Mix a volumizing hairspray + a styling wax
Creating piece-y texture that lasts doesn't take hours of tweaking or a "Jersey Shore" amount of gel. Mika Fowler, hairstylist at the Kim Vo Salon in Beverly Hills, recommends a combo of volumizing hairspray and styling wax -- especially for girls with limp, fine hair, or those with frizzy hair.
Fowler says to work with 1-inch sections of damp hair. Spray the volumizing hairspray to the back of your hair, then blow dry. Dip your finger in the styling wax and apply to the ends of your hair and to any flyaways. If you want a firmer hold, apply the styling wax to wet hair before you blow dry.
Mix a leave-in conditioner + a styling wax
If you've got thick hair, creating beachy waves that don't look wildly poufy within two seconds of leaving your house can be quite a challenge. That's why Stone suggests skipping the sea-salt spray and instead opting for a leave-in-conditioner, which will help create that slightly curly texture, and a styling wax to keep the frizz at bay.
Blend together a dime-size amount of each product in your palms, then run the combo through your hair. If you'd like a more textured look, Stone suggests using the leave-in conditioner first, then applying the wax to the ends of your hair.
The Look: Defined, Glossy Ringlets That Rival Beyonce's
Mix an anti-frizz shine serum + a leave-in conditioner
Don't you love how beautifully coiled and shiny your curls look right after you step out of the shower? Too bad sopping-wet hair isn't a realistic option. Luckily, you can recreate that fresh ringlet look when your hair is dry. According to Stone, pairing leave-in conditioner, which keeps curls hydrated, and anti-frizz shine serum, which tames flyaways and boosts gloss, will do the trick.
The secret is to start slow and gradually layer on the product as you go, making sure you get each curl. Stone says you can use one product at a time, or mix the two together. Both products should be applied throughout your damp hair, using your fingers.
The Look: A Fresh Blowout (That's Actually Days-Old)
Mix a dry shampoo + a volumizing hairspray
We all love using dry shampoo when we need to fake clean hair, but more often than not, that quick fix is gone within a few hours and that greasy, limp look reappears. David says the secret to making faux freshness last all day is pairing the dry shampoo with a volumizing hairspray. The dry shampoo will get rid of any oily build-up while the hairspray will add volume from roots to tips.
To begin, spray the dry shampoo at the roots. Don't be afraid to overuse the product; you want to spray a liberal amount of shampoo. Next, use a paddle brush to massage the dry shampoo into your scalp and distribute it through your hair. Finally, mist the volumizing hairspray at your roots for even more lift.
We always hope the next hairstyling product we buy will be the miracle we've been searching for -- something to make our flat, frizzy, or unruly hair look full, smooth and fabulous.
But, more often than not, it doesn't perform the magic we were banking on. And here's why, say stylists: No matter what the label promises, no one hair product will make your hair dreams come true. The reason? Hairstyling products need to be paired together for that straight-from-the-salon effect.
When your stylist mixes different creams or serums in the palm of her hand, she's creating a custom concoction so that you walk out of the salon with perfect hair.
To take the guesswork out of this tricky concept, we asked our go-to stylists to share their favorite, no-fail hair cocktail recipes. Here, their secret concoctions for swoon-worthy hair.
