How to Choose the Right Styling Product for Your Hair?

Find the Right Hair Care Routine for Your Hair Type

The right hair styling product can help keep your hair healthy and attractive. Choosing one can be critical, whether preparing for an event or keeping hair in order daily. Here’s a look at how you can choose the best styling product for your hair type and styling application.

At Kosa Salon SF, we strive to provide the best hair solutions for all our valued customers. We understand that every individual has unique hair needs, and therefore, we focus on identifying the right products and hairstyles that suit your hair type and texture. Our team of experts has witnessed the transformative power of using the appropriate hair care products, and we are committed to delivering the same experience to all our clients.

Tips to Choose the Right Styling Product for Your Hair

1. Know Your Hair Type

Figuring out your hair type is the first important step in determining what styling product to use.

Hair TypeRecommended ProductsKey Benefits
Straight HairVolume-boosting productsAdds lift and texture without limp
Wavy HairLightweight gels, sea salt spraysControls frizz, enhances natural waves
Curly HairCurl-enhancing creams, deep conditionersDefines curls, adds moisture
Coily HairMoisturizing products, curl enhancersPrevents tangling, minimizes breakage

Identifying your hair type is the key to using products that enhance your hair’s natural texture and effectively tackle issues like oiliness, dryness, and thinness.

2. Understand Your Scalp Type

Your scalp type matters as much as your hair type when it comes to styling products. You should be as concerned with the kind of shampoo you use on your scalp as you are with your hair type.

  • Greasy scalp: If your scalp gets extra oily, avoid heavier styling products and look for lightweight versions that won’t leave your hair feeling oilier. Hydrosol-based products often help control shine without completely stripping the scalp.
  • Dry Scalp: Those prone to dry scalp might want to prioritize hydrating products. Look for products containing hydrating oils and butter that can moisturize the scalp and hair without weighing it down with build-up.
  • Normal Scalps: Normal scalps are easy to maintain because balance is everything. The key is to use products that never dry or moisten too much.

Picking the right product for your scalp type will ensure healthier hair and change the impact of your styling, making hair easier to control and style. 

3. Understand Your Hair Styling Goals:

Which hair product should I get? It depends upon what you want the product to accomplish. Do you want it to add volume, amp uphold, intensify shine, or hydrate?

Hair Styling in Salon
  • Volume: While volumizing sprays could technically give us a boost, lightweight mousses can pump up the volume without making the hair feel hard. They also serve as a coating for the hair shaft, making it the thickest part.
  • Hold: Styles that require day-long staying power can benefit from gels and hairsprays, which keep every hair in place, but it is essential to use very little product so you don’t end up looking like a haystack. 
  • Shine: Serums and oils can add a reflective quality for a gleaming finish. However, apply these products only to the ends of your hair. Applying too close to the roots can make your hair look overly greasy.
  • Moisture: Is your hair dry? Then, kick up the hydration with a deep conditioner or leave it in to restore moisture.

Choosing the Right Hair Products for Different Hair Types

For Wavy Hair:

Wave-haired beauties have the best of both worlds: they lie somewhere between straight and curly and have a certain blessed flexibility in styling. 

Girl with Wavy Hair in salon

You should use lightweight hair gel and mousse when styling your wavy hair. A light-hold gel will help hold your hair in place while smoothing frizz, while mousse is great for adding volume and definition to waves without weighing them down. What’s more:

  • Sea Salt Sprays: Use sea salt sprays to enhance a natural-looking wave pattern. This product will make you look like you went swimming in the ocean.
  • Leave-in Conditioners: Use your leave-in conditioners to hydrate and eliminate frizz throughout the day. Wavy hair types, in particular, will benefit from these products in maintaining moisturized hair without losing its waviness.

For Dry, Curly Hair:

Curly hair needs products specifically for its texture and hydration. Since so many different types of curly hair exist, from thick, coarse curls to finer, softer spirals, it’s essential to know what you’re working with and select products accordingly.

Girl with Curly Hair Kosa Salon SF
  • Curl-Enhancing Creams: Apply curl-enhancing creams to prevent frizz and boost curls. These products can also lock in moisture while keeping curls defined and soft.
  • Regular deep conditioning treatments: Deep conditioning treatments keep dry, curly hair healthy and smooth.

For Straight Hair:

Due to their lack of curl, straight hair prefers light, hydrating products that won’t coat it or weigh it down. Look for products with olive, aloe vera, and argan oils, which keep the hair moisturized and shiny but sleek. 

Girl with Straight Hair
  • Weightless Serums can enhance shine and fight static without gratifying your hair.
  • Thermal Protectant Sprays: Spritz this spray onto your hair before using hot styling tools. It shields your strands from heat damage, helping to keep your hair soft and shiny.

General Hair Care Tips:

  • Understand your hair porosity.
  • Avoid products with harsh chemicals.
  • Allow 2-3 months for your hair to adapt to a new product.

The key is understanding your hair porosity, which affects your hair’s ability to absorb products and retain moisture. Even with straight hair, you might have low or high porosity, so choosing products that best suit your hair’s porosity level is crucial. This approach will help you effectively hydrate and maintain healthy hair. 

You should avoid products with harsh chemicals and avoid switching products too often. I recommend allowing 2-3 months for your hair to adapt to a product before changing, as frequent switches can be stressful for your hair and scalp.

What Ingredients Should You Avoid in Hair Styling Products?

When choosing hair styling products, avoid damaging ingredients. Beware chemicals such as sulfates, which strip natural oils from the hair, dry it out, and make it brittle. 

IngredientEffects
SulfatesStrip natural oils, leading to dryness.
ParabensCan irritate skin and affect hormone levels.
AlcoholMay be too drying for hair.
SiliconesCan build up over time and weigh hair down.

Parabens are often used as preservatives, but they can also irritate the skin and affect hormone levels—alcohol, whether ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, may be too drying for the hair. 

Silicones offer a shine and smoothing effect but may build up over time, weighing the hair down. Natural products can help retain your hair’s healthy glow.