Photo Credit: flickr.com/kiran.198globe7
Most of us Desi girls flat iron our hair, including those who already have straight hair. I have no idea why we do it. It’s as if we were born with a genetic inclination to reach for the flat iron before going out. We know it damages our hair, we know that it makes us look like EVERY other Desi girl out there, but we don’t care, we continue to straighten through summer, winter, and split ends. Hopefully all you girls out there with CHIs (or GHDs for our British beauties) in hand are remembering to protect your hair with some kind of product or serum before applying 400 degrees of heat, if not – STEP AWAY FROM THE FLAT IRON!
Photo Credit: www.the-planets.com
In any case, most of us with drier hair, or hair with oily roots and dry ends, feel as though we need a little extra something after flat-ironing to tame the frizzies and flyaway strands and most importantly to add a little more shine – who doesn’t love more shine? This is especially true in the winter. What most people don’t realize is that our hair is like our skin, it loses major moisture when it’s cold. That’s why our hair gets a lot drier and dull looking in the winter months. Just like we wear extra lotion in the winter months so our hands and legs don’t get chapped and ashy, we need to make sure we’re giving our hair the same additional care (masks, oil treatments etc). However, since most girls don’t know this little tidbit, their hair takes on a straw-like appearance or else just looks completely lackluster, particularly near the ends (like Preity Zinta to the right). There are many long-term solutions to this problem, but if you are going on a big date, a work event, or even just a get together at a friend’s house, you need a quick fix.
Now, there are several amazing products out there to use – I’m personally a big fan of Frederic Fekkai’s products, but as a poor student, I really don’t need to be splurging on his products right now. My favorite drugstore spray is a Frizz-Ease product by John Frieda. Now, I know the first thing you thought when I said that name. Hair Serum. Ew. Yes, we have all used John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease Hair Serum, and I agree – it’s sticky and causes your hair to look unwashed even though you just showered ten minutes ago. Don’t worry, that’s not the product I’m referring to. I’m actually speaking of the 100% shine Glossing Mist. It makes your hair soft and shiny and at less than $7 a pop, it’s heaven in a little spray can. I own about three of these bottles at a time and make sure I take it with me even when I travel abroad.
Photo Credit: www.johnfrieda.com
Now, let me issue a disclaimer – the Glossing Mist is not a cure-all for your frizz problems, you must use a product in your wet hair before blow-drying (we will soon recommend some that have worked for us). The Glossing Mist is what you call a “finishing product” which is applied to your dry hair after blow drying or flat ironing. It adds the “oomph” you wish for when you still feel like something is missing after your hair is done, and, boy, does it make your hair soft and silky!
Before you run out and try it, however, I would like to recommend a few changes in the directions they have written on the bottle. The Glossing Mist packaging says to “hold an 8-10 inches from head. Spray lightly and evenly to create an all-over, high-gloss finish. Reapply, as needed, to keep hair glistening.” Do not follow these awful directions! I tried this once and it was a DISASTER. I mean, I have pretty dry hair, and my head was an oil slick.
Here’s what I do instead:
- Spray the product directly onto your hands; the amount of sprays needed depends on how dry or how oily your hair is. I would recommend starting low and building up if you feel you need more.
- Then, tilt you head to your left side so that your hair falls over your left shoulder and run your fingers quickly through the left side of your hair from underneath, not from the top (like combing it out), from the nape of your neck to the ends of your hair.
- Tilt your head to the right and repeat to the right side of hair, again from the bottom out.
- For girls with oily roots, avoid your scalp as with any other serum or spray. The general rule of thumb if you have this hair type is to never apply a product above the tops of your ears.
- For girls with very thin hair, unless your hair is really dry, I’d suggest using very little product, or your hair may fall flat.
- If you have drier hair, once most of the product is off your hands you can smooth the outer side of your hair with what’s left on your hands and also add another spray if you need it for your ends.
