Choosing the best hair products

We at Healthy-Food summed up the results of 2021 and chose the best, in our opinion, cosmetic products. They really work – cleanse, moisturize, protect, restore and strengthen. Just look at what wonderful shampoos, balms and masks can become your faithful assistants!

Why It’s Important to Have Multiple Hair Care Products

How great it would be if there was one magical remedy on the shelf in the bathroom that would cleanse and fully care for curls! But, unfortunately, there are none. And the list of hair care products is quite impressive.

Shampoo, dissolving oil and impurities, opens the hair cuticle. When we wash it off and just dry our hair, it often sticks out in different directions and looks dull and expressionless. They feel completely different if you use a balm or conditioner after shampoo. These products wash away shampoo residues, close the cuticle, thereby smoothing the surface of the hair, and cover it with fat-like substances, which facilitates further styling and makes the hair more manageable and manageable. And the mask and leave-in care intensively moisturize the hair and saturate it with nutrients.

Is it possible to fit everything in one bank? Of course not: cosmetics have different purposes, different composition, different duration of action (shampoo is applied and immediately washed off, other products can withstand 1-10 minutes or even left on the hair). But what about the means of 2-in-1, 3-in-1? There are also such, they have their own properties and tasks. For example, you will most likely find shampoo and conditioner in one bottle only in men’s lines. This is due to the peculiarities of male skin and hair. Usually 3-in-1 hair care products are products that can combine the functions of a balm, mask and leave-in care.

Garnier Expert Creator Evgeny Sedoy believes that “for the best hair care, if you want them to look luxurious, you will need an average of three bottles – with shampoo, conditioner and mask, or leave-in care. The main thing is to use it regularly.”

3-in-1 products won’t give your hair the care it needs

The best hair cleansers

Let’s start with shampoos – the most popular hair products. We wrote a lot about how to choose them. “Everything is important – the washing base, the aroma, the consistency, and what caring additives are included in it,” says Vichy medical expert Ekaterina Turubara. “But perhaps the most important thing is that the product takes into account the needs of your hair.”

For oily hair

Our top oily hair products are those that are great at removing oil and impurities without upsetting the balance of the scalp. They often include:

absorbent ingredients (clay, coal, etc.);
antibacterial components (zinc, extracts of calendula, chamomile, etc.);
tonic and cooling substances that give a feeling of freshness and purity (horse chestnut extract, menthol, etc.).

Dercos Nutrients Detox Deep Cleansing Shampoo for hair that needs frequent washing, Vichy

Charcoal and spirulina algae extract are the star ingredients of this remedy. Thanks to them, the hair and scalp remain fresh for a long time. We at Healthy-Food know first hand how oily hair can be, but thanks to the good cleansing effect of this shampoo, even such curls can now be washed every three days!

Fructis Coconut Balance Strengthening Shampoo, Garnier

The formula with coconut water and emollients is great if the hair has become oily at the roots, but prone to dryness at the ends. The shampoo gently cleanses and rebalances the scalp. Moisturizes without weighing it down.

For dry hair

We talked about them in detail here. In our opinion, the best cosmetics for dry hair are cosmetics with mild surfactants and caring ingredients:

moisturizing (aloe extract, glycerin, argan, shea, macadamia, etc.);
soothing (panthenol, soy glycine, etc.);
strengthening (wheat, silk proteins, ceramides, etc.).

Soft physiological shampoo-gel Kerium, La Roche-Posay

Gently cleanses and maintains the physiological balance of the scalp – and all thanks to mild surfactants, glycerin and salicylic acid. The shampoo has almost no smell – it is soft, barely perceptible. And you can use this tool at least every day.

Shampoo-oil Fructis “Triple Recovery”, Garnier

The mild formula with shea butter, macadamia, jojoba and almond oils in the cleansing process saturates even the driest and most dehydrated hair with nutrients and antioxidants. Makes curls smoother, more manageable and shiny in no time.

