Everything from wash day to the finishing spray, in the order I actually use it. Each of these does one job for my hair and does it well.
My hair is fine and falls flat if I let it, so most of this page exists to give it a little extra oomph. Volume from the shower, volume revived on day two, volume locked in with a spray that holds. I wash once or twice a week, and that works really well for my hair, so anything that keeps it looking fresh between washes earns its spot fast.
The rest of these picks stretch the time between salon visits. Root cover-up when the grays start to show, at-home color when I know it will be a while, a blowout I can do in my own bathroom. Salon results at home, on a mom schedule.
Affiliate Disclosure: This page has affiliate links, including Amazon links. If you buy through one, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share products I use myself.
I love Amika Perk Up. It's pretty much invisible if used correctly: spray it in, wait for the magic to happen, then massage your scalp like you're actually shampooing, and you get that freshly washed look with no white residue, ever. The best part is it's free from sulfates, parabens and phthalates. Shop Amika Perk Up →
Once a week I use the Wella Professionals Ultimate Repair mask. It targets damaged hair and delivers visibly smoother, healthier-looking hair. My second favorite way to revive my hair is my Karseell Maca Essence Oil: it nourishes and repairs brittle, damaged hair, and when you're done rubbing it in, put the excess on your hands and skin, because your skin absorbs it easily and looks beautiful. Bonus: it smells so good. Shop the Wella repair mask →
You have to hit it from multiple angles. First, I use Paul Mitchell Extra-Body volume shampoo. If your hair is like mine and could use a little extra oomph, this one is my favorite: it gives hair extra volume and body without making it feel heavy, your hair feels so soft and silky afterwards, and it has this fresh crisp apple scent that smells so good. Shop Paul Mitchell → Then I have two favorite volume sprays. The best one is Sexy Hair BIG Fun Raiser: a texture spray that leaves your hair fuller and thicker without all the extra styling, with volume that can last up to 48 hours. I use it on my already-dry hair to revive it and give it volume like I just washed it. Shop BIG Fun Raiser → The other spray I use when my hair is damp after a shower is Amika Brooklyn Bombshell blowout spray. It gives you that big bouncy fresh-from-the-salon blowout, but at home. Shop the blowout spray → And my last favorite locks in all the volume: after you put all that work into your hair, you want it to stay. SexyHair BIG Spray and Stay has a serious hold, humidity resistance up to 72 hours, and gives you extra volume and lift. Shop Spray and Stay →
Personally, I wash mine once or twice a week, and that works really well for my hair. But here's the thing: there really isn't one magic number that's good for everybody. If you have really fine or oily hair, you might need to wash every day or every other day. If your hair is thicker, dry, or curlier, you can usually go longer between washes. And there can actually be benefits to not washing every single day: shampoo removes oil from your scalp, so if you're washing more often than your hair needs, you can end up drying out your hair and making it more prone to breakage. The trick is listening to your scalp. If you're getting really oily, itchy, flaky, or you have a ton of product buildup, it's probably time for a wash. And here's another little tip: shampoo your scalp, because that's where you actually need the cleaning, then concentrate your conditioner through the lengths and ends. Don't worry about training your hair to hit some magical number of days. Find the schedule that keeps your scalp clean and comfortable and your hair hydrated and healthy.
I have two solutions: one that stays until you wash it out, and one that's more permanent. My first magic cover-up is the Protege premium root touch-up color powder. You know the point when your grays start to show but you're not ready to color your hair yet again? This stuff is such a good secret. You just brush it onto your roots wherever you need coverage, and it comes with an applicator brush so you can get really precise around the hairline. It looks natural: mineral-based ingredients reflect light so your roots don't end up looking flat, and it's water resistant, so it stays put until you wash your hair. Brush it on, dust off any extra, and you're done. Shop the root powder → My second favorite, if I know it's going to be a long time before I get back to the salon, is the Menela Hair Tinting Kit. Salon results at home in 15 minutes, formulated without PPD, ammonia, or resorcinol, with jojoba oil to nourish and condition while it colors. And it can last six weeks. Shop Menela →
I have two favorites. The first is the all-in-one protector from Fenty Hair, Rihanna's line, called The Protective Type. It has a thermal guard, leaves your hair smooth and manageable, enhances your hair's natural shine, helps detangle, controls frizz, and it's universal, so it suits all hair types. Shop Fenty Hair → My second is OGX ProGrowth and Peptide Serum Mist. It instantly plumps strands from root to tip while protecting against breakage, leaves your hair thicker and fuller, and protects up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Shielding hair from styling damage helps lessen breakage and hair fall. Shop OGX →
The Kitsch spray bottle. It delivers a smooth, clog-free, ultra-fine mist for even coverage without soaking hair. It refreshes curls, waves, and second-day styles with ease. Perfect for daily hair routines, especially for braiding and getting hair smooth. Shop the Kitsch bottle →
"My salon dryer at home: 4x faster, quiet, ionic."
Why I like it:
This luxury salon dryer is slim and quiet, delivering a potent 1875 watts of airflow that helps dry hair four times faster than the average dryer. Advanced ionic technology helps retain moisture while reducing frizz, with three heat and three speed settings plus a cool shot to lock in your look.
"My touch-up tool: a salon blowout on a school morning."
Why I like it:
Achieve a salon-quality blowout at home, especially when you need a quick refresh. This 2-in-1 brush dries and styles simultaneously for a much faster routine, using frizz-free technology that seals the cuticle for a sleek, polished look.
"My curling iron: defined curls that last all day."
