Good Hair Days to Come

November 13, 2009 - 7:39 PM

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As a Southern California resident, I really have no cause for weather complaint. Except, that is, during windy season... which happens, well, right about now. We don't typically get the strong, gusty winds of say Chicago or even San Francisco, but the dry, moderate winds we do get are enough to give me a very bad hair day – which has been known to put me in a very bad mood.

Dry, fly-away, frizzy hair is why I went on a search for some moisturizing shampoos and conditioners to help tame it. And I liked the idea of shampoos and conditioners in particular because I'd rather get hair hydration in the shower than have to add another step to my grooming process with some kind of leave-in conditioner.

Here are my personal favorites:

ApHogee
I found the ApHogee Deep Moisture Shampoo hydrating enough to be able to use on its own without conditioner and for intense moisturizing jobs, the Shampoo for Damaged Hair and Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor made my hair feel velvety smooth and completely detangled. All three are suitable for color-treated hair and the reconstructor is formulated specifically for people who straighten their hair. Though my hair is neither straightened nor color-treated, I found it an excellent deep conditioner.
$8.49 each for the shampoos and $9.99 for the reconstructor at Sally Beauty (2200 Harbor Blvd. Ste. 120, Costa Mesa, 949.631.5992) and through sallybeauty.com

Wen
I'm big on low maintenance, so Wen's Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner suits me perfectly. I loved the minty, fresh scent and accompanying scalp-tingling sensation. But I loved even more the fact that it cleanses and conditions at the same time. I was skeptical that the conditioner-like substance could do both, but my hair felt clean and well hydrated. According to celebrity hair stylist Chaz Dean on his Web site, his Wen line cleanses with astringent and antibacterial properties without lathering and is much better for the hair than shampoo.
$28 at chazdean.com

Neil George
While I normally consider showering more chore than fun (dragging myself out of bed to do it or after a long day at work), I actually enjoyed the experience when using Neil George's Everyday Cleanse and Everyday Moisture Conditioner. It was really the orange blossom scent that did it – a very light, citrusy smell that reminded me of walking past an orange grove. The daily shampoo and conditioner, for normal to dry hair, are paraben-free and very moisturizing.
$20 for the shampoo and $22 for the conditioner at neilgeorgesalon.com and at Space NK @ Bloomingdale's at South Coast Plaza or Fashion Island