For brittle and damaged hair

These curls, like no other, need hydration and nutrition. In shampoo (and in general in the whole series of care for such hair) look for:

vitamins;
vegetable oils (castor, sea buckthorn, shea butter, avocado, olive, etc.);
moisturizing ingredients (glycerin, aloe extract, etc.);
sealing, strengthening components (these can be, for example, proteins and synthetic molecules – fibracilan, etc.).

Elseve Nourishing Shampoo “Luxury 6 Oils”, L’Oréal Paris

This shampoo with a pleasant texture and an unusual aroma will turn washing your hair into a spa treatment. But most importantly, it really works! Thanks to floral micro-oils (lotus, tiara, rose, chamomile, flax and sunflower), it helps to remove brittleness, makes hair smooth, manageable and shiny.

Papaya Superfood Revitalizing Shampoo, Garnier

Very “tasty” and “juicy”, it gives shine and silkiness to the hair and helps to strengthen them. The main active ingredients are papaya extract, coconut oil and vitamin E.

For dandruff

With dandruff, special complexes in the composition of the shampoo fight. True, dandruff can be dry and oily, and it is very important to choose the right shampoo. With dry dandruff, products with zinc pyrithione and salicylic acid will do an excellent job. And with oily shampoos with tar and selenium disulfide.

Intensive anti-dandruff shampoo with micro-exfoliating effect Kerium DS, La Roche-Posay

An absolute must-have, in our opinion, for owners of oily hair suffering from dandruff. However, what happens to hair in the summer makes us all pay close attention to this shampoo. With salicylic acid, lipohydroxy acid and niacinamide, this treatment removes excess sebum and soothes the scalp. The beauty!

Deep cleansing shampoo-peeling against dandruff Dercos, Vichy

Even if you do not have dandruff, it makes sense to use this tool at least occasionally in the summer. Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Piroctone Olamine, Niacinamide and Apricot Kernel Particles provide an intense yet gentle cleansing to the scalp and then soothe it.

For colored hair

Such hair is among the most capricious. The paint damages, thins the strands, makes them brittle and weak. Another problem is color washout: after products with strong detergent formulas, your “pitch black” shade can fade, and the blond can go yellow. Shampoo for colored hair solves all these problems – it’s not even a question what kind of care for such hair to choose.

Shampoo-care 3-in-1 Elseve Low Shampoo “Color Expert”, L’Oréal Paris

The shampoo does not contain sulfates, and therefore does not foam well, which does not prevent it from carefully, but carefully caring for colored and brittle hair. The composition contains flax oil, which is responsible for nourishing the hair and protecting the color.

Strengthening shampoo for hair Fructis “Goji. Lasting color, Garnier

Goji berry extract and polyphenols work as antioxidants to make hair silky, soft and shiny.

Cosmetics for nutrition and hair restoration

Evgeniy Sedoy, expert creator of Garnier, explains: “If shampoo is applied to the scalp, then care products (balms, conditioners and masks) are applied only along the length of the hair. And to achieve the desired result faster, once a week after applying these products, moisten a towel with very hot water and wrap your hair in it. Cover dry on top so that the wet does not cool so quickly. The procedure takes five minutes. Such a steam bath enhances the effectiveness of balms and masks.

Balms and conditioners

Without exaggeration, we believe that these are the top products for hair care after shampooing. They restore, smooth hair. Largely thanks to these products, the strands look well-groomed. Manufacturers include moisturizing and nourishing components in balms – proteins, oils, vitamins.

We can say that conditioner and hair balm are means for applying gloss. Hair becomes smooth and shiny, like the stars on the covers of magazines, easy to comb and style.

Firming conditioner Fructis “Thick and luxurious”, Garnier

The soloist here is the fibracelan molecule, which helps to increase the volume and density of the hair. And pomegranate extract moisturizes, softens hair, makes it silky. The overall result is that the hair looks lush and healthy.

