Make It Last! 13 Products For a Shatter-Proof Hairstyle
Just because the summer humidity is on its way out, doesn't mean we're out of the woods just yet. Without the correct prepping method or styling products, a seemingly-perfect set of curls still have the potential to fall flat in the crisp fall air.
Like a foundation primer, a styling primer like Living Proof's or Bumble and Bumble's gives your hair extra staying power while providing serious nourishing benefits. If you have color-treated or dry strands, the Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Protective Primer ($26; bumbleandbumble.com) is your best bet—the product blends hydrating ingredients like coconut, argan, and almond oils to act as a tall glass of water for your hair, and as an added bonus, imparts a damage-proof barrier against heat styling and UV rays. In need of some extra body? Mist on Living Proof's Prime Style Extender Spray ($20; livingproof.com) before blow-drying to pump up the volume in fine textures. The innovative formula actually repels dirt, meaning your blowout will remain as full, bouncy, and oil-free as it was on Day 1.
In the spirit of creating a hairstyle that just won't quit (and possibly buying time between shampoos and salon appointments), we put together a list of the best products for extending the life and shape of your pixie crop, keratin treatment, natural curls, and more. Click through our gallery to check out each one now!
Bumble and Bumble Heat/UV Protective Primer
A fresh blowout leaves your strands soft and touchable right out of the salon, but if you have a drier hair type, a straw-like feel can form a few days later. Take preventative care with a light veil of Bumble and Bumble's Protective Primer ($26; bumbleandbumble.com), which also acts as a safeguard against breakage and heat damage, and clocks in overtime by shielding your hue from harsh UV rays.
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Living Proof Prime Style Extender Spray
A few pumps of Living Proof's Prime Style Extender Spray ($20; livingproof.com) is your ticket to have everyone convinced you've cracked Beyonce's "I woke up like this" secret. Plus, it acts as a budge-proof base for any style, and keeps dirt and oil from adding weight.
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R + Co Park Ave. Blow Out Balm
A few staples of NYC's Park Avenue? A plethora of both juice and blowout bars. R + Co's Blow Out Balm ($28; randco.com) fuses the nourishing vitamins and extracts usually found in your green juice to impart the ultra-long wear of a celebrity hairstylist's handiwork.
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Rita Hazan Root Concealer
A box of root touch-up dye can buy you time between visits to your hairstylist, but if DIY coloring isn't your forte, Rita Hazan's Root Concealer ($25; sephora.com) is a mess-free alternative, allowing you to concentrate the color on your roots and off your bathroom floor.
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Verb Sea Spray
Pixie crops and shorter styles make a major impact, but without regular trims, they tend to lose their shape. Use a few pumps of Verb's Sea Spray ($14; verbproducts.com) to give your look an effortless, wavy texture that conceals the new growth, while exuding a just-tousled, cool-girl vibe.
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Ouidad Shine-Boosting Color Extender
Used once a week, the Ouidad Shine-Boosting Color Extender ($26; ouidad.com) incorporates innovative sun filters in its formula to prevent fading and restore your strands to their vibrant, mirror-like glory.
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Garnier Damage Eraser Split End Bandage
Garnier's Split End Bandage ($6; garnierusa.com) does more than just glue the frayed pieces back together-the keratin infusion repairs existing damage, and prevents further stress on your hair with nourishing, plant-derived proteins and butters.
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Redken Control Addict Extra High Hold Hairspray
Consider Redken's fast-drying hairspray ($20; redken.com for store locations) the beauty equivalent to your best pair of rain boots-it freezes your texture into place and protects it by forming a weather-proof shield without tangling or flaking after a quick pass with a brush.
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Cantu Coconut Milk & Shine Hold Mist
Curly girls rejoice! We have searched far and wide for a hairspray that preserves the shape of our ringlets minus that stiff, crunchy feeling, and Cantu's Shine Hold Mist ($5; target.com for stores) is the answer to our prayers. The secret lies in its shea butter and coconut milk base, which restores moisture to parched strands, and brings out a your own natural, well-defined texture.
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Cake Anti-Aging Growth Scalp Serum
The Cake scalp serum ($72; gmreverie.com) uses natural ingredients like apple stem cells to tone and treat your scalp, prompting your hair to grow back stronger and healthier. Another added plus? We also noticed reduced oil production, allowing us to work second, third, and even fourth-day strands sans dry shampoo.
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KMS Freeshape 2-in-1 Styling and Finishing Spray
Mist this 2-in-1 styler ($20; ulta.com) on dry hair before picking up the hot tools to form a long-lasting foundation, then use it again once you've finished to lock in the final result.
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Carol's Daughter Nourishing and Conditioning Refresher Spray
Carol's Daughter Refresher Spray ($11; carolsdaughter.com) springs your ringlets back to life with a hydrating cocktail of vitamins, sunflower, sweet almond oil, and agave.
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Rio De Keratin Smoothing System Kit
This DIY Keratin set ($40; riodekeratin.com) extends the life of your in-salon treatment, but replaces harmful chemicals with good-for-you ingredients like coconut and jojoba oils, and the full size shampoo and conditioner won't require you to hunt down sulfate-free aftercare products.