Why I like it:
Titanium rotating technology ensures rapid heating and consistent temperatures, locking in moisture and enhancing shine. Enjoy defined curls or loose waves that stay intact all day and night.
"My damage-free curls: sleep in it, wake up styled."
Why I like it:
Skip the hot tools and achieve beautiful heatless curls overnight. Designed for all hair types, this satin set creates smooth, defined curls without frizz, breakage, or heat damage.
"My heatless pick for more curls, all the way around."
Why I like it:
Designed for medium to thin hair, the No Headband Octocurl creates controlled 360-degree curls with a customizable curl pattern and placement, without heat damage. Offered in short, medium, and long lengths to match your hair.
"My favorite volume shampoo. Extra body without feeling heavy."
Why I like it:
If your hair is like mine and could use a little extra oomph, this one is my favorite. It gives hair extra volume and body without making it feel heavy, leaves hair looking fuller while helping with damage, and your hair feels so soft and silky afterwards. And it has a fresh, crisp apple scent that smells so good.
"My best shampoo for dry or stressed hair."
Why I like it:
A deep nourishing shampoo specially designed to help treat dry or stressed hair. Formulated with a blend of extracts and vitamins to help leave hair looking moisturized and full of vitality.
"My best conditioner, with goji berry."
Why I like it:
A deep nourishing conditioner especially designed to treat dry and damaged hair, formulated with Nutri-Enrich-Blend, a unique blend of extracts and vitamins that leaves hair looking moisturized and full of vitality.
"The duo I keep stocked: both liters, one order."
Why I like it:
The Invigo Nutri-Enrich shampoo treats and repairs dry or stressed hair, and the conditioner deep-nourishes dry and damaged hair. Together they cover wash day in a house of eight.
"My repair mask for hot-tool and color damage."
Why I like it:
A luxurious hair mask that targets highly damaged hair to deliver visibly smoother, healthier-looking, and easier-to-style hair. It repairs the damage caused by hot tools, UV, bleaching, elastics, and extensions.
"My detox shampoo: extra clean without the stripped feeling."
Why I like it:
A clarifying, non-stripping shampoo that cleanses away excess oil, impurities, and product buildup, leaving hair feeling extra clean and detoxified. It hydrates, tames frizz, adds shine, strengthens and prevents breakage.
"My once-a-week deep clean."
Why I like it:
A powerful yet gentle formula that removes product buildup and acts like a magnet for impurities. It removes chlorine and hard-water deposits while still maintaining color, and works for all hair types. The signature scent is an all-natural blend of oakmoss, ylang ylang and cucumber.
"My pick to revive damaged hair."
Why I like it:
Karseell argan oil is a great product to nourish and repair brittle and damaged hair, and give your skin and nails a fresh, beautiful glow. It is not oily and absorbs easily. Tip: when applying to hair, rub the excess into hands and arms. Bonus: it smells so good.
"My all-in-one heat protector."
Why I like it:
All-in-one thermal guard that safeguards hair from heat damage, leaves it smooth and manageable, enhances natural shine, easily detangles, and controls frizz. Suitable for all hair types.
"My pick to protect and strengthen."
Why I like it:
Instantly plumps strands from root to tip while protecting against breakage, for visibly thicker, fuller-looking hair. This lightweight leave-in heat protectant provides thermal protection up to 450 degrees.
"My pick to stop breakage and shedding."
Why I like it:
Formulated to reduce hair shedding and visible breakage while improving hair's overall appearance with consistent daily use. A non-oily serum that absorbs quickly and layers into your routine without weighing hair down.
"My best scalp scrub."
Why I like it:
Gently exfoliates to remove buildup, flakes, and excess oil, leaving the scalp clean, balanced, and refreshed. Infused with tea tree oil, shea butter, and witch hazel to purify pores and create the foundation for stronger, fuller-looking hair.
"My best dry shampoo: no white residue, ever."
Why I like it:
Pretty much invisible. Used correctly, you get that freshly washed look with no white residue: spray it in, wait for the magic, then massage your scalp like you are actually shampooing. Certified vegan, cruelty free, color safe, and free from sulfates and parabens.
"My best volume and texture spray."
Why I like it:
Provides additional volume up to 48 hours with some humidity resistance, and adds two times the body and fullness.
"My finishing spray: intense hold up to 72 hours."
Why I like it:
SexyHair's highest-hold finishing spray provides long-lasting intense hold and humidity resistance up to 72 hours, with a high-shine transparent finish plus volume and lift.
"My blowout spray: heat protection plus massive volume."
Why I like it:
A spray with heat protection for massive long-lasting volume. It gives great texture and creates a lightweight, touchable hold, and it also returns moisture to hair.
"My best tool for braiding and styling."
Why I like it:
This continuous spray bottle delivers a smooth, clog-free, ultra-fine mist for even coverage without soaking hair. Ideal for refreshing curls, waves, and second-day styles, and perfect for plopping, styling, and daily routines.
"My best root touch-up dye between salon visits."
Why I like it:
Professional results at home in 15 minutes. Formulated without PPD, ammonia, or resorcinol for a gentler color experience, enriched with jojoba oil to nourish hair during application. Delivers rich, fade-resistant color that lasts up to six weeks.
"My gray cover-up in between visits. I use light brown."
Why I like it:
Quick and easy: brush it into your roots, dust off any excess, and that's it until you wash your hair. The dual-tip brush applies powder accurately with no blotches, and reflective mineral-based ingredients give a natural look and shine.