Balm Elseve “Three valuable clays” for hair oily at the roots and dry at the ends, L’Oréal Paris

It contains three types of clay: white, blue and green. They absorb excess sebum and oily impurities. The balm perfectly moisturizes the hair without weighing it down and making combing easier.

Hair conditioner Dercos Aminexil, Vichy

The formula, enriched with aminexil (a molecule that prevents hair loss) and a strengthening complex (vitamins PP / B5 / B6 + ceramide), promotes intensive nutrition and restoration of hair, fights against their fragility and loss.

Men’s shampoo conditioner Nourishing Shampoo + Conditioner, Kiehl’s

Hair conditioner is usually reserved for women, men don’t like to mess with step by step. Therefore, a two-in-one shampoo, like this one, is optimal for them. Pracaxi oil will add softness to the hair, while a mixture of eucalyptus, cedar and sandalwood oils will moisturize the scalp and give a feeling of freshness.

Masks

Speaking of “hair care products”, the first thing we remember is masks. These are real magic wands – both when you need to quickly get your hair in shape (for example, before an important meeting), and for intensive care, when, in principle, you want to make it stronger, stronger, healthier and shinier. It is optimal to use masks 1-2 times a week – and alternate, for example, moisturizing with firming and nourishing.

Mask 3-in-1 Fructis “Papaya” Superfood for damaged hair, Garnier

Just because hair is oily doesn’t mean it can’t be damaged. Coloring, styling, wind, temperature changes – almost all women are familiar with these negative factors for hair. The mask helps to restore the structure of the hair, gives them smoothness, silkiness and shine.

Steam mask: intensive repair for long damaged hair with keratin and castor oil, Elseve Dream Length, L’Oréal Paris

A keratin and castor oil repair balm leaves hair smooth and shiny, while the included warming cap enhances results with a thermal effect.

Thermal protection products

There is an opinion that thermal protection products are needed only for those whose hair is already damaged or if a hair dryer, iron and curling iron are used on a regular basis. But experts recommend using these products with every styling. Just choose the optimal one – the thinner the hair, the lighter the texture should be.

Complex leave-in care Fructis SOS-Hair Rescuer 10-in-1, Garnier

Suitable for damaged and split ends. The composition includes amla oil and aminokeratin, which strengthen the surface of the curls, make them beautiful and shiny. And most importantly, they protect during hot styling (thermal protection up to 230 ˚С).

Leave-in cream Elseve “Ultra Strength” for weakened and prone to hair loss, L’Oreal Paris

Biotin, arginine and vitamin B5 are the trio of components that make hair look stronger and stronger. The tool protects curls from brittleness and damage during combing, as well as styling with a hairdryer and curling iron (gives thermal protection up to 230 ˚С).

Means for strengthening and growing hair

Of course, if the hair is weak, falls out, grows poorly, the selection of funds should begin with a consultation with a trichologist. The doctor will prescribe an examination, prescribe vitamins and a diet or procedures that will make it possible to accelerate hair growth, and only then will recommend remedies for strengthening them at home. The best choice for serious problems, the editors of Healthy-Food considers the products of brands of hair care cosmetics, which are presented in the pharmacy. As a rule, they produce ampoules with effective concentrated serums, the active components of which have a positive effect on both the hair follicles and the scalp.

Complex remedy for hair loss Dercos Aminexil, Vichy

Vichy releases two versions of the product – for men and for women. The ampoules contain an active concentrate with aminexil. This molecule strengthens the hair roots and slows down their loss: soon the number of hairs remaining on the comb should decrease.

Products for additional hair care

Optional does not mean optional and unnecessary. Vice versa! If you dream of luxurious hair, it is difficult to do without cream, spray and indelible care. Yes, they do not cleanse and cannot affect hair growth in any way, but they do their job perfectly:

take care of the cuticle, smoothing and moisturizing it;
help prevent split ends;
give hair shine and shine;
often have thermal protective properties;
protect hair from external negative influences.

