I don’t know about everyone else, but the moment I got to college, my hair started going downhill. I was putting it up into a ponytail so often I gave myself split ends. Exam week left me with so little time, I didn’t wash my hair. By the end of the semester, I had actually styled my hair maybe three times.
Don’t get me wrong, my hair has never been a strong suit of mine. But after that first semester of my first year, it was past the point of no return.
So what’s a girl to do? Well, I’ve got four products you need to try to bring a little bit of life back into your hair without a ton of effort.
1. Briogeo Don’t Dispair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask ($26)
http://www.sephora.com/don-t-despair-repair-deep-conditioning-mask-P388628?skuId=1644558
I absolutely love hair masks. If you have never tried one, you use it just like you would a face mask—cover your hair in a layer of the mask, let it sit for as long as you like (depending on which one you get, this could be thirty minutes or overnight), then rinse it off. This is especially useful for people with extra-dry hair (if your hair tends to be on the oily side, I recommend applying this mid-length to ends, avoiding roots where oil buildup generally is). This particular mask is awesome because it is powerful enough to give you some serious hydration, light enough not to weigh your hair down, and the product uses all organic materials and is cruelty free.
2. Batiste Dry Shampoo ($7.99)
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2040049#
Let me just say, in a completely non-gross way, that washing your hair every day is simply not necessary. Lets not do away with good hygiene habits, but when it comes to your hair, the natural oils that your scalp produces are really good for you and washing everyday tends to strip your hair of those oils. So, yes, embrace second-or third-day hair, but if you don’t love the idea of your head looking like a ball of grease, try out a good dry shampoo. This brand comes in a ton of different scents that all smell amazing and won’t leave any white residue. Simply shake up the can, spritz the product on your roots, wait about a minute for it to absorb your hair’s oils, then give yourself a little scalp massage to disperse the product. Your hair will look and smell great, and have more grip for cool updos or heat-styling.
3. Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray ($5.99)
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod3120617
I love my hair with some wave/curl in it, but there are two problems: 1. My hair is so fine, it won’t hold any heat styling without tons of hairspray, and 2. Ain’t nobody got time for curling my hair. My solution? Sleeping in different types of braids. A basic French braid will give you tight mermaid waves, a twist braid will give you gorgeous ringlets, and a big loose braid will give you a little bit of texture. My trick for keeping these waves all day? Sea salt spray, and lots of it! Spritz a healthy amount of this on right after getting out of the shower and braid your damp hair before getting your beauty rest. When you wake up, take the braids out and spray a little bit more on to hold the waves and rough up the look a little bit.
4. V05 Tea Therapy Clarifying Shampoo Vanilla Mint Tea ($0.77)
There are a lot of benefits to clarifying shampoos. If you’ve been hitting the dry shampoo a bit too hard, this will get rid of any buildup on your scalp; it helps keep oils under control; best of all, it just gets your hair and scalp unbelievably clean. Use this sparingly, though—once a week will be plenty for anyone who isn’t using a ton of products in their hair. The best part about these shampoos is that you don’t need to pay a ton of money for them! This one from V05 is literally under a dollar and works just as well as one you’d pay $30 for!
Remember that you are a college student and therefore have so many better things to worry about than your hair! Each of these products is a time-saver and a hair-helper, so give them a try!
What are your favorite time saving hair products? Tell us in the comments below!