Do you have wavy hair? Don’t know quite what to do with it sometimes because it’s neither curly nor straight? Then this one is for you. I received an email recently from a reader, let’s call her “A”, asking for advice, and I wish to turn the question to you, my lovely readers. Below are my reply and suggestions, but as this site is a forum for discussion, both Lipstick Masala and “A” would love to learn from all of you. What are the products you love and swear by? Do you just flat iron because nothing else works? Share what products have worked for you so we can all prevent the dreaded “frizz ball” look!

“A”’s Dilemma:

With wavy, sometimes frizzy hair that is both thin and silky, “A” has struggled with what to do with her tresses after a shower at the gym. Blow-drying her hair is not always convenient, so she pulls it into a wet ponytail, a look she isn’t too keen on, especially when she goes out with friends after her exercise session. She asked what product she can use in a pinch that will allow her to simply “wash and go.”

Lipstick Masala’s Response:

Dearest A,

I completely understand your pain – I always longed for the tresses of my sisters, that required no product, no blow dry, just a simple wash and go. But, I was blessed with the wavy gene – neither here nor there – and I spent a significant part of my time at college tying my hair up because I was too lazy to deal with the hassle. It was only a few years ago that I finally found the right products that would allow my hair to look great without any effort – but be warned, my path includes embracing the wave, which some desi girls are reluctant to do.

First and foremost, get your hands on a great mousse. Yes, I said mousse. I know the word sounds scary, but don’t worry, the mousse of today is not the same as the product your mother used back in the 80s when it was first invented. Today, you can find any formulation to suit your hair type – extra body, volume, firm, curling, root lifting – the list is endless. If you have wavy hair, look out for one that is curl defining. You won’t end up looking like Goldilocks, but it will hold onto the body you have in your hair and give it frizz-free definition.

The problem with many mousses is that they can become crunchy, and that is not sexy in the least. After many failed experiments, I’ve come across a mousse I love and swear by – Finesse curl defining ($3.79, drugstore.com). Why is it my favorite? The Finesse product is a silk and soy protein formula to make hair soft, plus fights frizz, combats humidity, and never goes sticky or stiff. If you can’t get your hands on finesse, then experiment with different mousses, there are plenty enough out there that at least one will work for you. I would, however, recommend staying away from the Garnier Fructis version – I looked like I had wet hair all night and when I touched it, my strands were stiff, not Finesse-like soft.

Here’s how to use it: Towel dry your wet hair and after shaking the mousse can, spray about a palm sized amount in your hand. Quickly finger comb it through the bottom half of your hair (remember, very few hair products should go above your ears, especially if you are oily). Now, open your palm at the ends of your hair and squeeze upwards towards your scalp (known as scrunching). And then, simply air dry. The warm summer air will leave your hair looking beach wavy without frizz. If you are still worried about frizz, spritz a little of this on for extra shine.

The Finesse should work for both thick and thinner hair, and is actually great for all hair types (included curly and even straighter hair) but if you feel you need a little extra for your fine tresses, pick up a bottle of the Tigi Curls Rock Curls Amplifier. A friend of mine with silky, wavy hair swears by this product. Simply work through your wet hair and go.

Finally, did you know that you don’t have to completely wash your conditioner out? This is a tip I got from my stylist: if you need some product but don’t have any at hand, leave a dollop of conditioner in your hair (the regular conditioner you use after washing, not spray-in). The conditioner will help to fight frizz while giving a little control to your wavy hair. It’s great for humid weather!

These products work wonders in the summer time, but when the weather starts getting cooler, try not to go out in the cold with wet hair or you’ll risk a cold ,or worse, crunchy hair. If you still want to go wavy, just use a diffuser attachment like THIS one on your hairdryer (works the same as scrunching but with heat).

Hopefully one of these will be the answer for your post-gym shower. If not, I’m sure one of our other readers will have a solution! Just remember – there is always a product out there that will work for your hair, it’s just a matter of fine tuning, don’t settle for less than the best!