Et voilà, instant shine. And as I said, oh so soft. You’ll be running your fingers through your hair all evening, just try to resist the urge.
P.S. Glossing Mist works wonders on curls too!
Why do so many desi girls straighten their hair? Mine is wavy/curly, and I leave it natural most of the time! I can’t be bothered to straighten it; besides, I think waves suit me better. If I’m going to do any sort of heat-style, it will be to put *more* curls in!
Love the pic you’ve included, you are so pretty and your hair is gorgeous
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Gawgeous!!
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You look gorjuz in your pic!
Here are some products I use for my dry ends :
Kerastase Nutritive Masque Nutridefense 200ml / 6.8oz
This hair masque is AMAZING! trust me on this one.
Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Shine & Define Spray
This spray is a miracle spray tho very costly
Kerastase Serum Oleo-Relax
and this serum ..i use it in my wet hair ends -its not sticky at all !
I love your blog .I have yellow undertone and never managed to buy the right foundation and therefor dont use it and also I feel caked up and want my skin to breath-but after reading your post on it maybe ill have the guts to get one.I need one for when I wear desi clothes looks more festive I think….But bronzing powder and chestnut water gives me a natural bronze glow
Btw any shampoo and conditioner recomendations ?Have you tried Khiels ?
xox
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yayyyy im def buying this one.. btw your hair looks amazing in this pic x
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**blush** Thank you girls!
@HiFashion – I completely agree, I actually prefer to wear my hair curly (i have wavy hair so I just scrunch it with mousse when it’s wet) when the warm weather hits, it’s so much easier to manage and looks SO good, I have no idea why more desi girls don’t do it. We have to free them from their flatiron jails!
@Julie – I think you are my hair soulmate! I love love love love Kerastase. I actually switch up my shampoo every couple of months, I feel like your hair gets used to it and doesn’t perform the same way after a while. Currently I’m experimenting with the L’oreal Vive Pro Nutri Gloss line, it’s not bad, it makes my hair pretty soft. I’m blanking right now, but I have a couple of good ones, will recommend to you when my brain wakes up today. I haven’t tried Kiehl’s – I’m generally not a fan of their products, they keep failing to amaze me. But, I’m definitely going to try the Kerastase mask. I’ve heard a lot about it and I really need to use one, maybe you can do a review on it soon! (no pressure hahahaha)
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Do you have any thoughts on hair, skin and nail vitamins? Are they worth taking? Just something I’ve been curious about but havent really tried out. Let me know if you have any recommendations or warnings!
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You know what, Rupal, I’m actually very torn about the vitamins! I have a lot of friends who use the GNC hair, skin, nails tablets and biotin (can find over the counter at cvs, just need to ask the pharmacist) and swear they work. However, I’ve read studies that say there is no scientific fact that increased B12 helps with these, unless you are ALREADY low on B12 (I believe low B12 occurs when you are anemic, hypoglycemic). If you are in the majority of healthy individuals with normal B12 then you are just taking pills for no reason. I don’t remember what the article I read was, but I will try and find it and post it for you. I don’t like taking pills or vitamins until they are proven to work, as doctors say taking a lot of different vitamins is really hard on the body so I think I’ll just stick with my multivitamin for all-around goodness
Hope that helps some!
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all this tilting head to the left and then to the right and then rpeat followed by finger combing under not over…
now I understand why you all are late to social events all the time! thank you marzbarz for shedding light on this for us males.
but it still doesnt explain why you leave every social event early!!
but its ok because you are my princess and a half.
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i have v straight hair but in the winter when i have to blow dry my hair i have begun to use Kerastase Ciment Thermique. v nice product- on the tube it says it is for weakened hair- but i think it;s a product anyone w. any hair type can use- esp if someone wants to straighten and “glossify” their hair.
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ive got to try this product my hair looks like prety zinta lol
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I use biolage spray and have to hold it really far from my hair. I’ll try the flip technique tonight before going out. thanks for the tip.
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How do you use the glossing mist on curls?
