If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how you can get your hair to feel its healthiest but have no idea where to begin, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of quick tips, easy tricks and affordable products that’ll have your locks feeling refreshed and recharged in no time. You can thank us later.
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Target the source of any hair issue with Head and Shoulders
Promising review: “I saw an immediate difference from my first use of this product. For about two months, my scalp was abnormally and extremely dry and flaky. After one use, I noticed a visible difference. I don’t normally write reviews, but this line of products is the real deal! I definitely will be purchasing again.” — L. Btlr
Comb a treatment mask through your tresses from root to tip
Get an argan oil hair mask from Amazon for $9.99.
This mask is packed with restoring all-natural ingredients like collagen, keratin (always a win for damaged hair) and organic jojoba and argan oils to work like a leave-in conditioner and quickly strengthen weak, damaged hair. Reviewers swear by how healthy and shiny their hair looks and feels afterward!
BuzzFeed talked to professional hairstylist Vernon François who shared his best curly hair tips that’ll teach you how to style, define and care for your gorgeous hair.
Restore damaged tresses with Verb Ghost Oil
Alice Prendergast / BuzzFeed
Promising review: “This stuff has changed my hair game. I have excessively bleached hair. But this stuff is so great to my hair, it has returned it to a soft, healthy, silky feeling. My regime is wash, condition for awhile or use a protein treatment, let it dry till it’s damp, then I run it through my hair (I have long, thick hair) and work it into the bleached parts. I dry and then add a little more after. The amount you get for the price is astonishing, considering most hair oils are less product for like twice as much. Buy it: works great, smells great, feels great.” — Eva
Read BuzzFeed’s Verb Ghost Oil review for more info!
Master braiding your own hair with an eight-step fishtail braid
Balance your scalp’s pH levels and promote hair growth with castor oil
Promising review: “I had an allergy in my scalp 10 months ago that made the back of my head bald. I was really desperate to try a hair-growing product to bring my hair back. I read online and found out castor oil is one of the greatest products for hair growth, but there are lots of castor oil brands. I tried this product because of the good reviews, and ingredients because my scalp was really sensitive. My hair became softer than before and thicker, and one bottle of this castor oil lasted almost a year!” — Amazon Customer
Reach for a cotton T-shirt to gently dry your hair
Or try a super-absorbent and lightweight microfiber towel
Promising review: “Everyone has been telling me how healthy my hair has been looking! I haven’t changed a thing except that I started using this towel! I use a blow dryer daily to dry my hair and this towel has significantly cut down on the blow drying time, saving my hair from all that harsh heat. I’m in love with these towels! I need to get myself some more!” — Lina
Get it from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in two sizes and seven colors).
Check out BuzzFeed’s Aquis Lisse Luxe Hair Towel review for more deets on this fast-drying towel!
Take care of natural hair with a weekly or ten-day wash to avoid it from drying out
CBS Productions
Read up on haircare secrets from actual hairstylists to learn how you can achieve healthy-looking locks, like, right now.
Use curl-specializing formulas like a hydrating cowash
Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed
Promising review: “I’ve always struggled with keeping my hair manageable, especially during summer when the humidity is high. I have thick, coarse, curly hair and this stuff is a DREAM. Not only does it feel great during the shower, it smells amazing. And not only does my hair stay the way I like and feel soft, but my scalp no longer itches. (Side note: we have hard water… and it STILL works!) I’m a convert and will be using this instead of shampoo now.” — jamestown
And if you’re looking for more natural hair products under $10, BuzzFeed has you covered.
Don’t skip the step of using a heat protectant
Promising review: “I never used to use thermal protection spray, because every single one I tried made my hair super crunchy and dry. After a stern talking to by my stylist I decided to look for another one and give it another try. I am so glad I stumbled across this stuff. I tried the small bottle first to see if I liked it and I was shocked how soft my hair felt after using it! It even helps my hair straighten better and makes it so shiny! Highly recommend.” — Melissa
Familiarize yourself with your hair type
Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed
Promising review (for the SheaMoisture styling milk): “I recently bleached my hair in order to have a lighter color. Even though I was very careful, used quality products and followed directions exactly, my hair was left damaged. It has lost a lot of its curl and feels dry and brittle. I have spent a fortune trying different deep conditioners, leave-in conditioners and styling products. This is the first one that keeps my hair feeling soft and conditioned for several days after washing. I can also apply this to dry hair. I have found that if I dampen my dry hair a bit and then apply this, I get the best results on shampoo-free days. It has also brought back a lot of my curls!” — GeeBLate
Oh! And just so ya know, Andre Walker (aka the man responsible for Oprah’s hair) shared stunning curly hair makeovers and tips with BuzzFeed!
