How to Choose Hair Care Products

Choosing hair care products can be confusing and frustrating because there are so many available and dozens more are being introduced all the time. Sure, it is easy to just grab any old bottle off the shelf, but sometimes it turns out to be all wrong. You end up with helmet head or looking like a French poodle. Add some thought to your selection process, and soon you will be turning heads for all the right reasons.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Know your hair type. This is very important when deciding which products to use, since a good number of them are catered to certain kinds of hair. An easy way to tell which hair type you have is to look at it after two days without shampooing. If your hair is heavy and lifeless, you have oily hair. If it's full of fly aways and prone to breakage, you have dry hair. If it still looks pretty good, congratulations. You won the lottery on this one. You have been blessed with normal hair. Note that people who frequently perm, color or otherwise chemically treat their hair on a regular basis should use products specifically for color treated or damaged hair to retain moisture and protect their locks.

2. Know your hair texture. This is the second thing you need to think about when choosing a hair care product. It doesn't take a lot of thought to determine if your hair is curly, straight or wavy. Just consider how it looks naturally, without any help from products or styling tools. If your hair is permed or chemically straightened, consider the current look as your texture.

3. Decide what you want the products to do. If necessary, take notes! There are so many different hair products out there if you consider shampoos, conditioners and styling aids. The products you want to choose will be dependent on the look you want to achieve. For example, if you want your hair to be fuller, consider a thickening shampoo. If you want to keep your dry hair from getting staticky, choose a hair serum or anti-static hair spray. Most popular brands of hair care products have lines designed specifically for each hair type. So simply go to the drug store, beauty supply shop or salon and browse. Resist the urge to choose products that are not appropriate for your hair. No matter how great they look on the shelf, most likely you will not be happy with the results.

4. Try, try again. Unfortunately, even if you follow the instructions in steps one through three, you may not instantly fall in love with the first hair care product you try. There is a lot of trial and error involved, because some formulas for one reason or another just will not work for you. Also, you may need to purchase several different products if you like to change your hairstyle a lot.

5. Ask your stylist. He a lot of experience with hair and can set you on the right track if you are lost. The drawback to this is that many if not most stylists will only recommend products sold at the salons where they work. These products are usually on the pricier side. If you want more information on drug store products, any number of beauty magazines can help you. Also, check out customer reviews online.

Tips & Warnings

• Some stores, usually drug stores, allow you to return beauty products within a few days if they don't work out. Don't forget to keep your receipt. The most expensive product is not always the best product. You can get good hair care options for a couple bucks if you choose the right brands.
• Don't get hung up on a hair care product because it is what you've always used. You could be missing out on the perfect new one for you. Use products sparingly. Glopping on the shampoo or mousse will just make your hair look weighed down. In most cases, a quarter-sized drop or less will do the trick. Read the instructions on product packages. Sometimes your hair won't turn out right because you're using the product improperly.

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