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i didnt know why my hair was so dry in the winter. thanks for sharing! anyone know if you can get the glossing mist in london?
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I LOVE THIS POST! whenever i put glossing sprays on my hair ive never put it on from underneath. Its so much BETTER and your hair doesnt get as greasy. The great thing about your blog is you arent an expert and these are great everyday tips. This is a really nice forum for exchage and I will try this product too. It would be nice if girls could write about home remedy treatments because EVERY desi girl has about 10 of these (ie yolking…different hair oils… etc) looking forward to hearing from you soon.
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can i use this product if i already hav straight hair? can you recommend something?
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Tilting head to the left and then right is only the EASY part of it, Reimas!
But, it still doesn’t explain why you are late to social events!
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Divya, for my curls i spray the product on my hands and then do the same tilting, but this time instead of running my fingers through my hair I scrunch the product into my hair starting at the bottom. I’m going to do something for curly-haired girls soon that will have more detail. Hope that helps!
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I have a great one that I want to share with you guys, a mask for the face – stay tuned!
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Vibs, from what I’ve been told I believe it’s available in London. A local girl may be better qualified to answer that question, though.
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you can definitely use this product if you have straight hair that’s on the drier side. however, if your hair is soft and silky, i would recommend that you actually use something volumizing so your hair doesn’t fall flat. there are a number of root lifting sprays that are available on the market, i believe bumble and bumble makes a decent one, i think it’s called bumble and bumble styling lotion.
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[...] Hair Heaven: John Frieda’s 100% Glossing Mist « Lipstick Masala [...]
I don’t own a straightening iron, never have! I have naturally wavy hair, which gets curlier when it’s hot and humid. It’s also extremely dry and I find John Frieda’s hair serum actually works well for me. I think the trick is to use less than what’s recommended and to avoid the scalp. As LM said, scrunching is the way to go! If you prefer something lighter (better for summer), Charles Worthington serum disappears into your hair as soon as you apply it. There’s an anti-frizz and a shine serum, both great and easy on the pocket
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I actually used more that recommended to try and make it work better hehehe NO WONDER my hair always felt so sticky!
Will try it again this summer with LESS!
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Lipstick Masala Reply:
March 25th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Sarah, if you have drier hair, try the skinny line by Paul Mitchell, I’m a fan of the super skinny serum. If your hair is on the oilier side check out the bumble and bumble line, they have nice products for oily hair. They make one called defrizz, it doesn’t do much to actually defrizz, but it’s lightweight and you can use it to set your hair after blow-drying (2-in-1). B&B also makes a spray styling lotion, check that out, I haven’t used it but it’s supposed to be decent.
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A Hair Post..this is like my dream come true! Haven’t tried the John Freida product yet but I will go and buy today! (I have tried almost every hair product on the face of this planet though).
Anyway, I have really curly hair and I keep on straightening it with flat iron all the time (don’t ask). Needless to say my hair is dry and falling.
Please do a post on how to wear hair curly in a fashionable way! I will love you forever!!!
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i’m on it! i have wavy hair so i like to wear my hair curly in the summer, am looking out for any new stuff for us
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ok..so i got a question…what product do you recommend to put on hair before frying (straightening) my hair? I have used it all from loreal to redken to biolage to biosilk! it feels like everything weighs my hair down. I need something light and non greasy which will also protect my hair from burning (heat!).
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lm, can you do a post on hair straighteners, curling irons, blow driers please. how to use them, what products to use, etc. not only am i baffled i am also scared of them.
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Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo
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This is very up-to-date info. I’ll share it on Digg.
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hi i am living in riyadh… i need to buy john frieda glossy mist…can u plz help me out from where i can get this product? thanks
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Hi Soman,
Unfortunately I don’t know where it is available in Riyadh. If you have trouble finding it, you may be able to purchase it on amazon.com or any other website that ships internationally. I hope you can find it where you are, it should be available wherever hair products are sold
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