Ditch damage from bleaching and coloring with Olaplex hair repair treatment
Elena Garcia / BuzzFeed
Promising review: “I was dealing with frizzy, dehydrated locks from a recent session with a stylist that did not use Olaplex throughout her processing. I waited to wash my hair after I received this product. It’s ridiculous how great this product is. I could feel the softness as I was rinsing it out. I had soft and touchable locks with less brassy, cooler tones throughout. I am now only open to booking appointments with professionals who use Olaplex with their processes. I would rather pay a little extra than deal with the heartbreak of gummy ends and hair that feels and looks like straw.” — AC
Read more in BuzzFeed’s Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 review.
Soak up excess oil with dry shampoo powder
Promising review: “I’ve been using this product for almost a year now. The first bottle lasted 10 months using it two to three times per week. I have thin, fine hair that gets weighed down easily. I do not use the tip to put this in my hair (that creates patches of white that are hard to distribute). Rather, I sprinkle a little powder in my hands, turn my head upside down, and work it into the roots. I’ve been able to go from washing my hair every day to washing it every fourth day because of this product. It smells wonderful and gives my hair extra body and fullness.” — Waiting for Reign
Wanna learn more about dry shampoo? BuzzFeed tried, tested and rounded up the best dry shampoos.
Go easy on the amount of product you use per wash
Get a hydrating conditioner from Amazon for $12.95.
It’s specifically made to treat damaged, super-thick hair by combining argan oil and aloe vera (both very hydrating and known to show fast results). Shine and softness *can* be achieved by a berry-sized amount, promise!
Deeply cleanse away build up by using Neutrogena’s clarifying shampoo
Promising review: “This is a great product! It removed months/years of product buildup in my hair that I didn’t even know I had. After just one wash, my hair felt lighter, finer, more voluminous, and I needed fewer styling products to achieve the same results. I have long, dark, fine hair and I use this about once every two weeks, or once every four to five washes.” — Katherine
Introduce intervals between bleaching by using a purple hair mask
Amazon
Promising review: “Let’s be honest, for an at-home hair product that takes five mins in the shower, this mask kicks ass! I’m so mad I didn’t take before-and-after pictures. But I went from a yellowy bleach blonde to a cool icy blonde in just four minutes! Badass! Next week I’m going to leave it in just a little longer to get a couple of those stubborn brassy blonde highlights out, but seriously for an at-home $25 hair treatment, you can’t beat it!” — Shelly K.
Get it from Amazon for $29.95.
To see how a v similar purple shampoo works, check out BuzzFeed’s Fanola No Yellow purple shampoo deep dive for more deets.
Achieve beach waves by sectioning off and twisting your (slightly damp) hair before bed
Lessen the burden of breakage by switching to a detangling brush
Promising review: “This brush has been the best thing for my natural hair. I have thick 4c hair and I was having trouble keeping it detangled. Before this, I would use a wide tooth comb or my fingers, but they did nothing for the tight knot balls I was getting. I would get frustrated at how long it would take and start going faster which was ultimately ripping my hair out. Every time I touched my hair it seemed like I was losing it. What used to take hours has now been chopped down to about 26 minutes. When I looked at the brush, there was nearly NO shed or broken hairs left behind. I’ve thrown every other detangle tool away (though I decided to keep my fingers). This has my loyalty for life.” — Dubya
Opt to lower the heat setting on your diffuser
Promising review: “Forget those $200 dryers with their proprietary diffusers that claim to fix all of your curly hair frustrations. This diffuser reduces the amount of hair blowing your hair around (and therefore frizz), reduces the amount of times you need to move your dryer around your head, and distributes air and heat more evenly to your roots and ends. I have the standard Conair Infinity Pro blowdryer and removing the plastic ring inside the attachment let this diffuser attach securely to my dryer.” — Jennifer
Get it from Amazon for $19.97.
Check out these curly hair tips from BuzzFeed for more on how to care for and define your curly hair.
Tie up tresses with coil hair bands
Promising review: “I really love these hair ties! They hold your hair efficiently without pulling or causing a headache. They also do not leave a crease in your hair, and they come out easily. So far they have gone back to their original shape each time, even though I stretch them out when they are in my hair.” — P. McKinney
Recharge your tired mane with a 10-in-1 spray
Promising review: “I absolutely love these hair products. Since using them, my hair has practically been restored to it’s natural curls! This has been super helpful in that it protects hair from heat damage while also easily detangling – two big things for me. I love it and won’t ever be going back to anything else!” — Katie P
Read BuzzFeed’s Mane Club’s 10-in-1 spray review for the 411.
