Periodically while growing up, and certainly since quarantine, I have had long hair. I have medium-thick, slightly wavy (2A/2B) hair which falls just a couple inches short of my belly button. I love styling it. When my hair is curled or pinned up just right, I feel amazing. It is such a simple pleasure and one of my favorite forms of self-expression.
To achieve such hair, I rely on a few staple products. While these items are not exclusively for long hair, I find them incredibly helpful in managing mine.
If I am feeling lazy and low maintenance, this is the one product I will put in my hair. It is a deliciously smooth and lightweight creme. I like this because I am not the best at taking care of my natural hair pattern. If I want, I can use this product to define my waves or combat any frizz if I decide to brush my hair straight. You can also reactivate this with some water. I usually just spritz a little water, et voilà!
I have gone through a lot of brushes, and I have yet to find one better than this. They are cute (I have the lavender), lightweight, and great with tangles—wet or dry. They also come in travel size: an essential when wearing my long hair down all day.
Because my hair is long and kind of thick, it is often weighed down and can look a little flat. Just a little of this mousse and a couple minutes of blow-drying gives my hair life.
This is my favorite dry shampoo I have tried so far. It does a great job of making my hair less oily while adding a bit of volume. I just use the original, but it comes in an array of shades for different hair colors. There is also a variety of scents. Plus, the containers are cute and colorful.
Drybar High Tops Self-Grip Rollers
I love to use these rollers and a curling iron to get a gentle blowout look. Initially, I was hesitant to purchase these. I thought they would leave my hair in knots instead of soft curls. Thankfully, my apprehension was wrong. I will admit, the first couple times I took these rollers out of my hair, I struggled. I also rely on the smaller sized roller to revive my bangs in the mornings.
As stated in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s masterpiece “Fleabag,” hair is everything! Not really, but I do resonate with most of this sentiment. While I love these products, do not feel like you need to spend a ton of money on hair care. A few staples and/or a heatless method to style in your sleep work just fine. I think that’s the beauty of hair. You can choose to do so much or just a little. Either way, it is such a cool way of self-expression!