Twist, twirl and tame your locks to perfection with these tried-and-tested products and services.
Twist, twirl and tame your locks to perfection with these tried-and-tested products and services.
With new hair trends appearing constantly, it can be hard to keep up without putting your hair through major changes. With the help of the right styling products, however, you can jazz up your look in the comforts of your own home. Favoured by celebrity stylists, not only are ghd products intuitive to use, they are also equipped with temperature control features to keep heat damage to a minimum. For further peace of mind, protect your locks with a heat-protecting spray like LuciCare’s Treatment Mist S. Even if the only heat styling you do is blow-dry your hair, this forms a veil to smooth hair cuticles and keep frizz at bay. Another option is to add a hair primer like Percy & Reed’s Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm, which shields hair from thermal damage and doubles up as a style extender so you don’t have to worry about a single strand of hair being out of place throughout the day. Other popular quick fixes in the market include products that add instant texture or shine for a salon-worthy finish anytime, anywhere.
AT-HOME TREATS
1. Best Curl Booster
Curl Defining Contouring Foam-Wax, $36 for 150ml, JOICO
Infused with peptides, keratin and plant oils, this repairs porous strands, seals cuticles and balances hair pH levels for smoother, more luscious curls. Unique polymers also form a protection coat over hair to lock in shine.
2. Best Travel-Friendly Brush
Pop Fold, $19.90, Wet Brush
Who says hair brushes have to be bulky to be effective? This nifty, foldable version is made of the same flexible bristles as its full-size version. Leave it in your purse for effortless styling on the go.
3. Best Instant Shine Product
Shimmer.Me Blonde, $50 for 100ml, Kevin Murphy
Formulated with light-reflecting lavender silver and silver pearlescent pigments, apply this treatment to add instant, uniform shine to highlighted, blonde or grey hair. It also improves hair elasticity and resilience, thanks to a blend of antioxidants, vitamins and fatty acids.
4. Best for Instant Texture
Texturizing Hair Spray, $39 for 130g, Ouai
Part dry shampoo, part hair spray, this soaks up excess sebum and bulks up individual hair strands—perfect for creating that tousled, model-off-duty look.
5. Best Hold-Fixing Hairspray
Super Hard Hair Spray, $9.90 for 180g, Liese
Liese’s unique “Instant Lock” technology and Super Holding agent enable this lightweight hairspray to lock in your desired style instantly for weather-proof locks.
6. Best Volumising Product
STYLE: AddVolume Liquid Dust, $32 for 50ml, KMS
Love the dramatic effect of volumising powders but hate the mess they leave behind? This versatile product works on both dry and damp hair, building volume at the roots, keeping hair malleable so you can reshape and restyle throughout the day.
7. Best Heat Protector
Treatment Mist S, $48 for 120ml, LuciCare
Perfect for those who blow-dry their hair or use heat-styling tools, spritz this on for a protective veil over hair to minimise heat damage. It also works well with other products layered over.
8. Best Hairdryer
ghd Air, $225, ghd
Want to achieve a professional blow-out at home? ghd Air is equipped with ionic technology for a salon-smooth finish and a powerful motor to help you save time. No wonder it’s widely raved about amongst professional hairstylists.
9. Best Bristle Brush
Ceramic Round Brush (55mm), $94.80, Balmain Paris Hair Couture
Featuring a ceramic coating that emits negative ions, it seals hair cuticles and locks in moisture. Large air vents also means it heats up quickly and retains heat longer to create perfect curls.
10. Best Hair Primer
Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm, $40 for 75ml, Percy & Reed
Just like how a makeup base keeps foundation fresh all day, this leave-in balm fills and seals hair cuticles, locking out humidity to help prolong the wear of your styling products. It also provides hydration and a light hold, and speeds up the styling process for faster and longer-lasting results.
11. Best Wet Brush
Brush & Cleaner Detangle Combo, $19.90, Wet Brush
Made with thin, flexible yet durable brustles, it unknots tangles gently without stretching the hair and causing any breakage. It also comes with a built-in tool to clean the brush.
12. Best Multi-Tasking Hair Product
Mythic Oil Crème Universelle, $32 for 150ml, L’Oréal Professionnel
Suitable for use as a pre-shampoo treatment, a rinse-off conditioner or a blow-dry cream, it contains argan and almond oils, which deliver vitamins and fatty acids to smooth hair and add shine.
13. Best Travel-Friendly Tool
Styling Iron, $198, Clique Professional
These tourmaline-diamond plates heat up rapidly within seconds for speedy styling. They emit negative ions and use infrared technology for a frizz-free finish. The 360-degree swivel cord also makes styling a breeze since you don’t have to worry about tangles.
14. Best Multi-Tasking Hair Tool
ghd Platinum, $395, ghd
Its tri-zone technology maintains the temperature of the styling plates so you can straighten or curl hair in just one stroke without compromising hair integrity. It also automatically switches off after being idle for 30 minutes for the ultimate peace of mind.
BEST TREATMENTS
Best Waves
Mucota Omega Digital Perm, Apgujeong Hair Studio
Korean digital perm techniques meet a replenishing hair therapy that minimises damage, nourishes and strengthens locks with hyaluronic acid, keratin and seven types of essential oils for bouncy, shiny curls.
Best Hair-Straightening Treatment
Hair Botox + Fillers Therapy, from $405 as part of the 90-day Hair Botox + Fillers Programme, Chez Vous
Ideal for resuscitating frazzled locks, this therapy boasts hyaluronic acid, ceramides, keratin and silk protein to turn rough hair into silky smooth tresses.
Best Texturising Service
Texture Control Anti-Frizz Treatment, from $420 for three hours, Salon Vim
In addition to taming flyaways, this service also hydrates, strengthens, repairs and detangles unruly tresses for a smooth yet voluminous finish. Ideal for those with rough and unmanageable locks.
Best Blow Out
Ashley & Co Blowout, from $55 for 60 minutes, PREP Luxe
For those who prefer going au naturel, this is a dream come true. On top of the trusted styling expertise from PREP Luxe, we loved the use of Ashley & Co products, formulated with natural extracts and essential oils that are kind to both your hair and the earth.