Love,

Lipstick Masala

Hair companies have begun en masse to market a product known as “dry shampoo,” basically a glorified form of baby powder that soaks up the oil in your hair/roots upon application. Although the concept has been around for a while, women everywhere have started to spend upwards of 30 dollars on single bottles of this product. After a brief discussion with a group of brilliant ladies on Twitter, I was inspired to pull out my sources to find the best of the wide range of dry shampoos.

Now before I get into the different options available, I just want to point out that I don’t condone this product for when you’re feeling too lazy to wash your hair, it should only be bought for use in a pinch. As the weather grows warmer, gals with oily hair tend to suffer from greasy patches even when they have just washed it the day before. It’s not healthy to lather up every day as you risk stripping your natural oils, so if you need a quick fix, dry shampoo may be your answer.
The most popular product on the market is the Bumble and Bumble hair powder. It used to be available in a loose form but the website now appears to only carry the spray version. Bumble and Bumble claims three uses for this product, including tinting your hair, dry cleansing and allowing for ease in styling by making the hair less soft and workable. The hair powder is available in blonde, red, white, brown and black for all hair types. However, upon a little research, this may not be one of the best products out there. For one, it costs $19 for only 1oz. I could use that amount in one spray on my thick Asian hair. Second, many users have complained the color from the hair powder not only stains clothes, but oftentimes ends up on one’s face while sweating. Greasy bangs or black-smudged forehead? I think I will pick the grease, thank you. Finally, it’s a pain to wash out and gets all over your bathtub. In my opinion, this product seems more hassle than benefit.

Now, before you run to your nearest store for the versions by Oscar Blandi, Toni & Guy or Ojon, there is a cheaper alternative available that works just as well if not better. The brand Batiste has been making a dry shampoo spray for several years. Yes, the can looks like it belongs on your mother’s dressing table in the 1980s, but don’t underestimate its fabulousness by the way it looks. It has a sweet faint smell that supposedly fades after a few minutes and is very simple to use. After spraying on your hair, make sure to brush it out to avoid the grey look that may occur on brunettes. Available at Boots for those in the UK, and on folica.com, amazon.com and at your local Sally Beauty Supply for those in the US/Canada (sallybeauty.com).

If you’re like me and can’t be bothered to go out and buy dry shampoo or don’t wish to spend $$$, you can also use baby (talcum) powder or cornstarch. I personally prefer baby powder, but apparently cornstarch is the healthier choice, as you don’t end up inhaling as much of the powder as with talc. Many dark-haired ladies don’t like using this option because it leaves their hair looking grey, however, there are techniques that can prevent you from looking like Indira Gandhi.

- Using a large, fluffy powder brush, pick up a little powder/cornstarch and get rid of the excess by holding the brush in one hand and tapping the handle with the other. Apply the powder to the greasy area in small amounts until the oil is soaked up.

- Turn on your hair dryer quickly and blow the excess powder out of your hair. If you don’t have a dryer handy, quickly comb your fingers through your hair and pat your head in a dusting off motion.

- Finally, whether you use regular baby powder or dry shampoo, soaking up oil causes your hair to look dull. Apply a little shine spray on your fingers and run quickly through your hair – but make sure to use very little and avoid the roots of your hair, especially if you have oily roots, or you will end up right where you started!

It sounds like an ordeal, but it’s really quite simple once you get the hang of it – although, try NOT to get the hang of it by making dry shampoo-ing a habit. Remember, desperate use only – at Lipstick Masala we try to promote good hygiene

**UPDATE** Twitter user @kirstieh has recommended Oatmilk Gentle Dry Shampoo Spray by Klorane, available at escentual.com and sephora.com. I haven’t tried this product out but I love anything natural with Oat so I will definitely be looking for this at my local mall. @kirstien says there is no chalky effect with the Klorane, check it out!

http://www.bollywoodgo.com/2009/03/nikita-anand-drools-over-malaika-arora.html
http://www.beautique.com/product/Bumble_and_Bumble/Bumble_and_Bumble_Hair_Powder_Brown.aspx
http://www.healthinajiffy.co.uk/batiste-dry-shampoo-150ml-p-4058.html
http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00avZEntCyYQzhM/Powder-Brush-with-Copper-Ferrule.jpg
http://cafeboys.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.html

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!