesaver. Hair dye eventually fades, whether it's because of multiple washes or the inevitable passage of time. This is a three-minute treatment that you can apply to your hair to perfect your color and make it last longer. The Color Shine Mask comes in six different colors, too! Depending on your hair color, you have a choice between Pearl, Chocolate, Honey, Blueberry, Cherry, and Melon. Need another reason to go and get this product? In addition to preserving your color, it is also super moisturizing.

Sudzz Zephyr Volumizing Gel is "great for defusing curly hair or blowdrying it straight," Pina informed me. Like the Morroccanoil hairspray, it's also got that desirable medium hold. It also volumizes your hair for fuller body. One more neat secret that Pina was able to give me is that if you mix Suddz Zephyr Volumizing Gel with Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream, you wind up with less of that "crunchy" gel feel. That's exactly what a great stylist can do for you, by the way. Yes, they can recommend products, but they can also tell you secrets about product pairing that you wouldn't have otherwise known.

If you use all sorts of hair products and styling products day in and day out, sometimes you just need a deep clean. Wash all of the buildup out of your hair with Sudzz Nyrvana Purifying Shampoo. According to Pina, "it clarifies hair while protecting the color and integrity of it. It is sulfate free and safe for keratin treatments." While it digs deep into your hair follicles to remove unwanted dirt or excess product, it does not dry your hair out. If you're pampering yourself with one of those at-home spa days, this shampoo should definitely be on your list.

Thanks to help from my friend Pina, we've given you all the information you need to start the best haircare routine you can. No more confusion or frustration for you! These products are hailed in the beauty community so you know that you're getting quality before you even open the bottle. Whether you've got fine hair, thick hair, frizzy hair, or dyed hair, the answers to your problems are now at your fingertips. Don't forget to ask your stylist the next time you go to get your hair done what products they think would work best for you! Professional stylists have all the knowledge you need, so use it!