Transform your look with a simple yet seriously badass faux hawk
Treat overprocessed and overexposed locks to L’Oréal protein recharge
Promising review: “I noticed a difference in my hair as soon as I used it. My hair is just past my shoulders by three inches. It’s wavy, but extremely dry and has been shedding a lot lately. So I was desperate to try something new before losing it all. It’s so thin now that it’s a real concern. Right after the first use, I’ve noticed that it is shiny, soft, and much easier to mange. And it’s tangle free and has body without being weighed down. It’s nice and fluffy. I LOVE THIS STUFF.” — Aragonme
Revive the shine that once was with a Elizavecca collagen treatment
Promising review: “My hair is very thick, frizzy, and has a natural wave. Even when I dry it and straighten it, it still just looks dry and poofy. The first time I used this, I wet my hair a bit and let it sit on there for 20 minutes or so, then showered it off and let my hair air dry (which usually ends up in the dreaded frizz). Lo and behold my hair has never felt so silky and light — without being greasy, which is really important. The second time I used it, I just put on a little in the shower and let it hang out and rinsed it off at the end, and I got similar results as the first time I left it on for 20 minutes. This stuff is the best hair product I’ve ever purchased. And you really only need a little bit to get results right after the shower. I’ve always hated my air-dry natural wave, because of the condition of my hair, but this stuff lets me keep my waves (no styling required) and makes them look shiny and healthy.” — TF
Check out BuzzFeed’s Elizavecca hair treatment review for more info.
Consider leaving your hair tools on read and instead, style with a headwrap
Taylor Miller / Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed
Get a gorgeous headwrap from Cee Cee’s Closet starting at $26.
And! Cee Cee’s Closet is a Black-owned business specializing in hair accessories founded by Chioma and Uchenna Ngwudo. Their designs are handmade by artisans in Nigeria.
If you’re looking for more style inspo or you’re still not sure how to tie a head wrap, check out this guide from BuzzFeed of gorgeous head wrap styles with helpful step-by-step instructions you’ll wanna try ASAP.
Make frizzy manes a thing of the past with Garnier leave-in conditioning cream
Promising review: “I’m very impressed with this product! I have badly damaged hair like a bird’s nest due to frequent hair coloring, Japanese perm, and hot tools for styling. I was at first reluctant to buy this since it was so cheap and I normally use expensive salon brands. Since I’ve been using so many products and it didn’t take away the tangle or frizz very well, I decided to purchase this product based on its high reviews. I am so glad I did! It got rid of my tangles and made my hair very soft and smooth. Just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it won’t work as well. In this case it worked spectacularly! I am also impressed with the smell. I am very allergic to perfume and this has a very light fruity smell that didn’t cause me to sneeze.” — honeydew
Say “Au revoir!” to dull-looking length thanks to Pantene’s deep conditioning treatment
Promising review: “Does what it says for a good price. Made my hair feel really soft after just one use. I use it twice a week just to keep up with the heat styling I do.” — Blonde44
Soothe a dry, itchy scalp with a shampoo brush
Promising review: “I’ve suffered with dry, flaking scalp for about a year now (pretty much started when I was pregnant and hadn’t gone away). I have used tea tree oil shampoo, dandruff shampoo, coconut oil, you name it. I finally read somewhere that exfoliating the scalp might help, but I was hesitant because years ago, I had a shampoo brush and it was very rigid, the bristles were fine and close together, and it made my hair a tangled mess. Anyway, I saw this shampoo brush and it looked a lot more flexible so I thought I’d give it a try and HOLY MOLY my flakes are gone! It’s made out of a silicone-type material and the little ‘bristles’ are flexible but still get the job done. I can literally brush my hair with shampoo in and it doesn’t get tangled. It’s amazing. Not only do I have zero flakes now, I feel like using this does a way better job at working the shampoo in and getting your hair and scalp really clean. I have super thick hair and no matter how much shampoo I use or how long I scrub my hair, I felt like the back, underneath part of my hair would sometimes stay dirty. This brush gets all that.” — Meg R
Whip up an at-home remedy that restores damaged strands
Advice From A Twenty Something
Snag some affordable flexible curling rods
Promising review: “I have thick 4c hair and I love this set. I usually have the smaller odds at the ends of my hair and have the bigger rods at the top of my hair. My hair came out so curly. It really reminded me of the movie star curls, because it has been such a long time since I have seen my hair curl without having to use heat to it. ” — Marisa Fields-Williams
Get a pack of 42 from Amazon for $11.99.
Learn more in BuzzFeed’s Tifara Flexible Foam Curling Rod deep dive here.
Wear a satin bonnet to bed
Promising review: “I have long hair that’s super curly and after 26 years of life, I finally mastered styling my hair with the help of Devacurl products. The only problem I had was not being able to maintain my style overnight. I would have to wake up and start the wash, condition, gel, and diffuse process all over again. This bonnet not only fit my big hair, but it stayed in place all night as I slept. The next morning my hair was soft, curls intact, and frizz minimized.” — online shopper
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in 17 styles and two sizes).
For more tips, check out Naturally Curly for “Five Ways To Sleep Without Ruining Your Curls.”
Procure the help of a deeply nourishing leave-in argan oil treatment
Promising review: “I have really coarse, color-treated 4c hair and have been through many products attempting to keep it tamed, soft, and moisturized. Very few are effective in doing so, however, this has done more than an amazing job. I even purchased it for my mother who has even thicker hair than I do and she loves it. I was able to use this to blow dry my hair which usually causes a lot of breakage and damage, but when I blow dry my hair with the oil, I barely had any breakage.” — Georgina J.
Throw your hair up into a quick ‘n’ easy braided bun
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