Mainly, we are talking about leave-in care products and oils. All sorts of hair serums are also classified as additional hair care (and, by the way, they also usually do not need to be washed off), but they are aimed at solving growth problems and are applied more often to the scalp, not to the hair. We will focus on products that are applied specifically to the hair – along the entire length or on the tips.

Hair cream

Hair cream is an indispensable thing for shine, nutrition, hydration and restoration of curls. And also, according to Evgenia Sedogo, “it helps to discipline them”, that is, it removes static electricity, gets rid of fluffiness, makes them soft and smooth.

Botanic Therapy “Royal Jelly and Propolis” Revitalizing Cream-Oil, Garnier

A pleasant creamy texture and honey aroma are the hallmark of this product, which makes hair soft and silky. The cream nourishes the hair and protects it during hot styling.

Cream-care Elseve “No to scissors. Dream length” for long damaged hair, L’Oréal Paris

Contains vegetable keratin, vitamin B5 and castor oil, which improve the structure of the hair, give it volume and softness without weighing it down. Because it’s a leave-in, the pleasant scent is an obvious bonus.

Complex leave-in care cream Fructis “Growth in full force”, Garnier

Cream with a light texture and a pleasant fruity aroma makes the hair more hydrated and strong, manageable and shiny. The main characters in the composition of the product are moisturizing and tonic sugar cane extract, extracts of green tea leaves and apples with their antioxidant properties, and lemon extract that gives radiance.

Hair oil

Hair oils (both natural and some cosmetics) are used in two ways. They can be used as a mask or wrap before shampooing, or can be used in very small amounts as a leave-in treatment. We in the editorial office prefer the second option, because the effect is noticeable instantly. The main thing is not to overdo it. Oil as a leave-in care helps to make the hair more hydrated, strong and manageable. It protects against breakage and tangles, adds shine to hair and does much more – read the label carefully before buying.

Oil-elixir “Transformation”, Garnier

A couple of drops of oil applied to the strands instantly revitalizes them, makes them soft, silky, smooth and shiny, protects against breakage. The oil can also be used before shampooing for more intense nourishment, but we prefer it as a leave-in treatment. The formula combines coconut, sunflower, olive oils plus avocado and shea oils.

Oil “Extraordinary” for damaged hair, L’Oréal Paris

This repair oil for dry and damaged hair helps to solve the problem of split ends, leaves strands soft and magically scented. The basis of the formula is coconut, sunflower and soybean oils, which are combined with essential oils of flowers. The luxurious product can be used not only as a leave-in treatment, but also as an oil mask – before washing your hair.

Summary results

Briefly about the main thing.

How much hair care products do you need?

At least two – shampoo and balm or conditioner, and preferably 3-4: a mask and leave-in care are added to the base pair. For certain problems (increased oiliness of the scalp, dandruff, hair loss), additional scalp products may be needed.

What to consider when choosing hair cleansers?

The most important thing is the needs of your hair and the type of scalp. If the hair is oily, you need shampoos for oily hair, if dry – for dry, etc. But a lot of other details are also of great importance:

washing shampoo base (sulfate / sulfate-free);
smell;
consistency;
care kit.

What is the difference between a balm and a conditioner?

These funds are fundamentally different. Their main task is to smooth the hair cuticle opened by shampoo. It is believed that balms are more saturated with caring components, but today there is no clear gradation. Both the balm and the conditioner are glossy – make the hair smooth and shiny, facilitate combing and styling.

Who needs thermal protection?

Anyone who styles their hair with a hair dryer, curling iron, tongs, flat iron, etc. These products protect the strands from high temperatures and prevent damage.

Is it possible to do without additional care?

If you dream of a luxurious head of hair, be sure to use a cream, mas, spray – any indelible care, depending on the needs of your hair. The effect will be noticeable immediately.